Born: March 16, 1971

Ms. Shaheen Mistri’s work for children over three decades has mobilized thousands of people to work together for a systemic change in education. She has built the largest network of education change-makers in the country.

Ms. Mistri founded the first Akanksha Centre in 1989. Today, Akanksha Foundation has expanded from serving 15 children in one Centre to almost 9000 children across Mumbai and Pune. In 2008, searching for a way to impact more children, Ms. Shaheen founded Teach For India (TFI), with the audacious vision of providing an excellent education to all children across India by building a movement of leaders committed to ending educational inequity in India. It has introduced various innovative programmes, which pushes its sense of possibility, spreads its learning and provide kids, educators, and entrepreneurs with a platform for dialogue.

Ms. Mistri’s special projects like the Maya Musical and the Kid's Education Revolution help explore student leadership. The impact of her contribution is both reflected in the academic results of the students and in their growth on values and mindsets and their changed aspiration levels.