Jayshree periwal

Director-principal, Jayshree Periwal Group of Schools, Jaipur

Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
#1 because development is education and education is development. 

Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
Bill Gates is a great thinker/philosopher. He had the courage to follow his dream and then donated most of his wealth to global society.
 
For or against the RTE Act’s 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
Although I feel passionately for underprivileged children, I believe bundling students from widely diverse socio-economic and educational strata makes the underprivileged feel more disadvantaged. 

Should education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
I would direct this question to macroeconomists. However, there is an urgent and undeniable need to increase resources for education. 

Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Rabindranath Tagore — thinker, educator and true patriot. 

Your leadership style.
I have always believed that at best, leaders are first among equals. The best leaders create new leaders by trusting others and letting them bloom.

Your favourite book on education.
For senior students, Excellent Sheep by William Deresiewicz; for parents Amy Chua’s Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and for educators The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. 

How satisfied are you with the growth and development of the Jayshree Periwal Group of preschools and primary-secondary schools?
We have 20,000 students passing through the portals of JP Group of schools every day. Today, our students have become top civil servants, technology company leaders, successful entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, designers, doctors and engineers. That inner satisfaction is my raison d’etre. 

Pessimistic or optimistic about the future of education in India?
Optimistic. India has the greatest minds and hearts in the world and we shall overcome our problems and difficulties.