Indian Educator Rouble Nagi Wins Global Teacher Prize 2026 for Transformative Art-Based Learning

Indian Teacher Rouble Nagi Honored with Global Teacher Prize 2026

Dubai, UAE – Indian educator and artist Rouble Nagi has been named the recipient of the Global Teacher Prize 2026, a significant accolade accompanied by a $1 million award. The announcement was made at the World Government Summit in Dubai on February 6, 2026. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, presented the award, which recognizes Nagi's profound impact on education through her innovative art-based learning initiatives.

Transforming Education Through Art

Nagi was honored for her groundbreaking work in transforming neglected walls into interactive educational murals. These 'living walls of learning' serve as open-air classrooms, teaching fundamental subjects such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, alongside crucial topics like public health and environmental awareness. Her approach has been instrumental in making learning accessible to marginalized communities across India.

Over the past two decades, Nagi's efforts have successfully integrated more than one million children into the formal education system by leveraging art as a powerful educational tool. Through her Rouble Nagi Art Foundation (RNAF), she has established over 800 educational centers in more than 100 low-income communities and villages throughout India. These centers provide safe and inspiring spaces for children who have never attended school, guiding them towards structured learning and reintegration into mainstream education. Additionally, they offer remedial support, psychosocial assistance, and creative activities to enrolled students.

Impact and Future Plans

Nagi's initiatives, including her 'Misaal Mumbai' project, have been credited with significantly reducing school dropout rates by over 50 percent in target areas and improving long-term retention. Her work extends beyond creating murals; she travels extensively across India, mentoring teachers and directly engaging with children. She has trained over 600 teachers and volunteers, fostering a scalable model that addresses children's educational, social, and and economic needs.

The Global Teacher Prize, now in its tenth edition, is an initiative of the Varkey Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO and presented by GEMS Education. Nagi was selected from a pool of over 5,000 nominations received from 139 countries worldwide. Nagi has announced her intention to use the $1 million prize money to establish a vocational institute. This institute will offer free training in professional skills and digital literacy, aiming to transform life opportunities for millions of underprivileged youth.