Bringing fresh talent and new perspectives to the field of education…

Few tread the path Aradhana Galgotia has. And every step of the way is paved by intelligence, determination, and innovation. As Director (Operations) of Galgotias University based in Greater Noida, she has been on a lifelong mission to fulfil the dreams of the less privileged in society by imparting world-class education in a knowledge-laden environment.

A Political Science graduate from Delhi University’s Jesus and Mary College, Ms Galgotia later pursued law at Amity Law School, Noida, and eventually enrolled in the top-notch Queens Mary University (QMUL) of London, UK from where she acquired her LLM in Intellectual Property Rights. During her stay on campus at the QMUL, she developed insights into the global perspectives of education and the professional world.

Her multifaceted persona triggers the educationist in her. Ms Galgotia’s vision acts as the catalyst to transform learning by adopting applied or practical methods of teaching, as in the West, making students at Galgotias a cut above the rest.

A CATALYST AT WORK

As a change maker, Ms Galgotia’s resolve can be gauged from the rapid transformation she brought about in the Indian education system with a major thrust on holistic teaching and learning. From theory classes and rote learning, she emphasised on application-oriented knowledge. That is where the students at Galgotias benefitted the most—from the practical approach to learning that Ms Galgotia infused across the curricula.

MISSIONARY OF CHARITY

Social uplift and empowerment go hand-in-hand in Ms Galgotia’s scheme of things. Apart from making knowledge accessible to the weaker sections of society, she has taken on the onerous task of imparting value-based education across a wide social spectrum. She has even championed the cause of women across forums and remains a pivot to their success in the institution she runs.

BIGGEST STRENGTH OF YOUR INSTITUTION

Today, Galgotias University is at the cutting-edge of learning and has gained immensely from a shared vision, an intellectually stimulating learning environment, inspiring leadership as well as state-of-the-art infrastructure. Far too often, deeper inquiry is squeezed into assembly line learning simply because the architecture of our learning environments fail to support the process. So at Galgotias, we have improved the intellectual spaces in the classroom and changed the focus from each student submitting to a series of tasks, to instead, finding their own path of learning. In my opinion, our core strengths are a holistic and coordinated approach towards the attainment of unified goals and objectives for the institution.

CHANGES LIKELY TO BE MADE IN YOUR INSTITUTION

Adequate thrust on building practical skills and technical support has always been amongst our priority areas. At the same time, our constant endeavour must be towards reinventing new methods and processes for maximising productivity.

PROUD MOMENT OF YOUR INSTITUTIONS

Galgotias University is one of India’s top ranking private universities that has recently received ‘A+’ accreditation this year with the highest NAAC score of 3.37 out of 4 in its first accreditation cycle for its academic excellence, innovative faculty and the advanced research system.

YOUR PASSION

I am passionate about learning new things for broadening my intellectual horizon. Self-learning is a precious gift one could give to oneself. The thirst and quest for knowledge is an expression which has been used very often, but their significance in life can’t be ruled out.

MESSAGE FOR THE YOUTH

One should never get overburdened with the expectations of people, and too engrossed in chasing their dreams. Instead, relish your journey and go with the flow.

FAVOURITE SPORT

In view of the significance of sport in improving physical and mental fitness as well as building overall personality, I gave ample emphasis on playing indoor and outdoor games in the institute. I have been an avid sportsperson and an active participant since my school days. During my formative years, I had interest in swimming and tennis. With the passage of time, I realised the importance of concentration for attaining success in life, which prompted me to learn the nuances of golf as well.

MY FITNESS MANTRA

I believe in striking a perfect balance in everything I do. Setting a timeframe for the task to be accomplished and strictly adhering to it definitely helps one to remain disciplined. It’s always the small consistencies that contribute towards long-term success in life.

YOUR VIEWPOINT ON SUCCESS

Success, for all its worth, is shortlived. One should be inward looking for experiencing tranquillity and bliss. Hard work, perseverance, dedication, honesty and self-learning must be a way of life.

MY LEISURE TIME

In my spare time, I love reading books on a variety of subjects. I write book reviews that often get published in leading magazines and newspapers across the country.

WOMEN AS LEADERS IN EDUCATION SECTOR

Women in the education sector, as leaders or in any other role, have an immense responsibility on their shoulders. Not only are they impacting the lives of the youth but are also directly accountable for it.

INDIAN WOMEN IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS

There is limitless potential for women to shine in every field. Time and again, they have proved it through their inherent power and dedication to excel in all fields.

WOMEN MUST BALANCE FAMILY OR SHAPE SOCIETY

Both roles are imperative. There’s a quote i read recently in a novel called Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni: “That a woman can have the joys of home and also a place in the world”. It deeply resonated with me.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE IN SOCIETY?

The inherent patriarchal bias.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE IN YOUR INSTITUTION TO MAKE THE GIRLS INDEPENDENT?

Girls should be provided an equal platform and opportunity to develop their skills.

We provide not only academic exposure but also a window to explore other areas of their interest, be it sport, technology, administration, and so on.

ANY MOTIVATIONAL INCIDENT / EVENT

Once we reflect back on our journey, the smallest to the biggest events equally play a very important role in making us what we are today.

A QUOTE TO LIVE BY

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Make a decision and watch your life move forward.” – Oprah Winfrey

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