About Us

Our Story

Arth is founded on the idea that all children are born competent, capable and eager to learn and that all children can and must experience success in school. When the founders could not find a school they would be comfortable sending their kids to, they started one themselves.

We believe that children have a deep need to make sense of this world they grow up in, and hence the name, ‘arth.’

The school has been founded by Ankur, an IIT Kharagpur alumnus with a vision to create preschools where learning is a truly joyful endeavour and where children love to come. He worked as a teacher in a wonderful reggio-inspired progressive pre-school in New Delhi where he was mentored by educators who have taught in progressive schools across USA, UK, Canada, Japan and India. He researched and studied global best practices and curricula across the developed world and came up with a child-centered program for children between 18 months to 5 years of age fit for the Indian context. Thus was born Arth.

Come, let us introduce you to our team.

our ADVISORY Board

Sonya PhilipSonya is the founder/president of Learning Matters Foundation. She has been an educator for over three decades with teaching experience in the US and in India. Sonya is a reading specialist and is trained in several recognized Reading Programs. She regularly works with students and conducts workshops for school educators. Ms Philip completed her Masters in Education from the American University and was trained as a Special Ed expert at the Lab School in Washington. — **Sonya Philip**
Sonya is the founder/president of Learning Matters Foundation. She has been an educator for over three decades with teaching experience in the US and in India. Sonya is a reading specialist and is trained in several recognized Reading Programs. She regularly works with students and conducts workshops for school educators. Ms Philip completed her Masters in Education from the American University and was trained as a Special Ed expert at the Lab School in Washington.

Dr. Manas K MandalDr. Mandal is a Distinguished Scientist and former Director General - Life sciences at DRDO. He was also the Director, Defense Institute of Psychological Research for about nine years. His major area of research includes domains as… — **Dr. Manas K Mandal**
Dr. Mandal is a Distinguished Scientist and former Director General - Life sciences at DRDO. He was also the Director, Defense Institute of Psychological Research for about nine years. His major area of research includes domains associated to Emotional Intelligence. He is an authority in this domain and has been involved in the recruitment of the elite forces of the country.He is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at IIT Kharagpur , and a visiting Fulbright Lecturer at Harvard University, U.S.

Susan GrissSusan is a pioneer in the field of arts-in-education. Ms. Griss teaches graduate courses at Bank Street College of Education in NYC, and for sixteen years, taught K-12 teachers throughout the U.S. in the Creative Arts in Learning Program … — **Susan Griss**
Susan is a pioneer in the field of arts-in-education. Ms. Griss teaches graduate courses at Bank Street College of Education in NYC, and for sixteen years, taught K-12 teachers throughout the U.S. in the Creative Arts in Learning Program at Lesley University. As a leader in professional development she has worked for the NYS Department of Education, the Arts Education Office of the NYC Board of Education, for NYSCA’s Empire State Partnerships Summer Institute

Dr. Sudhirkumar BaraiDr. Barai is the present Dean (Undergraduate Studies) at IIT Kharagpur and the former Chairman of the Career Development Center, IIT KGP. He is also the founding Program Co-ordinator for LEAP (Leadership for Academicians Program… — **Dr. Sudhirkumar Barai**
Dr. Barai is the present Dean (Undergraduate Studies) at IIT Kharagpur and the former Chairman of the Career Development Center, IIT KGP. He is also the founding Program Co-ordinator for LEAP (Leadership for Academicians Program) under MHRD, Govt. of India. He is a Professor of Structural Engineering and his research interests are Computational Intelligence Applications, Structural Health Monitoring and Concrete Technology.

MEET OUR FOUNDER

Ankur Agarwal

Ankur is an engineer from IIT Kharagpur whose passion for education led him to start arthshaala in 2019. What began with 3 educators has grown into a team of 30, dedicated to preserving and nurturing all shades of children and childhood! Ankur now spends all of his time building technology to take arth’s pedagogy to the world.