Dr Rashmi Diwan, Professor at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi is the Head of the National Centre for School Leadership. She completed her Masters in Education (Gold Medallist with 1st Position) from University of Jammu. She was awarded a PhD in Education on the thesis titled ‘Leadership Behaviour and Value Patterns of School Principals’ in 1994 from Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. She has been a part of NIEPA for more than three decades, and has shown exemplary commitment to teaching, capacity building and empirical research, specifically in the areas of school education, leadership and management.

She has to her credit, published work in International and National books, articles and journals. Some of her popular writings include Community Participation and Empowerment in Primary Education co-authored with Prof R. Govinda; Small Schools in Rural India: ‘Exclusion’ and ‘Inequity’ in an hierarchical school system (SAGE publications); Small Multigrade Schools and Increasing Access to Primary Education (CREATE Monograph, University of Sussex– co-authored with Nichol Blum); Practical Tips for Teaching Multigrade Classes (UNESCO, Bangkok). Among several other writings, few selected include Leadership Behaviour and Value Patterns among School Principals, Dynamic School Leadership; Transformational School Leadership; Schools as Learning Organizations; Positive Work Attitudes for Promoting Organizational Effectiveness; Teacher Preparation and Professional Programmes for Teachers in Multicultural Global Society; Decentralized School Based Management etc.

Being an ardent learner and an empirical researcher, her work has particularly centred around applications of innovative models and practices in Indian school contexts grounded in diverse grassroots realities. She has had the opportunity of learning best practices in school education and leadership from leaders in countries such as UK, USA, Finland and several others through regular visits and meaningful interactions. She participated in the ‘First International Forum for Education 2020 Leadership Institute’ at East-West Centre, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

She is instrumental in the growth of the National Centre for School Leadership throughout its journey from conceptualization, establishment and implementation phases. She served as a Convenor for the Committee for School Leadership Development constituted by Education Minister, MHRD in 2010, based on the recommendations of whom the National Centre for School Leadership was established at NIEPA in 2012. In the initial phase of implementation, she was also closely associated with National College of School Leadership, Nottingham on School Leadership Partnership Programme under UKIERI. She has led national and state consultations, networking and institution building, research, nation-wide school leadership development programme with State-level School Leadership Academies to work as extended arms of the Centre, curriculum and material development, formation of State Resource Groups etc and still continues to make significant contributions to take the Centre to greater heights.