Photo Source: Rouble Nagi's Instagram account
From Slums to Global Stage: Indian teacher Rouble Nagi wins $1 million Global Teacher Prize
Harvinder Kaur
Chandigarh, February 8, 2026: Rouble Nagi, an Indian teacher, social activist, and artist, has been awarded the prestigious $1 million Global Teacher Prize at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, highlighting her extraordinary efforts to bring education to underserved communities across India.
Nagi’s work goes far beyond conventional classrooms. She has established over 800 learning centres in slums and other underprivileged areas, reaching children who have little or no access to formal education.
Her initiatives not only teach basic literacy and numeracy but also provide structured support to students struggling to keep pace in school.
A unique aspect of Nagi’s teaching is her use of art as a learning tool. Through murals and public art installations, she transforms walls into interactive educational spaces, depicting subjects like mathematics, history, and reading. These painted environments serve as permanent visual aids, continuing to educate long after the lessons end.
Nagi is also the founder of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation and Rouble Nagi Design Studio, with more than 800 murals and over 150 exhibitions to her credit. Her projects, including Misaal Mumbai and Paint Dharavi, not only promote learning but also aim to make slum areas safer, cleaner, and more inclusive for local residents.
The Global Teacher Prize, instituted by the Varkey Foundation in 2015, celebrates teachers whose impact transcends classrooms. Nagi is the tenth educator to receive this honor.
At the Dubai summit, attended by leaders from governments and international organizations, she expressed her vision of using the prize money to establish a vocational training institute, empowering youth with skills for employment and financial independence.
Born in Jammu and Kashmir in 1980, Nagi studied political science and fine arts before dedicating herself to community-focused education. She has also documented her experiences in India’s slums and villages in her 2022 book, The Slum Queen.