New Delhi: Four school educators have been chosen for the prestigious Derozio Awards 2025 for their exemplary service to school education and human enrichment, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) said on Thursday.

The awards will be conferred by former Supreme Court judge and ex-chief justice of Karnataka High Court Vikramjit Sen at the School Heads' Meet organised by the Association of Schools for the Indian School Certificate in Chandigarh on Friday.

Instituted by CISCE, the Derozio Awards honour individuals whose leadership and contributions have strengthened the nation through education. The awards are presented annually to recognise educators who have made a transformative impact in primary, middle, secondary, senior secondary education and educational leadership. Each award carries a 24-gram gold medal, a citation plaque engraved in silver, a scroll, and prize money of Rs 1 lakh.

“This year's awardees shine with extraordinary dedication, bold innovation, and deep human impact. Our evaluation reaffirmed the remarkable educational transformation across CISCE schools and the inspiring commitment of educators nationwide,” said Joseph Emmanuel, Chief Executive and Secretary of CISCE.

The awardees are:
Shinoj Kizhakkemuriyil, Principal, St Antony's School, Ghaziabad
Priti Sinha, Principal, Gulmohar High School, Jamshedpur
Seena Joseph, Principal, Auxilium Nava Jyoti School, Kerala
Kusum Uniyal, TGT Science, Jyoti Vidyalaya, Joshimath, Uttarakhand

The two-day School Heads' Conference by the Association of Schools for the Indian School Certificate began on Thursday in Chandigarh, drawing more than 2,000 heads of CISCE-affiliated schools to discuss emerging trends and chart a forward-looking roadmap. The theme is “Building stronger schools together.”

“Stronger schools emerge when institutions, universities, and stakeholders work together. We must prepare students not just for white-collar jobs but also for sports, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Schools sow the seeds of imagination that higher education must nurture,” Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal said.