Personal

My Conviction: It is our obligation to leave this earth a better place than we inherited it for future generations.

My Motto: Be the change you want to see in the world (attributed to Mohan Das or Mahatma Gandhi)

My Dream: A world where everybody has the opportunity for good education regardless of their background because education is the key to ensuring that everybody is able to contribute their best to society.

My Passion: Physics, Improving teaching and learning using evidence-based approaches, Striving for high quality affordable education for marginalized children especially girls so that they can become self-reliant and poverty eradication in India where I grew up (I truly believe there is a dire need to support those who have been left out). Most of my extended family members have ties to Bihar and UP which comprise some of the most poverty stricken states in India so I am particularly passionate about improving education for marginalized children in these states. My framework is encapsulated in HOPE ECP (pronounced ASAP) which stands for "Holistic Opportunity for Poverty Eradication: Educate Children in Poverty".

My Ideology: Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of simple living

My Goal: Strive for things that last and make this world a better place

My LEAST favorite thing about the world: Pervasive and systemic inequity and unfairness

My Favorite Book: Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

My Favorite Poems: The road not taken by Robert Frost, Desiderata by Max Ehrmann, bachon ka doodh by R. S. Dinkar -here are a few lines:

"श्वानों को मिलता दूध-वस्त्र, भूखे बालक अकुलाते हैं

माँ की हड्डी से चिपक ठिठुर जाड़ों की रात बिताते हैं

युवती के लज्जा वसन बेच जब ब्याज चुकाए जाते हैं

मालिक जब तेल-फुलेलों पर पानी-सा द्रव्य बहाते हैं

पापी महलों का अहंकार देता तब मुझको आमन्त्रण"

My Favorite Short Stories: Kabuliwala and The Homecoming by Rabindranath Tagore, Idgah by Premchand

My Favorite Idioms: Every cloud has a silver lining, Time and tide wait for no one, Hai andheri raat paar deepak jalana kaab mana hai (Harivansh Rai Bachchan), Andhakar ko kyon dhikkaren, achcha hai ek deep jalayen

My Daily Directive: Treat everybody with utmost respect regardless of where they are in the artificially created professional or social hierarchy

My Favorite Traits of those in powerful positions: Humility and a quest for equity and fairness

My view of an ideal job: University Professor

My Favorite Educator: Eric Mazur

My Role Model: My grandmother