{"id":46198,"date":"2026-01-23T16:03:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T10:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2026\/01\/23\/from-classrooms-to-the-future-kotak-education-foundations-manthan-2026-unites-the-education-ecosystem-to-reimagine-learning-for-the-next-billion\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T16:03:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T10:33:50","slug":"from-classrooms-to-the-future-kotak-education-foundations-manthan-2026-unites-the-education-ecosystem-to-reimagine-learning-for-the-next-billion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2026\/01\/23\/from-classrooms-to-the-future-kotak-education-foundations-manthan-2026-unites-the-education-ecosystem-to-reimagine-learning-for-the-next-billion\/","title":{"rendered":"From Classrooms to the Future: Kotak Education Foundation\u2019s Manthan 2026 Unites the Education Ecosystem to Reimagine Learning for the Next Billion"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

From left to right- Kavita Sanghvi \u2013 Director of Education KEF, Jayshree Ramesh \u2013 COO Education KEF, Ganesh Raja \u2013 CEO KEF, Swaroop Sampat Raval \u2013 Actress, former Miss India (1979) & Educator, Farhiz Panthaky -Project Head Project Lead KEF, Himanshu Nivaskar Senior VP \u2013 Head CSR & ESG Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ridhi Bhatia \u2013 Senior VP Group CSR Kotak Mahindra Bank<\/em><\/p>\n

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 23: <\/strong>Kotak Education Foundation (KEF) successfully hosted Manthan 2026, its annual flagship education showcase, bringing together educators, policymakers, government authorities, school leaders, teachers, students, and partners from across India to reflect, dialogue, and co-create pathways for inclusive and future-ready education.<\/p>\n

Anchored in the theme\u00a0\u201cReimagining Education for the Next Billion,\u201d\u00a0Manthan 2026 emerged as a powerful convergence of ideas, lived experiences, data, and voices from the ground\u2014placing children, teachers, and communities at the heart of systemic change.<\/p>\n

Addressing the gathering,\u00a0Dr. Swaroop Sampat, Chief Guest\u00a0spoke on the intersections of creativity, education, and policy, urging stakeholders to keep learning deeply human, joyful, and rooted in purpose.<\/p>\n

Faye D\u2019Souza, award-winning Indian journalist and\u00a0Chief Guest for the second segment of Manthan 2026, addressed the audience on how classroom education must continuously evolve to remain relevant, inclusive, and responsive to the realities of today\u2019s world.<\/p>\n

A key highlight of the event was the unveiling of KEF\u2019s coffee table book,\u00a0Beacons of Change: Journeys of Hope, Learning, and Impact<\/em>, a curated documentation of stories from the field that reflect the Foundation\u2019s commitment to dignity, agency, and scalable impact. The book was unveiled by\u00a0Ganesh Raja, CEO, KEF; Jayasree Ramesh, COO (Education), KEF; Kavita Sanghvi, Director & COO (Education), KEF; Farhiz Panthaky, Kshamata Project Head; Himanshu Nivsarkar, Senior Executive Vice President \u2013 Head CSR & ESG, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Ridhi Bhatia, Senior Vice President \u2013 Group CSR, along with the\u00a0Chief Guest, Dr. Swaroop Sampat, educationist, theatre practitioner, and Padma Shri awardee.<\/p>\n

For the very first time,\u00a0government education authorities from Maharashtra, Goa, and Andhra Pradesh\u00a0participated in Manthan at scale, reinforcing its role as a collaborative platform for systemic dialogue. Distinguished attendees included senior representatives from\u00a0SCERT, SIEM, DIET, RAA, TRTI, APSWREIS, and PM SHRI schools, representing leadership across academic design, teacher education, and school transformation.<\/p>\n

Key government representatives present included\u00a0Ms. Sambana Rupavathi, Joint Secretary (Academic & Health), APSWREIS, Andhra Pradesh;\u00a0Mr. Govindraj Desai, State Coordinator for Teacher Education and Nodal Officer, Goa SCERT;\u00a0Ms. Shailaja Darade, Director, SIEM\/RAA, State Institute of English for Maharashtra, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar;\u00a0Ms. Manisha Pawar, Deputy Director, Regional Academic Authority (RAA \u2013 Mumbai);\u00a0Mr. Vijay Gund, Senior Lecturer, TRTI;\u00a0Ms. Sunita Katam, Subject Assistant, IQC Department, SCERT Maharashtra;\u00a0Mr. Arun Jadhav, Deputy Director, SCERT Maharashtra;\u00a0Ms. Sulabha Balgare, Ex-Education Officer; along with senior faculty and principals from\u00a0SIEM and DIET, including\u00a0Dr. Vishal Gorakhnath Tayde; Dr. Rajendra Dhondiba Kamble; Dr. Sanvi Raghunath Deshmukh; Dr. Sambhaji Bhojane; Mr. Jitendra Salunkhe; Mr. Rajesh Rudrakar; Dr. Sanjay Wagh; Dr. Yogesh Survase; Dr. Satish Pharande; Mr. Subhash Buwa; Dr. Irfan Inamdar; and Dr. Gajendra Jamadar, among others.<\/p>\n

\"Kotak<\/p>\n

The event witnessed the enthusiastic participation of\u00a0over 500 students from underserved communities, while\u00a038 partner schools\u00a0showcased their work through immersive displays and performances\u2014bringing classroom innovation to life.<\/p>\n

The day-long convening opened with stirring performances by students from government schools in\u00a0Thane and Palghar districts, symbolising the transformative power of belief, opportunity, and sustained educational support. Learners from migrant, tribal, and farming communities took centre stage, demonstrating confidence, creativity, and aspiration\u2014outcomes of consistent, context-sensitive interventions.<\/p>\n

Manthan 2026 also spotlighted KEF\u2019s\u00a0Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN)\u00a0initiatives aligned with\u00a0NEP 2020\u00a0and the\u00a0NIPUN Bharat Mission, alongside its\u00a0Communicative English\u2013Future Readiness (CE\u2013FR)\u00a0programmes. These segments came alive through student-led musicals, educator narratives, and impact films, underscoring how early learning, confidence, and language shape long-term outcomes.<\/p>\n

With KEF\u2019s\u00a0FLN footprint now extending to over 800 schools across Maharashtra and Gujarat, the musical\u00a0\u201cThe World of Tomorrow\u201d\u00a0reflected the evolving purpose of education\u2014shifting the focus from\u00a0what<\/em>\u00a0children learn to\u00a0how<\/em>\u00a0they learn, as they prepare for an uncertain and rapidly changing future.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0CE\u2013FR Lion King musical, performed by\u00a0320 students from 16 underserved schools, seamlessly integrated creative storytelling with the\u00a0United Nations\u2019 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through enactments, dance, and music, students highlighted themes of environmental conservation, responsible consumption, and inclusive communities.<\/p>\n

The latter half of the day celebrated partnerships and people, with the felicitation of\u00a0Buddy Principals, Idol Principals, Master Trainers, and teachers\u00a0through the\u00a0Teacher Innovation Awards, recognising educators as the true architects of change within classrooms.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the event, KEF leadership reiterated that Manthan is not merely a showcase, but a shared commitment\u2014one that calls for continuous reflection, collaboration, and collective action across the education ecosystem. For Kotak Education Foundation and its partners, the path forward lies in sustained collaboration, inclusive design, and keeping learners\u2014and those who enable them\u2014at the centre of every decision.<\/p>\n

If you object to the content of this press release, please notify us at pr.error.rectification@gmail.com. We will respond and rectify the situation within 24 hours.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From left to right- Kavita Sanghvi \u2013 Director of Education KEF, Jayshree Ramesh \u2013 COO Education KEF, Ganesh Raja \u2013 CEO KEF, Swaroop Sampat Raval \u2013 Actress, former Miss India (1979) & Educator, Farhiz Panthaky -Project Head Project Lead KEF, Himanshu Nivaskar Senior VP \u2013 Head CSR & ESG Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ridhi Bhatia \u2013…<\/p>\n

Read More “From Classrooms to the Future: Kotak Education Foundation\u2019s Manthan 2026 Unites the Education Ecosystem to Reimagine Learning for the Next Billion”<\/span> »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46199,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[634],"class_list":["post-46198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46198"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46198\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}