JAMMU: Rouble Nagi, a Jammu-born artist and social worker who has spent over two decades bringing education into India’s most underserved communities, has won the prestigious $1 million Global Teacher Prize at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
Often described as the Nobel of Teaching, the award recognises educators who have made an exceptional contribution to the profession. Nagi is the tenth recipient of the global honour since the prize was instituted in 2015.
Founder of the Mumbai-based Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, Nagi has worked extensively in slums and low-income settlements across India, using art and community-based learning models to deliver education, vocational skills, and social awareness. Her foundation has established more than 800 learning centres aimed at providing structured education to children who have either never attended school or need supplementary support.
Through these centres and outreach programmes, her initiatives have reached over one million children, according to foundation estimates.
Nagi first gained widespread attention for Misaal Mumbai, a large-scale slum transformation project that involved painting and repairing homes in vibrant colours to create a sense of dignity and positivity among residents. Under the initiative, more than 1.5 lakh houses have been renovated and painted, with work underway in over 163 slums and villages across the country.
Beyond beautification, the murals double as teaching tools. Walls are painted with lessons on literacy, science, mathematics, and history, turning neighbourhoods into open-air classrooms.
The Global Teacher Prize committee cited her work in creating hundreds of learning spaces and pioneering the use of educational murals as key reasons for the award.
Speaking after receiving the prize, Nagi said the recognition was a moment of pride for her and the country. She recalled starting her work 24 years ago with just 30 children in a small workshop, gradually expanding it into a nationwide effort.
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Her foundation also focuses on women’s empowerment, hygiene awareness, and vocational training to help families become economically self-reliant.
With the $1 million prize money, Nagi plans to establish an institute that will offer free vocational training to youth and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
An award-winning, internationally acclaimed artist, Nagi has created over 800 murals and held more than 150 exhibitions worldwide. She is also a member of the India Design Council and has contributed to several public art installations in Mumbai. Her book Slum Queen documents her experiences working in marginalised communities.
The Global Teacher Prize, presented by the Varkey Foundation, has previously honoured educators from Kenya, Palestine, Canada and Saudi Arabia for their work with vulnerable and remote populations.
Foundation founder Sunny Varkey described Nagi as an example of “courage, creativity, compassion and an unwavering belief in every child’s potential,” adding that her efforts have strengthened families and entire communities.
From painting slum walls to building classrooms where none existed, Nagi’s work has redefined how education can reach those left out of the formal system — a journey that has now earned her one of the world’s highest recognitions in teaching.
