“Education is the most powerful weapon to battle poverty” is an adage that Sharmila Pai has believed and worked with for the last 15 years of her life in the development sector – especially in education.

With her thoughtful ideas on how education must be simply designed and delivered with the end objective of making an impactful difference in every student’s life, Sharmila Pai serves as the Director at Damani Education Foundation.

She has been the pivot in establishing the first school, that provides free quality education to deserving students from rural Maharashtra, for the Foundation. She is fondly called “maushi” (meaning mother’s sister) by the children and loves spending her time with them, the most.

Compassion and kindness are, according to her, the most important and valuable qualities needed for educators and professionals in the education sector.

Qualifications: M.Sc (Ecology & Environmental Science), M.Sc (Information Technology), B.Ed

At Saraswati Vidya Academy, our purpose is anchored in the belief that education has the power to transform lives, especially for first-generation learners who step into school carrying the hopes of their families and communities.

With more than twenty-one years of experience in leading reputed CBSE, ICSE, Cambridge and residential institutions across India, my commitment at SVA is to ensure that every child receives a balanced, holistic and future-ready education.

Our academic framework is thoughtfully designed to build conceptual clarity, strong language proficiency, scientific temperament, and digital competence, while our co-scholastic programme instils confidence, creativity, teamwork and emotional well-being.

As a residential school, we take pride in offering a nurturing environment where children are guided, protected and supported every day in their academic, social and personal growth.

My promise to every parent and every child is that Saraswati Vidya Academy will remain a space where each learner is valued, mentored and encouraged to excel.