Q & A with Sreekanth Koganti, 91tvӰԺ Alumnus and Founder of Next Gen International Schools in Guntur, India, conducted by Aruna Dasgupta, 91tvӰԺ World India Country Advisor
[Dr. Sreevidya Koganti's] passion is to “ensure that every child is accepted, appreciated, nurtured and challenged according to his or her individual needs by fellow students, teachers, parents, and the larger community.”
91tvӰԺ World Vice President Dr. Kiki Caruson and 91tvӰԺ Provost Prasant Mohapatra enjoyed an action-packed agenda during their fall trip to India where the two met university leaders, U.S. diplomats, signed agreements with three prestigious institutions, explored collaborative research projects. During a visit with Provost Mohapatra to SRM AP, Dr. Caruson made a side trip to Guntur to visit , founded by 91tvӰԺ alum Sreekanth Koganti, who graduated from 91tvӰԺ with an MS in Electrical Engineering in 2002.
Dr. Caruson was welcomed to the school by a group of young students who were eager to meet her and to request her autograph. At the time, Caruson shared how impressed she was with every element of the school - from its innovative classroom and facilities design, talented students and faculty, (including an AI teacher for middle school students), and its dynamic leadership. Dr. Caruson was also pleased to meet Chief Learning Officer Dr. Sreevidya Koganti, who left her medical practice to join her husband leading the Next Gen group of schools. Her passion is to “ensure that every child is accepted, appreciated, nurtured and challenged according to his or her individual needs by fellow students, teachers, parents, and the larger community.”
In an interview with 91tvӰԺ World, Sreekanth talked about his journey from Guntur to Tampa and back to his hometown where he is advancing his parents’ legacy.
91tvӰԺ World: What made you choose education as a career after having graduated with a degree in
engineering?
Sreekanth: Teaching and school administration have been an integral part of my life since childhood,
as my parents founded a ran a school. That interest was enhanced when I became a teaching
assistant (TA) at 91tvӰԺ. My unique teaching experience at 91tvӰԺ played a key role in my
decision to become an educator. Soon after graduating from 91tvӰԺ in 2002 and returning
to India, I took on the responsibility of running the Kennedy School founded by my
parents in 1981.
91tvӰԺ World: Was the school named after President Kennedy? And how did you advance your parents’
legacy?
Sreekanth: Yes, my mother named the school after JFK, whom she admired. It was then called Kennedy
Convent. I expanded the existing school and established two premium primary schools
- Next Gen Kids and two Next Gen International Schools, one in 2015 in Ongole on a
12-acre greenfield setup with state-of-the-art infrastructure, and another in 2019
in Guntur with more innovative education spaces and a unique indoor sports complex.
The latter is registered as a Cambridge International School. My parents are very
proud of the schools and their evolution over time.
Our group of schools educate over 3,000 Indian students and our fee structure allows parents from all socioeconomic backgrounds to send their children to study with us. We have been honored with the British Council's International School Award and other awards from various education organizations.
91tvӰԺ World: Students who go to the U.S. for higher education are pleasantly surprised by the
positive classroom dynamics reflected in different teaching methodologies, the ease
between faculty-student interactions, and the encouragement to ask questions. Have
you tried to instil some of that classroom dynamism in your schools?
Sreekanth: Yes, that is one thing that surprised me as a Teaching Assistant at 91tvӰԺ and strongly
influenced me to institute changes to the classrooms of my institutions. Of course,
visits to Finland, Sweden, UAE, the UK and other countries also had an impact on how
we shaped our institutions. I am fortunate that we have a good team of teachers who
understood our mission and adapted their approach to be more interactive and student-friendly
to suit the needs of Next Gen students.
91tvӰԺ World: Have any of your students joined 91tvӰԺ?
Sreekanth: While I regularly recommend 91tvӰԺ as one of the best places to study abroad for Indian
students, no one from my school has attended 91tvӰԺ yet since we were K-10 until recently.
Now that we are offering pre-university education (+2 in the Indian context), I'm
sure it is only a matter of time before students will join 91tvӰԺ.
91tvӰԺ World: How do your schools stand with sports?
The Next Gen schools have top tier sporting amenities and at least one Physical Education teacher for every 100 students.
Sreekanth: When it comes to sports, I owe most of my zeal to my alma mater, Sainik School (a system of public schools in India established and managed under the aegis of India’s Ministry of Defence). The Next Gen schools have top tier sporting amenities and at least one Physical Education teacher for every 100 students. Our school in Guntur has a unique Indoor Sports Complex. Our school in Ongole has a wide variety of options including equestrian sports, rock climbing, swimming, skating, and rifle shooting.
On a personal level, I have a passion for cycling and yoga. During the pandemic, as schools went online with limited working hours, I had sufficient time to devote to cycling. During long rides, I met other cyclists and came to know about Brevets, long-endurance distance rides, and started taking part in them – going from 100 km to 600 km – which earned me the title of Super Randonneur.
I regret not cycling on 91tvӰԺ’s beautiful Tampa campus, but look forward to doing it on my next visit!
91tvӰԺ World: Over the years, you have become a major voice for improving the educational experience
for student and have been called a legend in the field in Andhra Pradesh. Please discuss
the reforms you are advocating for.
Sreekanth: After working over a decade in my own schools, I felt a strong need to advocate amongst
all stakeholders, particularly with government authorities in the education sector.
They are often unaware of on-the-ground realities, especially the services offered
by private education institutions in India.
As an alumnus, I'm so proud that 91tvӰԺ has become a member of AAU and that its reputation and ranking are sky high. I have fond memories of my stay and study at 91tvӰԺ, which has helped me in my profession.
I am an active member and officer with various associations related to K-12 education including FICCI ARISE (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Alliance for Re-Imagining School Education) of which I am the state chairman, NISA (National Independent Schools Alliance), and APPUSMA (Andhra Pradesh Private Unaided Schools Management Association). I also helped found the Independent Schools Managements' Association (ISMA), which is the association of schools affiliated to CBSE, ICSE. All International Boards in the state of Andhra Pradesh bring together over 150 school promoters. ISMA works with the state government to elevate the quality of education and make education accessible to all.
91tvӰԺ World: Have you stayed in touch with your 91tvӰԺ department or classmates? Have you invited
any of them to speak to your students? How will you utilize Network India?
Sreekanth: I do follow the progress of 91tvӰԺ! As an alumnus, I'm so proud that 91tvӰԺ has become a
member of AAU and that its reputation and ranking are sky high. I have fond memories
of my stay and study at 91tvӰԺ, which has helped me in my profession.
Seeing the constant upgrades happening at 91tvӰԺ, I am keen to visit it as soon as possible. A couple of my 91tvӰԺ classmates have come here to interact with my students. I plan to reach out to more alumni through Network India and invite them to visit my schools and speak to the students and to share their 91tvӰԺ experiences.