Indian Educator Ruble Nagi Honored with $1 Million Global Teacher Prize for Pioneering Art-Based Learning

On Thursday, February 5, 2026, the international spotlight turned toward Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as the World Governments Summit hosted a momentous celebration of educational excellence. During this high-level gathering of global leaders and innovators, Indian educator and social activist Ruble Nagi was distinguished as the winner of the prestigious Global Teacher Prize. This honor, which includes a life-changing $1 million award, serves as a testament to her revolutionary impact on the lives of countless students and her visionary approach to community-based learning.

Nagi’s recognition is the culmination of twenty years of dedicated service aimed at democratizing education for India’s most vulnerable populations. Through the Ruble Nagi Art Foundation (RNAF), she has spearheaded a movement that brings high-quality learning opportunities directly to those who need them most. To date, the foundation has launched more than 800 educational centers throughout India. These facilities are designed to provide a comprehensive curriculum for children who have historically been excluded from the school system, while also offering supplementary academic resources to students seeking to enhance their existing knowledge.

The cornerstone of Nagi’s unique teaching philosophy is the "Living Walls of Knowledge" initiative. This program utilizes the power of art to transform public spaces into vibrant, interactive learning environments. By painting educational murals on the walls of local communities, Nagi has created outdoor classrooms that cover a wide range of subjects, including literacy, science, history, and mathematics. This creative strategy is a key component of her "Misaal India" project, which has successfully engaged over one million children across various slums and rural villages, effectively integrating academic rigor with practical life skills and early professional development.

The statistical success of Nagi’s methods is as impressive as the art itself. In the communities where her foundation operates, student dropout rates have plummeted by over 50%, and there has been a marked increase in literacy and numeracy levels among participants. This massive operation grew from humble beginnings; Nagi started her journey 24 years ago, teaching a small group of just 30 children in a local workshop. Her selection as the tenth recipient of the Global Teacher Prize—an award founded by the Varkey Foundation in 2015 to honor educators who have made an indelible mark on their students—highlights the global significance of her grassroots efforts.

At the Dubai ceremony, which was graced by the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the founder of the Varkey Foundation, Sunny Varkey, lauded Nagi for her exceptional courage, creativity, and compassion. Upon receiving the award, Nagi announced a bold vision for the future of her mission. She plans to utilize the $1 million prize to establish a specialized institute that will offer free vocational and professional training. This new venture is designed to provide marginalized youth with the practical skills necessary to secure employment and achieve long-term financial independence, extending her impact far beyond the traditional classroom.

Ruble Nagi’s influence also extends into the realm of urban transformation and public health. Her "Misaal Mumbai" initiative was the first project of its kind in India to focus on the aesthetic and social revitalization of slum areas through art. The project has seen the painting of more than 155,000 homes across 163 slums and villages, often pairing these beautification efforts with essential workshops on hygiene and sanitation. Furthermore, as a member of the India Design Council, Nagi achieved a significant milestone in 2017 when she became the first artist to hold an exhibition at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum in New Delhi. Her multifaceted career demonstrates a profound commitment to social innovation, proving that art and education can be powerful catalysts for systemic change.