Sonakshi Agarwal, Managing Director at Sterlite EdIndia Foundation, has spent the better part of her career working on one problem: the quality of teaching in India’s government education system. Not access, not infrastructure, not policy on paper, but what actually happens in the classroom, and who stands at the front of it.
Her path to this work was shaped by contrast. “I was fortunate to study at one of the best schools in the country and later pursue higher education at an Ivy League institution. Throughout those years, I was mentored by exceptional teachers who shaped the way I think. The emphasis on critical thinking during my school and college years has played a significant role in how I lead and build my organisation today,” she says.
When she returned to India, the gap was hard to ignore. “There are countless children in this country who are intelligent and capable, yet they do not have access to quality education, strong teachers, or meaningful opportunities. The systems they are part of often do not nurture critical thinking in the way it should be developed.”
That realisation brought her to education, and to the question of teacher quality specifically. “I felt compelled to work in education, particularly to strengthen the presence of high-quality teachers within the system. If we can ensure that students are guided by capable and committed educators, we can create environments where critical thinking and independent thought are truly cultivated.”
The Gap That Compels Her
India’s access to schooling has improved over the years. According to UDISE+ data, more than 95% of students now have access to a primary school within 1 kilometre, and enrolment rates at the elementary level are above 90%. The National Education Policy 2020 lays out an ambitious vision for reform.
But Sonakshi points to a gap these numbers do not capture. “Despite high enrolment and improved access, many students graduating from the system are still not employable. Various employability reports indicate that a significant proportion of graduates lack industry-relevant skills, particularly in problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking.”
“The issue is not merely getting children into schools, but ensuring that the education they receive equips them with the competencies required for life and work,” she adds.
When the System Owns It
Sterlite EdIndia Foundation works across six states today, up from two in 2019. For Sonakshi, the measure of whether an intervention is working is specific: has the system internalised it as its own?
“For me, change-making within systems becomes meaningful when the system begins to internalise your interventions as its own. When your products and offerings are seamlessly integrated into institutional structures, processes, and budgets, that is when you know the change is sustainable,” she says.
The teaching plan competition is one such example. What began as an external program has since been integrated into the official planning and budgeting frameworks of several states. It is included as a dedicated budget line item and conducted as an annual event.
She recalls what she witnessed at the state headquarters when student-teachers and faculty gathered to present their work. “There was visible pride in representing their colleges and showcasing their work. That sense of institutional identity and aspiration is something one often associates with MBA or engineering institutions. It is not typically seen within the education departments. Yet, through these interventions, we saw that energy emerge for the first time.”
“What stood out to me was not merely the measurable outcome of the competition, but the shift in attitude. Teaching began to feel aspirational. There was excitement, ownership, and a renewed sense of dignity attached to the profession,” she says.
On Leading Within Structure
As the organisation has scaled, questions around structure and flexibility have come to the fore. “As we grew from two states in 2019 to six states in 2026, it became clear that scale requires systems. Long-term thinking cannot survive without clear roles, accountability, and defined processes,” she says.
“The real challenge has been balancing hierarchy for governance, while keeping accessibility horizontal. We need structure for delivery, but flexibility for innovation. We need targets and discipline, but also space for new ideas.”
In conversation with The Logical Indian, she is clear about accountability in decision-making. “Innovation is important, and we actively experiment within our programs to improve design, delivery, and scale. However, innovation cannot become an end in itself. Every strategic decision must ultimately contribute to measurable outcomes and meaningful impact.”
On staying connected to ground realities, she says: “In my current role, I ensure that ground realities remain central by regularly visiting the institutes we work with. I meet government officials, teacher educators, faculty members, and students. Designing programs from a distance, without engaging with on-the-ground realities, rarely produces the outcomes we aim for.”
Motherhood and Leadership
One of the most defining moments in her leadership journey, she says, was becoming a mother.
“When I had children, I began to understand firsthand why so many women leave the workforce at that stage of life. Balancing the pace and expectations of professional work with the responsibilities of raising children is very demanding,” she says.
On what that experience taught her about leadership, she adds: “The commitment, resilience, multitasking ability, and problem-solving skills required to navigate motherhood are extraordinary. These are not peripheral qualities; they are leadership strengths.”
“Retaining women is not only a matter of equity, but also essential for building stronger institutions,” she says.
The Influences That Shape Her
When asked who continues to shape her thinking around leadership and responsibility, Sonakshi points to her grandfather. “My grandfather, Dr. Sitaram Jindal, has been one of the most significant influences in shaping my understanding of leadership and social responsibility. Growing up, I watched him dedicate his life not only to industry but to large-scale philanthropy and social work.”
Dr. Sitaram Jindal was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to trade and industry. “What stood out to me was the consistency of his commitment to social good and the scale at which he thought about impact. His contributions continue to guide the work I do and the standards I hold to myself,” she says.
Advice for Young Professionals
For those who want to drive change from within institutions rather than outside them, Sonakshi’s thinking is rooted in collaboration. “Independent models act as proof of concept. They allow ideas to be tested and improved. These ideas can be scaled through collaboration, especially with the government. I believe that working together helps sustain the work, and strong ideas get the recognition they rightfully deserve.”
“Collaboration in systems, in my opinion, is the best way forward,” she adds.
The Goal: 100,000 Teachers
Over the next decade, Sonakshi’s goal is to impact 100,000 teachers nationwide. “I firmly believe that teachers are the highest leverage point in the education system. When you strengthen one teacher, you strengthen every child she or he will ever teach,” she says.
A teacher reaches approximately 1,800 students over the course of their career. At that scale, 100,000 teachers translate to 180 million students influenced through stronger pedagogy, better classroom practices, and more engaging learning environments.
On the aspiration beyond numbers, she says: “I want to see teachers who are confident and professionally empowered; classrooms that nurture critical thinking rather than rote learning; students who graduate not only educated, but also employable and future-ready. Most importantly, we want state systems to institutionalise high-quality teacher development so that the impact endures.”
On the role of leaders in education more broadly, she tells The Logical Indian: “Programs are important. Building stronger organisations is more important. But in a country as vast and complex as India, with its scale, diversity, and systemic challenges, isolated interventions are not enough.”
“Leaders in education must think beyond program delivery. Our role is to treat programs as research and demonstration models. We must innovate, experiment, rigorously test what works, and that requires strong data systems, continuous evaluation, and evidence-backed iteration, and not intuition alone.”
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
India has made significant strides in getting children into schools, but the quality of learning inside those schools remains an unfinished task. Sonakshi Agarwal’s work is a reminder that the real work begins after enrolment, and that a well-trained teacher may be the most important investment we can make in a child’s future.
