Wisdom from the Frontlines: Shaping the Future - Dr. Manasa on Excellence in Education

Welcome to "Wisdom from the Frontlines," a special column in the Tek-newsletter where we highlight the voices and journeys of individuals who have made significant contributions in their fields

What began as an initiative to feature an article from our Founder, Tony G Thomas, soon sparked the idea to broaden this platform, inviting other inspiring professionals to share their unique insights, challenges, and motivations.

In this edition, we are glad to feature Dr. Manasa, a former banker who transitioned into academia and now heads Vishwakavi Kuvempu First Grade College, one of Mysore’s most esteemed institutions. Established in 1997 by Karnataka Rathna Dr. D. Javare Gowda (Dejagow), a disciple of Vishwakavi Kuvempu, the college has been a pillar of education and culture for over 50 years. Since 2022, Tekvocation has proudly collaborated with the college, offering training to over 450-500 students. Join us as Dr. Manasa shares her remarkable journey and the lessons she has learned along the way.

Career and Transition:

1) What inspired you to move from the corporate world to the education sector?

- Exposure to new knowledge and Education can open horizons to new ideas, experiences, and understanding and also Education can boost your confidence and give you a sense of achievement.

2) How has your corporate experience shaped your approach to administration and leadership in education?

- Corporate experience has helped me in planning, Resource allocation, policy implementation and leadership skills.

Changes in the Educational Sector:

3) How have you seen the education sector evolve in recent years?

- In recent educational system, there is a lot of emphasis on employing technology. Schools and colleges are encouraging students to become familiar with the technology.

4) What changes do you think are still needed in the educational system to better prepare students for the future?

- The curriculum design has to change. More of practical based of learning to be implemented

5) How Do you integrate new educational trends and technologies into your institution?

- Transformation can be made through Digital learning, preparing students with life skills, Power point presentations, online grading system, helping students with different learning styles

Leadership and Challenges:

6) As a woman in a leadership role, what unique challenges have you encountered, and how have you addressed them?

- Unconscious bias, Gender bias, family responsibility many more, but was able to overcome all these problems through a proper work life balance and positive attitude towards the work I do.

Work-Life Balance:

7) Managing an educational institution can be demanding. How do you maintain a work-life balance?

- Prioritizing things in life, time management, set boundaries, focus on health.

Student Community:

8) How do you ensure that students are not just academically prepared but also equipped with life skills to face challenges in life ?

- Setting realistic goals , prioritising tasks, daily routine these strategies enable students to address their personal challenges.

Personal Insights:

9) What hobbies or activities do you pursue outside of work to relax and recharge?

- Listing to music, practice breathing exercise, read books