Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder of Global Schools Group, Singapore, who is also a former resident of Nagpur city and settled in Singapore, brought laurels for his native place by getting nominated for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) which is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians by the Government of India every year. “This award is a step forward to enable, allow and motivate more Non-Resident Indians (NRI) like me to perform better in various fields internationally. I am truly honoured to be a recipient of this award,” Temurnikar told ‘The Hitavada’. Temurnikar is the founding Chairman of Global Schools Group, an initiative of Global Schools Foundation (GSF), a Singapore-based not-for-profit community foundation currently operating in 64 international campuses including far East, South East Asia, India and Middle East (through presence in 11 countries) providing quality international education for Primary to High Schools. GSF educates over 45,000 students from more than 70 nations.

 

Temurnikar heads the executive management and oversees its world-wide operations. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, this year has been selected 27 overseas Indians who are recognised for their outstanding achievements both in India and abroad, for 18th edition of PBSA which is scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha from January 8 to 10. In the ceremony, Temurnikar will be honoured at the hands of President of India Droupadi Murmu. Temurnikar did his schooling from Mount Carmel in Dhantoli, St Joseph Convent in Kamptee and Somalwar High School. Then he did his graduation from VNIT. “I spent the first 22 years in Nagpur. They were very memorable period. The most significant value of education happens in those formative years,” said Temurnikar. “My father Arvind Temurnikar was a senior officer in Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) and during service, he did many welfare works and started writing books on miners,” he added. “He authored around 20 books on mining, and he used to distribute those books to all the workers to educate them.

 

That way, it was a blessing when I ventured into education field because I have seen how education has saved many lives in my father’s case,” he explained. His mother Usha Temurnikar was an Ayurvedic doctor and she passed away in 2014. While talking about the initiative of honouring NRIs by Government of India, he said, “MEA today offering a crystal clear and unparalleled view of India in terms of geopolitics is concern in around the world. The shift of mindset of Government of India in terms of geopolitics giving a massive boost in country’s reputation. Honouring NRIs is a bold step by the government in geopolitics.”

 

Appreciating the efforts of Dr S Jaishankar, Temurnikar said, “We had an opportunity to work with him many years back when he was the ambassador in Singapore. I worked with him from 2008 to 2011. I can tell he was as clear at that time as he is now.” Since 2014, there has been a remarkable shift in MEA’s engagement with overseas citizens and overseas Diaspora through its various Embassies and High Commissions. Today, you immediately get a positive response if you post on the High Commission’s Facebook, or social media. Similarly, there are many opportunities we get to meet the High Commission officers and ambassadors, and we always share notes about what’s going on in education and the community, he explained. Recognition of Diaspora with this award will promote positivity and encourage people to come forward and contribute in their ways for their own home country. So, this motivation goes a long way in motivating others, not from an award point of view but more from a contribution angle, he acclaimed.