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Gitika Kishanchandani: Spearheading a Wave of Transformation in the Educational Realm

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Gitika Kishanchandani,Co-Founder

Gitika Kishanchandani,Co-Founder

Undeniably, most of the ideas that spur a revolution in education are born out of the desire to disrupt the way learning takes place, to meaningfully impact all stakeholders – school managements, teachers, parents and students. It is the same drive that inspired Gitika Kishanchandani (Co-Founder)to create a disruption in current educational practices by establishing KA EduAssociates, an educational management services company empowering teachers to learn continually, with her partner Fatima Agarkar. KA EduAssociates has established a PAN India and Asia presence across 30 cities within a short span of two years. The success of the company looks even more impressive considering the fact that Gitika and Fatima have made a breakthrough in changing the mindsets of school owners, trustees & principals with their never-say-die attitude, in a country where funds spent on teacher training is viewed as an expense(and not investment), since it is not directly visible to parents.

Navigating through Tough Terrains
When Gitika embarked on this venture with Fatima Agarkar (Co-Founding Partner) in 2016, little did she imagine that KA would reach such rarefied heights. It all started during her tenure as the Founding Principal of an international school, where realisation dawned that the teaching fraternity was inadequately equipped to keep up with the demands of the 21st century learner. Team KA then went on to create modules on topics that offer strategies for immediate implementation in classrooms. As the teachers metamorphosed into mini-CEOs of their classes, Gitika and Fatima led their team to handholding teachers as they catered to a new generation of 21st century learners, for whom asking questions is an important aspect of the learning process

Thanks to the relationships the co-founders had nurtured over time, Team KA EduAssociates was created within three days with an amalgamation of experienced individuals(across national and international boards), who had amassed diverse skills coupled with an uncanny ability to innovate,
create and forward-think! For Gitika, the most rewarding aspect of being an edupreneur is the creativity involved in the entire process and empowering Team KA EduAssociates to grow, both personally and professionally.In fact, the crux of KAEduAssociates’ success is pinned on its work culture, where each member’s opinion is respected; most importantly, the same is leveraged in the decision-making process and to build on each other’s capabilities.

"For Gitika, the most rewarding aspect of being an edupreneur is the creativity involved in the entire process and empowering Team KA EduAssociates to grow"

Setting up KA EduAssociates involved a lot more than just having a dream – it required acquiring different skill sets - right from establishing the company’s vision, networking to marketing, managing cash flows & accounts, building & motivating a team and above all, aligning KAEduAssociates’ vision with that of the team for its overall success. Perceiving every step as a great learning experience, Gitika positioned the company ahead of the pack by constantly re-evaluating KAEduAssociates’ existing practices with innovative ideas and client’s feedback. Insisting on productivity & efficiency, she and Fatima invested heavily in R&D to develop original content and create several systems & processes for the team to stay organized & relevant.

As a result, the company that kickstarted its journey by offering professional development courses for teachers and consultancy projects, soon emerged into an established brand that provides end-to-end solutions for setting up K-12 schools, with a focus on providing quality, holistic education for students. “The response has been overwhelming and the connections with teachers who want us back for more is heartening!” remarks Gitika. KA EduAssociates has created an impact even in Tier 2 & 3 cities and has already launched five K-12 High Schools and four Pre-Schools. KA powered schools have made KA’s consultancy services a force to reckon with, as the highest quality educational standards are established in these schools. When asked about KA being widely known today, Gitika responds, “We anticipated and leveraged on one of the most important needs in education today – teacher training and the widening gap between their theoretical knowledge and practical implementation in classrooms”.

The Wind beneath her Wings
An extremely process-driven individual and a team-player with a
very methodical working style, who very methodical working style, who can be too deadline-driven at times, Gitika isknown for her commitment,perseverance & creativity. But it’s her ability to multi-task and taking care of details well in time that enables her to maintain a perfect work-life balance. She feels blessed to have Fatima as her co-founding partner, as they beautifully complement each other’s skill-sets and is Gitika’s inspiration, an unconditionally encouraging husband – Satish(Co-Founder, DSK Legal), who is also her greatest critic and a son – Vedanta, who is proud of his mother’s achievements.

A bibliophile with a love for everything literary, Gitika ends her day after reading at least for an hour and starts a day with a relaxing yoga session. An aficionado of Japanese & Thai food, Indian classical music and an avid traveller, this strong-willed woman’s favourite book is Viktor E. Frankl’s ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’. Taking a page from her book, Gitika advises budding education leaders to always begin with creating vision & missionstatements for the organisation, and then build, empower & retain a team that can implement that vision for long-term business sustainability. “While careful financial planning is crucial, it’s not all about the numbers. Build relationships to last, always add value and ensure that you never over-commit!” asserts Gitika.

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Key Management:
Gitika Kishanchandani, Co-Founder
Having gathered immense knowledge as the Head of English Department for 12 years in a reputed school and the Founding Principal of an International School, Gitika shares her knowledge with the community as the Vice-President of the Early Childhood Association and a Member of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell(IQAC) of Bombay Teachers’ Training College.

KA EduAssociates in Spotlight
•An educational management services company empowering teachers to learn continually and that has established a PAN India & Asia presence across 30 cities within a short span of two years

•Location:
Mumbai

•Services:
Consultancy, Professional Development for Teachers, Academic Audits for schools, Restructuring and Developing Curriculum, Soft Skill Training, Personality Development, English Enhancement Programs and Public Speaking for Students, among others