Sameer Arora is the Principal of Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon, with over 24 years of experience as a leader, collaborator, and educator. He is dedicated to helping children and those under his care achieve their goals and build meaningful futures.

He holds a Master’s degree in Commerce, a degree in Education, and certifications in leadership from Columbia Business School and the International Baccalaureate. A seasoned career counselor trained by The College Board and UCLA, Sameer has contributed to international organizations like the International Association for College Admission Counseling. He has also founded travel-based start-ups offering experiential education, visited top schools practicing Multiple Intelligences in the U.S., and volunteered at UK summer schools and has engaged with global educational influencers such as Howard Gardner. Sameer has led the “Unlock Hour” program for National Geographic Channel in India.

His dedication to excellence and service has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Duke of Edinburgh Award Authority, India, and accolades from the Asian Regional Space Settlement Design Competition and Punarjyot, an organization fostering peace between India and Pakistan through cultural and academic exchange. In addition, Sameer has been honored with the Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award by the National Society of High School Scholars, USA, and the Inspirational Educator Award by the International Alliance of Counsellors & Educators.

He also volunteers his time with global initiatives such as Rise Projects and HundrED, where he reviews and supports youth-driven impact projects and scalable education innovations.

As a prolific speaker, he shares his expertise at platforms hosted by ed-tech companies, higher education institutes, and government trade commissions.

Sameer is driven by a mission to shape environmentally conscious, mindful, and curious individuals who can create a peaceful and better world. Inspired by human potential, he channels his energy into transforming the lives of students and educators.

In his downtime, he finds joy in travel, his dogs, books, and music—pursuing life's passions with the same zeal he brings to education.

Vandana Vadera is Head - Early Years at Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon. In 2012, Vandana joined the school as a founding member. She continues to bring innovative practices with diverse learning opportunities. With her calm and pleasant demeanour, the Early Years section is seen blossoming as a place where children explore the world around them with happiness and zeal.

She did her post-graduation in Dietetics from Lady Irwin College and served as a dietician in various hospitals. Driven by her inherent passion for children and a creative bend towards education, she completed her studies in Early Years education, and worked with Preschools of repute for five years. Her experience with children, innovative approach towards teaching, and ability to mentor other teachers made her rise to the role of a Senior Mentor.

A deep understanding of how teachers can become facilitators and how children learn in a congenial environment led her to take up the responsibility of the Pre-primary coordinator at the Shiv Nadar School. She was promoted as the Head of Early Years in 2016 with the vision to cultivate a safe and nurturing environment for children and teachers. She has continued to expand her knowledge in supporting young children through their emotional, social and academic development by undergoing training and through study tours, both within and outside India.

She believes in living in harmony with nature and has learnt decoupage art to transform her old furniture and restore them. During the pandemic, she conducted sessions on hygiene, safety, and literacy to engage neighbourhood children. She loves to spend time with her family and playing with her pet dog.

Reena Pant, a founding member of the Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon, heads the Primary Years. With a passion for teaching and learning, she believes in creating a positive, fun, and challenging environment where learners are free to explore, question and express.

She holds a Bachelor in Science degree and a Bachelor in Education from the University of Rajasthan. She started her teaching career almost 20 years back and has had the opportunity to teach in different parts of the country.

She is driven by the belief that all learners must be provided with the best school experience which supports the improvement of their learning outcomes. The dynamic environment that we are living in further strengthens her purpose of empowering the learners with the habits of the mind, which will hold them in good stead in life. As an educator and a leader, she is on a lifelong journey of learning. These words by Alvin Toffler strongly resonate with her, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

To constantly engage and push the learners to reach their optimal, she feels it is equally important to keep learning and growing as an educator. She enjoys listening to music, reading books, and spending time with family.

Aditi Chopra leads the People and Culture team at Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon, and has been associated with the organisation since May 2016. She demonstrates her capabilities in managing overall HR Operations, Recruitment, Professional Development, Performance Management, and Employee Relations.

She brings 17 years of dynamic experience in handling various HR functions like Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Training and Development, and Employee Engagement. Aditi is proficient in implementing HR policies and procedures and handling day-to-day administrative functions.

Her experience forte spans several corporate groups including Quality Assurance Institute (QAI), Macmillan Publishing Solutions, Redington, and ALICO (UAE). In her last assignment, she worked with SpiceJet Ltd as Manager - Human Resources. Aditi is self-motivated, passionate, and enthusiastic about delivering high-quality output, ensuring 'commitment' as a core element.

Alongside her professional skills, she keeps herself engaged for a healthy life. Her main interests comprise travelling and listening to music. She is fond of food and even likes to try new recipes and cuisines.

Tanushree is the Head of the Career Guidance Centre at Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon. Her 20 years of experience has helped her to logically evaluate the students’ interests, personality and aptitude, guiding them to select the appropriate programs and the right fit universities.

She has completed her Masters in Personnel Management (MPM). Prior to joining Shiv Nadar School, Tanushree was with the Taj Group of Hotels deputed at IHM - Aurangabad, which has an academic tie-up with the University of Huddersfield, UK. She was the Head of Placement and also handled the additional responsibility of training students across all years.

She is a founder member of Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon and has handled multiple roles in the organization beginning with the Human Resource department, and then handling the School Admissions for 5 years. She has also led the Parent Partnership Office, which was conceptualized under her leadership, wherein her role was to bridge the gap between school and parents to ensure collaborative functioning. 

Tanushree has completed programs to keep herself abreast with the upcoming trends. In her current role, she has been invited to various national and international sessions to share her experiences as a college guidance counsellor. Students of Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon under her guidance have been placed in globally recognized universities with attractive scholarships.

She believes the right attitude is what matters the most in today’s world. Her life revolves around her husband and daughter and her idea of enjoyment is to spend time with her family.