Menu Indian Teacher Rouble Nagi Wins $1 Million Global Teacher Prize for Education and Social Work February 7, 2026 by Mkeshav Indian teacher and activist Rouble Nagi was awarded the Global Teaching Award, one of the most prestigious accolades in the education sector, worth $1 million, during the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The award recognized Nagi?s work leading the Rouble Nagi Arts Foundation, which has opened more than 800 educational centers across India. The core objective of this work is to facilitate access to formal education for children who have never attended school and to provide academic support to those already enrolled.

Nagi?s approach goes beyond traditional classrooms. The activist has developed an innovative art-based method, painting educational murals in underserved neighborhoods.

These murals serve as pedagogical tools for teaching reading, writing, math, science, and history, bringing knowledge to communities facing structural barriers to accessing the education system. 

Nagi announced her intention to invest the $1 million she received in building an institute to provide free vocational training, thereby expanding the social impact of her work.

The Global Teaching Award is presented by the Varkey Foundation, established by entrepreneur Sunny Varkey. Varkey is also the founder of GEMS Education, a global private school operator with a presence in Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The company?s estimated value is in the billions, and its educational model has paralleled Dubai?s growth, where only private schools educate the children of foreign workers who drive the local economy.

Since its inception in 2015, the Global Teaching Award has recognized the work of ten educators from across the globe. The list of awardees includes a teacher from a remote Kenyan village, renowned for donating most of his income to those in need; a Palestinian teacher who teaches her students the culture of nonviolence; and a Canadian educator who taught Inuit students in a remote Arctic village.

In the previous edition, the award went to Saudi educator Mansour al-Mansour, known for his programs supporting disadvantaged communities in Saudi Arabia. Al-Mansour, who teaches at the Prince Saud bin Jalawi School in Al-Ahsa and is also a writer, implemented an initiative to guarantee access to air conditioning maintenance during the hottest months, an essential service for the vulnerable population.

He also works with orphans and has expressed a desire to use the award funds to build a school for them. After receiving the award from the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, al-Mansour explained that his primary motivation is to address the educational disadvantage faced by orphans, who often receive material assistance but do not always have access to quality education.

The success of GEMS Education and the expansion of the Varkey Foundation reflect the growth of private education systems in regions such as Dubai, where demand for international services continues to rise. The Global Teaching Award has established itself as an international benchmark for innovation and social commitment in education.

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