Designing for learners to take charge: Kiran Sethi and Aakash Sethi

Kiran Bir Sethi is a Designer who became a Teacher, a Principal who grew into an Education Reformer and subsequently morphed into a Social Entrepreneur. A trained Graphic Designer, she uses the language of Design to develop not only curriculum innovation, but also community-based Social Programs. 20 years ago, she founded The Riverside School in Ahmedabad, India, aimed at all-round development of children. As their website says, “Over the last 20 years, Riverside has designed, implemented and shared a unique user centered curriculum … which focuses on quality of learning AND student well-being. … The school has regularly been honored for its academic achievement as well as its unique philosophy of ‘Doing Good AND Doing Well.’ In 2009, Kiran launched Design for Change to instill an I CAN mindset in children. It asks kids to feel any problem that bothers them, imagine a way to make it better, do an act of change, and share their story of change with the world. It is today one of the world’s largest movement of change, led by children— impacting over 2.2 million children and 65,000 teachers in more than 60 countries.  

Aakash Sethi is an education leader with 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur and organization builder. He has worked extensively on training & facilitating youth leadership programs in over 10 countries. He is currently CEO of Quest Alliance a not-for-profit trust that equips young people with 21st century skills by enabling self-learning. They seek to transform learning ecosystems through educational technology, capacity building and collaboration (with educators, civil society, industry and the government). Quest integrates cultures, tools and practices of self-learning in the Indian education and vocational training system to enable young people to experience and autonomy and take charge of their own learning and career pathways.

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