Dr Shayama Chona

Their smile tells us “I can do it, give me a chance but I need you" That is the truth. They need you, give them a hand.

You give them an inch, they will run a mile.

Lotus Valley International School Gurugram considers it a privilege to have Dr Shayama Chona, one of the most accomplished educationists in the country, as its Patron. Dr Chona has served the society and humanity with her timeless dedication and received 54 awards including two National Awards, namely Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the President of India along with one State Award.

An alumnus of the prestigious Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls Public School, Dr Chona is the former principal of India’s most prestigious school, Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram and has been serving as a member of 97 Advisory Boards and Managing Committees of 48 institutions. A Member of Indian National Commission for cooperation with UNESCO, Governing Body of CBSE, National Mission for Empowerment of Women and Honorary Advisor in the Education Department of MCD, Dr Chona’s name finds mention in the Limca Book of World Records 2007 for having received the maximum number of awards.

Passionately driven by her vision to create a world of inclusion through her NGO, ‘Tamana’, she has been tirelessly working towards facilitating education, overall betterment and acceptance of children with special needs. The NGO runs three schools offering integrated education for the children with special needs - Tamana Special School, Nai Disha, and School of Hope. The schools, nurtured by her optimism, love and selfless service, have made great strides to educe the excellence and potential of each special child. Dr Chona has proved to the world that nothing is beyond these children. Strengthened by her confidence in them and the multifarious opportunities provided, her students have walked the fashion runway, performed on stage and got trained in vocations on the basis of their ability, interest and aptitude.

Dr. Chona, whose life has been a convergence of love and abiding compassion for all, believes that it is imperative that the younger generation is given an opportunity to be with the children with special needs in inclusive classrooms. She has been the driving force behind creating a culture that promotes accessibility and inclusion within the Lotus Valley Family. She motivates the school as well as parents to nurture children in an atmosphere of discovery, enquiry, learning, expression and communication. Her journey in pursuit of inclusion is a testimony to the fact that when everyone is included, everyone wins.