Iqbal Fazlani, Trustee, Fazlani Foundation, Mumbai

Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
First. Education is the prerequisite of national development worldwide. Likewise, in India it’s the passport to our future. 

How best to upgrade government schools?
Every private school should adopt a neighbouring government school and share human, material and other resources with it. Greater public-private partnerships is the way to go.

Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
Mahatma Gandhi, a great humanist and philosopher. 

Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Rabindranath Tagore, India’s only literature Nobel laureate. 

Your leadership style.
People-oriented participatory style combined with task-oriented leadership to get jobs done. 

Your favourite book on education. 
It changes every time I pick up a new book. 

For or against the RTE Act’s 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
India needs this reservation to bridge the ever-widening gap between haves and have-nots.

Also read: Why the RTE act should be scrapped

 Should education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
Rather than increasing or decreasing one or the other, we should use the education outlay wisely. 

How satisfied are you with the growth and development of the Fazlani Group of institutions?
Very satisfied. I am especially proud that the prime focus of the group is promotion of education among weaker sections of society and medical aid to the needy.

Pessimistic or optimistic about the future of education in India? 
Very optimistic. The path ahead is rocky. But I believe it’s possible to make India the knowledge hub of the world.