Balkishan Sharma, Managing director, National Academy Group of Institutions, Mumbai

Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
Education is of paramount importance. If one member of a family is educated, he/she will educate the entire family and contribute to society.

How best to upgrade government colleges and universities?
This initiative has already begun under the NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) grading system. We need to provide better amenities in terms of technology and equipment to facilitate digital learning.

Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Albert Einstein, whose creativity and inventions have transformed the world.

Your leadership style.
To build teams and have the right person in the right job.

Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
Our former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a highly committed champion of education.

Your favourite book on education.
The Bhagavad Gita — the source of all knowledge and education.

What is the unique characteristic of the National Academy?
We provide the best practical training opportunities by inviting industry experts for master classes. We train our students to become successful entrepreneurs and skilled professionals.

Should the education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
In a well-educated and literate society, war won’t break out. We won’t need any defence expenditure.

How satisfied are you with the growth and development of the National Academy Group of Institutions?
We started with event management and have come a long way by diversifying into other new age courses like sports management, design & innovation and other specialised courses. In K-12 education, we are focused on STEAM education, art & crafts, sports, dance, robotics, AR & VR. But we have miles to go.

Pessimistic or optimistic about the future of education in India?
Optimistic. Children and youth comprise more than 30 percent of the population. Their drive will force changes in education.