Dr. Akshita Bahuguna

Why do capable individuals find themselves trapped on the middle rung?

A reflective look at why teachers and faculty stall mid-career and how unequal ladders shape growth in education.

A Straight Talk for Teachers and Higher-Ed Faculty (With a Few Laughs) If you’ve ever wondered why the most sincere teacher or the sharpest assistant professor isn’t the one getting the corner room or the “Professor” title, you’re asking the right question. Career ladders in education sometimes feel like they were designed during a power

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When Teachers Say, “We Need to Teach Parents More Than Children”

When Teachers Say, “We Need to Teach Parents More Than Children”

It happened during one of my recent teacher training sessions.We were discussing classroom challenges when a teacher at the back raised her hand and said something that made everyone pause: “Ma’am, sometimes it feels like we need to teach parents more than children.” A ripple of quiet laughter went around the room—but behind that laughter

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The Empty Boat Mindset: How I Learned to Stop Taking Everything Personally

The Empty Boat

There’s a Taoist story- The Empty Boat, that changed the way I look at criticism, conflict, and even failure. Imagine rowing across a river. Another boat suddenly crashes into yours. You’re startled, but when you see it’s empty, you simply steer away. No anger. No blame. Just adjustment. Now, imagine the same boat hits you,

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Why Teachers Are Irreplaceable in the Age of AI

Why Teachers Are Irreplaceable in the Age of AI

When Google gave us information, teachers adapted. They started helping students connect dots, turning scattered facts into knowledge. Then came ChatGPT and Gemini, able to mimic that very process — linking, summarising, explaining. So the big question many ask is: what’s left for teachers? The answer: everything that makes learning human. Experience as Wisdom A

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They Expected Stilettos and Sass. They Got a Saree and Substance.

They Expected Stilettos and Sass. They Got a Saree and Substance.

I wasn’t in an off-shoulder dress, a knee-above skirt, or two-inch heels.I was in a saree — crisp, comfortable, and unapologetically mine. But apparently, that’s not what my bio made people expect. Which is fascinating, because nowhere in my LinkedIn profile have I ever typed:“Fashion icon with a fondness for runway-ready entrances.” Yet, here we

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“Thailand’s Workforce Reforms: A Wake-Up Call for India’s Edupreneurs?”

Thailand's Workforce Reforms: A Wake-Up Call for India's Edupreneurs

In a world scrambling to redefine work and education in the post-pandemic, AI-fuelled era, Thailand has just taken a bold step—and it’s time we in India take notice. Recently, Thailand’s Labour Minister Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit unveiled a five-point workforce strategy aimed at empowering youth, equipping workers with AI skills, and safeguarding informal labour. On the surface,

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Saudi Arabia’s “Schools Without Walls” — A Bold Step Toward Community-Based Learning

Saudi Arabia’s “Schools Without Walls”

When I First Heard It, I Thought of Illich. When the news broke that Saudi Arabia is building 166 “schools without walls”, I paused. As an educator who has spent years questioning the limits of traditional schooling, my mind immediately went to Ivan Illich’s provocative book, Deschooling Society. Could this be the moment Illich envisioned?

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