dr sunita Gandhi

Dr. Gandhi is a leading education researcher, author and activist. Across her many organizations and schools, she is working towards quality education for all.

Her Unique Story

Dr. Sunita Gandhi is a prominent Indian educator, researcher, innovator, and author dedicated to advancing quality education for all, with a special emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy.

After earning her PhD in Physics from Cambridge University, UK, Dr. Sunita Gandhi served at The World Bank in Washington, DC, USA, as a Young Professional and Economist. She returned to India early in her career to focus on quality of education of the masses.

Dr. Sunita Gandhi founded Dignity Education Vision International (DEVI Sansthan) and serves as the Chief Academic Strategist at her family’s City Montessori School in Luckpdf, world's largest school, as recognized by the Guinness World Records. She began her journey in education at the age of 14 by founding a school for underprivileged children in her neighborhood. She has established schools in the Czech Republic, Iceland and India. Dr. Gandhi has also traveled to 50 countries, studying their education systems to inform her work.

Her extensive research in Indian slums and schools culminated in the creation of ALfA (Accelerating Learning for All), a transformative pedagogical approach now replicated in 33 world languages. Since its launch in 2022, ALfA’s Fast & Holistic FLN work has experienced remarkable expansion from 20 to 15,000 schools, achieving full statewide adoption in Himachal Pradesh, and initiating pilot projects in twelve countries.

In a 2023 book edited by Professor Fernando Reimers and colleagues from Harvard Graduate School of Education, a chapter documents the remarkable success of ALfA which has significantly enhanced foundational literacy and numeracy skills in a mere 40 days.

Dr. Gandhi authored 'Disruptive Literacy: A Roadmap for Urgent Global Action,' released by Bloomsbury in 2022, and 'Accelerating Learning for All: A Groundbreaking Pedagogy to Transform Education,' released by Bloomsbury in January 2024. Dr. Gandhi’s research over 15 years across the UK, Iceland, and India on revolutionizing assessment to emphasize comparing with self is featured in 'Ipsative Assessment and Personal Learning Gain.' Edited by Professor Gwyneth Hughes from the Institute of Education, UK, this book was published by Palgrave Macmillan, UK, in 2017. Dr. Sunita Gandhi has received numerous prestigious awards, such as India's Educationist of the Year 2014, the Visionary of Uttar Pradesh 2017, and the Shining World Caring Award 2020 from Taiwan. She has also been honored with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Vietnam in 2015, and received the World Bank President’s Most Outstanding Contribution to Development Award in 1996 for her participatory work on women in Morocco.

If 45 days could make the world literate, would you not do it?

- sunita Gandhi

Dr. Gandhi speaks on

  • How to teach literacy in 3 months not 3 years
  • Education policy in India and around the world
  • How to launch a mass movement for literacy
  • Reimagining exams to foster cooperation instead of competition
  • Bringing education from the 19th century to the 21st

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Teaching someone to read is the greatest act of service, it is an act of worship.

- sunita Gandhi

Accelerating Learning for All

Reading is more than decoding words on a page. It is unlocking doors to education, employment and empowerment.

- sunita Gandhi

A Revolutionary Education

peru

In collaboration with Arca Beta NGO, we are piloting ALfA in a school in the remote Amazon. Results are impressive, and discussions are now underway with government for scaling up.

Trinidad & Tobago

We are partnering with El Dorado South Hindu School to pilot ALfA.

Guyana

DEVI Sansthan collaborated with Kupanda Sisters, to implement ALfA in a school of Guyana.

Kenya

We are working with Path Youth NGO, who used the ALfA materials to run a literacy and numeracy bootcamp for children from the slums of Mombassa.

India

We are partnering with the state governments of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh to implement ALfA in over 1000 primary schools.

Malaysia

We are collaborating with Radiant Gems Preschool to start ALfA implementation in Malaysia.

Maldives

We are collaborating with the Ministry of Education and UNICEF to implement ALfA in all primary schools across the archipelago.

Philippines

Having partnered with Dawnbreakers Foundation to replicate the material in Filipino, they are now using it to teach literacy in a remote area of Mindoro.

USA

We are working together with Literacy Chicago, who are using the ALfA toolkit to teach adults how to read.

Honduras

mali

ghana

Zimbawe

Nepal

Indonesia

Appreciation

Instead of worrying, ‘How can I score a higher rank?’, ALfA learners wonder, ‘Where do I still have more to learn?’

- sunita Gandhi

International

CONFERENCES & WORK TRAVELS
2024

Second Synergy Summit for CSR Heads

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2023

Policy Makers Conclave (online) & Massive Open Online Training

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2022

First Synergy Summit for CSR Heads

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2022

Chief Guest, 6th International Teachers’ Conference, Maldives

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2018

Keynote, BETT ASIA, Malaysia

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2017

Keynote, International Education Conference, Thailand

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2013

Keynote, Annual Conference, Finnish National Board of Education

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2009

Keynote, Australian Montessori Education Conference

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2008 - present

Convenor, Ed Leadership International Roundtable Conferences

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2000

Keynote, International Education Conference, USA

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2000

Keynote and Roundtable Host, State-of-the-World-Forum, Ireland

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1999

Keynote and Roundtable Host, State-of-the-World-Forum, USA

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1996

Keynote, UN Summit, Denmark

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1993

Keynote, UN Women’s Conference, Jordan

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1992

Keynote, A New Framework for Education, Finland

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International Visits & Work

Australia

Australia

Austria

Austria

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Belgium

Belgium

Canada

Canada

China

China

Czech_Republic

Czech Republic

Denmark

Denmark

Finland

Finland

France

France

Germany

Germany

Hong_Kong

Hong Kong

Hungary

Hungary

Iceland

Iceland

India

India

Iran

Iran

Ireland

Ireland

Israel

Israel

Italy

Italy

Jamaica

Jamaica

Japan

Japan

Jordan

Jordan

Karakalpak_Stan

Karakalpak Stan

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kenya

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan

Malaysia

Malaysia

Maldives

Maldives

Mexico

Mexico

Morocco

Morocco

Nepal

Nepal

Netherlands

Netherlands

New Zealand

New Zealand

Norway

Norway

Poland

Poland

S. Korea

S. Korea

Singapore

Singapore

Sweden

Sweden

Switzerland

Switzerland

Tajikistan

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Tanzania

Thailand

Thailand

Philippines

Philippines

Turkey

Turkey

Uganda

Uganda

UK

UK

USA

USA

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Accelerating Learning for All : Impact

days

45 Days

Students can learn foundational literacy and numeracy in just 45 days – up to 10x faster than traditional approaches.

years

2-6 years

In 45-day pilot programs, children learnt the equivalent of 2-6 years of traditional schooling (effect sizes ranged from 0.3-1.3).

schools

1000+ schools

Across India and around the world are using the ALfA program to transform educational outcomes.

students

120,000+ students

Impacted through the groundbreaking ALfA pedagogy, which develops foundational literacy, numeracy and key life skills.

Impact

2x Impact

Twice as many ALfA schools passed the NIPUN assessments as non-ALfA schools across four Indian districts.

Rank

1st Rank

Hilauli block, which fully implemented ALfA in its 155 schools, came first rank out of Unnao district’s 17 blocks.

Engagements

awards

education

  • 2015

    Lucknow University

    B.Ed., Lucknow University, UP, India

  • 1987

    Cambridge University, UK

    Ph.D. in Physics, Trinity College, Cambridge University, UK

  • 1983

    London University, UK

    B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physics, Imperial College, London University, UK

  • 1980

    Peterborough Technical College, UK

    A-Levels, Peterborough Technical College, UK

  • 1975-1978

    St. Agnes' Loreto, India

    Middle & High School, St. Agnes’ Loreto, Lucknow, India

  • 1965-1974

    City Montessori School, India

    Primary School, City Montessori School, Lucknow, India

Press & Media

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Hear Dr. Gandhi's vision for a new education system.

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Listen to policymakers and leaders' views on Dr. Gandhi's work.

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Check out the remarkable results from Accelerating Learning for All.

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Watch Dr. Gandhi’s interview receiving the Visionary of Uttar Pradesh award.

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See Dr. Gandhi’s interview with CSRBox, outlining her literacy work.

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Be inspired by Dr. Gandhi’s speech at Rotary club.

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research and publications

S. Gandhi et al, Disruptive Literacy, Bloomsbury, 2022

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S. Gandhi et al, "Illiteracy Inequality", Economic & Political Weekly, 2021

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S. Gandhi et al, The Inconvenient Truth of Illiteracy Inequality, Journal of New Economics, 2021

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Accelerating Adult Literacy Report, 2021

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Why Can’t The Children Read? 2021

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Making Uttar Pradesh Nipun in 2024

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S. Gandhi, Maximising Learning Gain in Schools, Chapter in Book by Prof. Gwyneth Hughes, 2017

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S. Gandhi et al, Accelerating Learning for All, Bloomsbury, 2024

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Morocco: Enhancing the Participation of Women in Development

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World Bank Policy Paper: Energy Efficiency and Conservation in the Developing World

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