Lifelong Learner/ Director, Ryan International Group of Institutions
Education is the key to real progress and nation-building, holds young and dynamic Dr Snehal Pinto, Director, Ryan International Group of Schools. As a leading educator, Dr Snehal has seen thousands of young kids grow into responsible citizens.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, said Nelson Mandela and we at Ryan’s have been serving the future of our country and nurturing nation-builders contributing to a talent pool that will not let the future just unfold but shape it themselves with their talents and life skills,” shares Dr Snehal.
Dr A.F. Pinto and Madam Grace Pinto, founders and parents to Dr Snehal and her two siblings began their first school in Mumbai in 1976. Through their vision, commitment and years of hard work, they grew the organisation to have more than 135 schools in India and abroad. Today, Ryan is India’s biggest K-12 chain of schools with over 18,000 faculty members and 30,000 students passing out annually.
As she attributes the success of the group to Christ Jesus, she acknowledges her parent’s vision and willingness to serve and contribute to nation-building which had a profound influence on Dr Snehal. And thus, instead of easily landing a top spot, she started as a primary school teacher while helping set up Ryan school at Bengaluru (then Bangalore) branch and moved up the career ladder to take on various leadership roles within and beyond the group. She also went on to complete her doctoral studies in Education.
As the leader in an ever-growing organisation that serves different demographics across the various state, national, and international boards, Dr Snehal’s day involves more administrative work and less teaching. “Yet I am a teacher at heart, seeking to bring out the best in her students. As a leader, I try to create a conducive setting for our teachers and students to truly enable their holistic development. As an educator, I remain committed to nation-building and use my voice and thought leadership to spark conversations on topics that matter with a call to action,” says Snehal.
Right from inception, the constant endeavour at Ryan Group has been to reinvent themselves constantly, provide diverse learning opportunities, nurture inspiring educators, leverage technology and weave ecosystems through their schools to enable the all-around development of every Ryanite.
Speaking about the satisfaction she derives from her work, Snehal says, “The return on investment in this field goes beyond the tangible when we see students develop and emerge as productive leaders and citizens aspiring to do their bit to grow personally and professionally while serving the nation.”
Dr Snehal is considered one of the foremost professionals in the K-12 sector in India. She has been the Former President of the Association of Schools for the Indian Schools Certificate (ASISC); Member of the Executive General Body of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE); and Member of the Advisory Committee in the South Asia International Baccalaureate Schools Association (SAIBSA). She has also been honoured with the ‘ATL Exemplary Teachers of Change Award’ for her leadership in galvanising innovation in Maharashtra.
How does she balance the personal and professional? “ I give my all to everything I take up which makes work-life balance difficult, but over the years, I have a support system which has enabled me to balance work while raising my young daughter and making time to pursue my interests,” reveals Snehal.
A result-driven leader, Snehal outlines how they beat Covid in the education sector. “At Ryan’s, the pandemic propelled our teachers into catalysts to facilitate the virtual learning opportunities. It certainly disrupted the way we teach and learn but also completely transformed our ongoing efforts to leverage technology for academic operations. Apart from rapid digital adaption, we embraced the PIC framework i.e Passion, Innovation and Collaboration – to ignite the passion for life-long learning, to maintain the Innovation momentum by leveraging technology, and lastly, building diverse learning communities through collaboration and accelerate Industry- Academia Partnership to ensure continuous and interdisciplinary learning among our students,” explains Snehal.
As she concludes, Snehal leaves us with Proverb 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans”.
