Dr Amrita Vohra: A Guiding Light of GEMS Education Ensuring Learners Realize Their Dreams

Dr Amrita Vohra
Dr Amrita Vohra

Imagine a leader who remembers the magic of childhood curiosity even as she steers a vast educational landscape. In the bustling world of Indian education, where millions chase dreams and knowledge dances on eager fingertips, Dr Amrita Vohra stands as a guiding light. As COO and Director of Education at GEMS Education, India region, she wields not just a leadership baton, but an architect’s compass, shaping young minds and crafting futures one inspired lesson at a time.

With unwavering dedication and a visionary spirit, Dr Vohra steers the school, ensuring every student embarks on a transformative journey of learning and growth. The beating heart of GEMS Education in India, with a twinkle in her eye and a wisdom born of experience, Dr Vohra empowers students and educators alike to dream big and ignite a passion for learning.

With over 25 years of transformative work in education, Dr Vohra is a passionate learner and educator. She began her career as a Lecturer for English Literature at Navyug Girls Post Graduate College, Lucknow, where she established the Functional English Department.

A Journey of Thousand Milestones

After that, she joined Jaipuria Institute of Management (JIM) and later Amity University as a Lecturer for English, Soft Skills and Business Communication training students from Mass Communication and Management programmes. She also worked for the English and Women’s Studies Departments at IT College, Lucknow, where she taught Literature and Feminist Literary Criticism in Post Graduate courses.

A PhD in English Literature and a certified Program Leader for Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications for teachers and school leaders, a recipient of the QS-I-Guage R.I.S.E Fellowship by O.P Jindal and Southampton University, Dr Vohra has helped set up and led various schools as Principal and school improvement advisor while serving earlier as Head of Academic Research and Training and later as the Head of Professional Development and Quality Assurance and also as an active member of the GEMS Global Education team.

The Calling Ace

Child and Female Psychology has been Dr Vohra’s calling since her days as a student, and thus, her PhD thesis deals with contradictions within the ‘Self’. Apart from various nuances of literary theory and its application in Indian women’s writing, the thesis traces the dilemmas of women and children amidst the chaos of change in the fin-de-siecle.

Dr Vohra has been a regular speaker at various workshops and a trainer for short-term courses on literary theory held at IIT, Kharagpur. She has also written various articles on education. Of these, ‘Education Revolution’ is a noteworthy series published in The Times of India. These articles draw attention to the need for urgent changes in the Education system.

Dr Vohra has also been responsible for managing and setting up some esteemed educational institutions like The Millennium School, Lucknow, as Headmistress and G.D. Goenka Public School, Lucknow, as Principal. She moved on to research, curriculum design, teacher education, educational leadership training and school management while working with Global Classroom as ‘Head – Academic Research and Training’. Catering to over 50 Franchisee and Affiliate schools across India, she travelled the country training teachers and school leaders for Dr Sunita Gandhi’s initiative to bring about change in education. Her varied experience in education management and school systems across India is one of her key strengths.

Fostering Professional Learning Communities

Dr Vohra has worked with institutions like Educomp Solutions, Global Classroom and Opportunity International. Catering to over 100 Franchisee and Affiliate schools across India, she travelled the country training teachers and school leaders. From Workshops for DIET Principals in Kerala to budget private school owners in remote parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal and Haryana, she has been continuously trying to improve K-12 Education Quality across the spectrum of government-aided/unaided, low-budget, mid-market and high-budget schools.

With GEMS Education, she set up various green-field school projects, developed Policy Manuals and Quality Standard Frameworks, and provided continuous mentoring and support to School Leadership teams. Being a firm believer in Joint Practice Development, she set up Professional Learning Communities both offline and online in schools.

Besides academic achievements, Dr Vohra is an accomplished Bharatnatyam dancer trained at Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad. She was a junior state champion for badminton from the YMCA, Allahabad. She has also been closely associated with theatre and is a guest faculty member for literature and dramatic art at Bhartendu Natak Academy (BNA). She has conducted various Theatre Workshops and scripted and directed productions with school and college students.

A Multitalented Personality

In her present profile, Dr Vohra is leading Teacher Education and Quality Assurance. She has helped the organization set up new school projects, provided services to managed schools associated with GEMS, developed and re-organized the policy manuals for GEMS India K-12 schools, and provided continuous mentoring and support to school leadership teams and, most importantly, teachers.

Being a firm believer in joint practice development and sharing good practices, Dr Vohra has set up professional learning communities of teachers in GEMS India, both offline and online. She is also a certified Program Leader for Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications (PDQs), having designed one-year Diploma programmes for in-service teachers and School Leaders. Her earlier experience with Higher Education as a faculty for undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Women’s Studies, Literature, Feminist Literary Criticism, Soft skills and Business Communication adds to her perspective. She has contributed various articles and research papers to a diverse range of professional publications, and her personal blog, www.pindropsilence.in, is widely appreciated.

The Leadership of Continuous Learning

Dr Vohra has also conducted workshops for teachers in small town and village schools of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, as well as the DIET Principals in the Southern state of Kerala. During her tenure with GEMS, she has contributed as Acting Principal for GEMS schools at Gurgaon, Bhopal and Karnal to salvage crises. She is a member of the GEMS Global Education team led by Mr. Tony Little and regularly contributes to the GEMS India blog.

Being a Bharat Natyam dancer, Dr Vohra has always been interested in dramatic arts and Drama-in-Education. Her key research interests are women and child psychology, pedagogy, assessment, inclusive education, teacher professional development, curriculum design, school improvement, quality assurance and early childhood education.

The Living Legend

Dr Vohra has reviewed publications for eminent publishers like Oxford University Press and Macmillan Education. She has also supported the CBSE with research on embedding international standards and best practices in the assessment and pedagogy aligned with the NEP 2020. She is a member of the:

– National Council of the Association of Indian Principals (AIP).

– Steering Committee for CII Schools Summit, a member of the CII Indian Women’s Network.

– Steering committee for the Global Citizenship Forum’s Conference on Transformative Education.

– Progress Card Committee formed by CBSE.  

– Chairperson for SELIN Gurgaon Chapter. 

Dr Vohra is a Jury member of

– UNESCO Club Worldwide Youth Multimedia Competition 2022. 

– Mumbai Schools Survey by Free Press Journal. 

Dr Vohra has been the proud recipient of various accolades over the years, including,

  • Top Principal Award by ELETS World Education Summit,
  • Outstanding Leader Award by International Icon,
  • Exemplary EduLeader Award by GSLC,
  • Global Principals’ Award by AKS Education,
  • Woman of Excellence Award by Indian Achiever’s Forum,
  • Best Principal Award by the All India Swacchha Bharat Art Forum,
  • Inspiring Educator of the NCR by Rocksport,
  • Visionary Educator for Emotional Literacy by Zenik Olympiad Foundation to name a few.

Under her leadership, GEMS International School, Gurgaon won 

  • The Inspire School Award for Best Skill-development,
  • ELETS School Award for Innovation and Global Collaborative Learning,
  • Education World Grand Jury Award for the National rank 1 in the category of Library & Reading Culture, as well as
  • National rank 1 in the category of Career Counselling Leadership.

Dr Amrita Vohra has also been chosen among

  • The 10 Most Influential Women in Education 2020 by Insight, 
  • 10 Most Inspiring Women Leaders in Education by TradeFlock Magazine and 
  • Among 25 Leaders Re-Inventing Education by Education World.

Latest Awards:

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