Sujatha Gade: Promoting emotional and mental wellbeing for students, employees

Dr Sujatha Gade, Principal, Diamond Jubilee High School, Hyderabad

Sujatha Gade has been in the education sector for close to three decades, and is sure about one thing: As a teacher, it is never about just helping a student graduate from one grade to another. It is also about shaping a child’s future by helping her build a career according to her aptitude, and make her an emotionally strong individual.

The principal of the Diamond Jubilee High School in Hyderabad—which is managed by the non-profit Aga Khan Education Services (AKES), India—leads a team of close to 55 people, out of which 42 are teachers and the rest are administrative and contractual staff. She has been occupying leadership positions in various international schools in Hyderabad over the years, and this is her seventh year working with AKES, India.

Born and raised in a village in Sathupalli in the Kahammam district of Telangana, Gade completed her master’s in mathematics from Osmania University in Hyderabad, following which she secured a master’s and a doctorate in psychology from Sri Venkateswara University.

“My school gives me the opportunity to pursue my passion and commitment to make a difference to the lives of students, particularly from underprivileged backgrounds,” she says.

MA Malik, director, Deccan College of Engineering & Technology, says Gade is “dedicated and hardworking”, and is a team player who inspires confidence in the school management, staff and students.

Since the pandemic, Gade has ensured that her teachers receive emotional and technical preparation to teach virtually, while making sure students are able to take classes online and parents are able to provide basic data connectivity and other amenities. “Ours was the first school in the district to initiate virtual learning in the pandemic,” claims Gade, adding that she also constituted daily “sharing sessions” to help overworked teachers discuss their experiences. “I make sure I am accessible to my team members at all times, so that they can talk to me about issues they are facing, professional or personal.”