A VISIONARY EDUCATIONIST AND LEADER PAR EXCELLENCE

“A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way”

TThe name Indira Group of Institutes (IGI) is synonymous with its driving force- Chairperson, Dr Tarita Shankar, the dynamic, passionate and caring leader who has shaped IGI from scratch.Dr.Tarita Shankar holds a Degree in Arts and Law and is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School, USA having completed the ‘Owner/President Management’ program (OPM) in the year 2018.

Realizing during the early 1990’s that Liberalization and Privatization of the Indian economy and consequently the education sector would open the door to innumerable opportunities, inspired by the wisdom of Chanakya, the legendary statesman, our iron-willed Prime Minister, late Mrs. Indira Gandhi and backed by the encouragement and blessings of her parents and well wishers, Dr Tarita Shankar sowed the seeds of the parent trust, Shree Chanakya Education Society, Pune.

Unwavering vision, meticulous planning, over two decades of countless hours at work, unflinching support from her younger brother and Group Director IGI, Prof. Chetan Wakalkar and a well-groomed management team of seasoned academicians has seen the IGI group blossom to 12 Institutions delivering cutting edge learning, to over 12000 students from KG to PG level.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Dr. Tarita Shankar has always believed that her work speaks for itself. She has been a recipient of numerous awards and citations over the last two decades on the national and international level. A few prestigious ones being:

• Golden Globe Tigers Awards, 11th Edition at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-Leader with A Social Heart conferred on 16th May 2023.
• Winner-Exceptional Women Awards 2022-23.
• Featured in 'ET Newsmakers-Women’s Special'.on occasion of International Women’s Day on 8th March 2023.
• Education Leadership Award at the Business Leader Of The Year Awards-2023 on 17th February 2023.
• Women Leader of the Year, at the Business Leaders of the World Awards-20th Global Edition & 5th India Edition-21st March 2022.
• Featured amongst'Inspirational Women Leaders in India' by Business Today, Dec 2021 edition entitled 'Pune's Optimus Prime of Education'.
• National Award for Outstanding Leadership at World Education Congress & Global Awards in August 2021.
• Entrepreneur with A Heart- Business Leader Of The Year Award at the World Leadership Awards in February 2021.
• Education Leadership Award, Women in Education Leadership Award (Excellence in Education) by ET Now Stars of The Industry in December 2018
• Honorary Doctorate Degree in Management conferred by the Chitkara University, Chandigarh in the year 2011 and many more…….

As Dr. Tarita Shankar says “Awards are a recognition of your achievements, however what matters more is your lasting, positive impact on the thoughts of the people that you work with and a sense of fulfilment that your work is improving the quality of others’ lives.

INDIRA CARE CLUB

“Compassion is an expression of strength…You are so confident that you can allow the sorrows of other people to touch you”

CARE-Counsel, Advise, Rise and Evolve, an initiative by Tarita Ma’am, whereby students’ staff in all Indira Institutes and also alumni seek her guidance on professional and personal issues and in return benefit from her rich experience in work and life. As Dr. Shankar puts it “My dream of starting this initiative was through daily interactions that I used to have with the students, staff at our campuses and our large alumni community that’s connected with me on my social media 24 by 7. Tarita Ma'am diligently counsels a minimum of 10 students every day.... helping them to transform into better and caring human beings and spreading happiness in society. Care Club is registered as a Trust under Maharashtra Public Trusts Act 1950, on 17th October 2022 and all donations to it are fully exempted u/s 80 G & 12A of the Income Tax Act 1961. Care Club was awarded the NGO Leadership Award at World CSR Congress Awards-2023 on 18th February 2023 at Mumbai.

ON A PERSONAL FRONT

‘Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty, rather than the difficulty in every opportunity’.

Dr. Tarita Shankar’s meteoric rise from a young family-oriented girl to an exemplary leader was marked by several hurdles, personal and professional challenges. However, her remarkable ability to overcome these obstacles through pure grit and determination, adaptability to changes, and an unending quest for excellence helped her stand out as a leader in her field. An avid reader, an excellent orator renowned for her free, frank and fearless expression of her views shows she stands up for what she believes in. Also, her love for travel and having visited all major countries around the world reveals an adventurous spirit.

Philanthropy and concern for the less fortunate in her leisure time shows her desire to make a positive impact in the world. Above all, she’s a doting mother, an affectionate family woman, and a fun-loving and down to earth personality.