In a world where education is the bridge to opportunity, Atul Temurnikar, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of the Global Schools Foundation (GSF), has emerged as a transformative force. His journey from being IBM Singapore’s Country Manager to becoming a global education visionary is not just a story of professional evolution—it’s a blueprint for purpose-driven leadership.
Recently honored with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) 2025 by the President of India for his extraordinary contributions to education, Atul Temurnikar’s Global Schools Foundation continues to redefine what holistic, inclusive, and globally relevant learning looks like. With 64 campuses across 11 countries and more than 45,000 students under its wings, GSF isn’t merely an education network—it’s a global movement.
Atul Temurnikar: Rooted in Values, Growing with Vision
For Atul Temurnikar, the seeds of inspiration were sown during his formative years in Nagpur, India. Watching his father work tirelessly in the field of safety education for miners taught him the power of knowledge to uplift and protect lives. These early life lessons would later serve as the philosophical bedrock of GSF.
While working in Singapore in the 1990s, Temurnikar identified a glaring gap: expatriate families lacked access to quality education that respected cultural roots while delivering global academic excellence. That insight lit the spark for GSF’s founding in 2002. His vision was clear—create schools that are culturally inclusive, academically rigorous, and accessible to the global Indian diaspora and beyond.
The Global Schools Foundation: More Than a Network of Schools
GSF isn’t just about classrooms and curricula; it’s about building communities, cultivating leadership, and fostering global citizens. Every campus under the GSF umbrella blends academic excellence with values education. Students learn not only to ace exams but to lead with empathy, respect diversity, and innovate for real-world impact.
This balance between Indian ethos and international standards has become GSF’s signature. From nurturing bilingual education to integrating technological fluency and life skills, the foundation is building an education ecosystem that evolves with time while staying anchored in timeless values.
Atul Temurnikar: An Award that Echoes Global Impact
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2025 marks a watershed moment in Temurnikar’s journey. “Receiving this award from the Honorable President of India feels like a homecoming,” he shared. “It reaffirms our belief that education is the strongest bridge between cultures.”
This honor not only recognizes Temurnikar’s contributions but also places the spotlight on India’s growing influence in global education policy and innovation, an influence significantly amplified through GSF’s initiatives and curriculum development.
Strategic Collaborations for a Global Future
One of the cornerstones of GSF’s expansion has been its strong collaboration with governments, especially India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Education. Temurnikar played a pivotal role in the CBSE International curriculum, a global adaptation of India’s respected CBSE syllabus.
This initiative helps position Indian education alongside its British and American counterparts, making it a powerful export of India’s intellectual capital. GSF also offers policy insights to Indian officials on how best to address the educational needs of diaspora communities.
In Singapore, the foundation works hand-in-hand with government ministries on welfare programs, cultural exchanges, and community integration efforts. These partnerships reinforce GSF’s identity as not just a school provider but a cultural and educational ambassador.
Singapore: A Catalyst in the Journey
Singapore has not just been a host country for GSF—it has been a collaborative partner and incubator. Temurnikar credits the city-state for offering an ecosystem that values innovation, diversity, and forward-thinking governance.
“Singapore’s educational model has taught us the value of technological integration and inclusive learning,” he says. Initiatives like shared school-community spaces, interfaith dialogue events, and cross-cultural student projects have enriched the GSF approach and deepened the Foundation’s impact.
Vision 2035: A Global Education Renaissance
Looking ahead, Atul Temurnikar’s Global Schools Foundation has ambitious plans. In the next 10 years, GSF aims to:
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Expand into emerging education markets like Vietnam, Indonesia, and parts of Africa.
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Deploy AI and immersive tech to personalize learning and close achievement gaps.
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Launch global student collaborations, where learners from different countries co-create projects that solve real-world problems.
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Enhance teacher training programs with international best practices and technological tools.
“Our goal is not just to be a school network,” Temurnikar asserts. “We want to be a worldwide platform for transformative learning—a beacon of compassion, curiosity, and competence.”
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