Fr. Shinoj Kizhakkemuriyil Honoured with Derozio Award for Transformative Educational Leadership

Nov, 21, 2025: Fr. Shinoj Kizhakkemuriyil, Principal of St Antony’s School in Ghaziabad, along with three others, has been chosen for the prestigious Derozio Awards 2025 in recognition of their exemplary service to school education and human enrichment, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) announced on Thursday. The other awardees are Priti Sinha, Principal, Gulmohar High School, Jamshedpur; Seena Joseph, Principal, Auxilium Nava Jyoti School, Kerala; and Kusum Uniyal, TGT Science, Jyoti Vidyalaya, Joshimath, Uttarakhand.

The awards were conferred by former Supreme Court judge and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vikramjit Sen at the School Heads’ Meet organised by the Association of Schools for the Indian School Certificate in Chandigarh on November 21.

Speaking to Catholic Connect, Fr. Shinoj Kizhakkemuriyil, Principal of St Antony’s School, Ghaziabad, said, “This is the highest award in the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations. It feels good—really good.”

Reflecting on his journey, he explained, “I joined the school nine years ago. It is situated in a colony named Khora, which was an unauthorized colony once upon a time. There are around 15 lakhs people living in that colony.” He added that children from Khora had long struggled to secure admission in good schools. “That’s the reason we thought of beginning a school by 2004–05, and we started,” he said. The school now provides every facility students may need at a very minimal fee. “Many of them are studying for free, even with the books and uniform free for them,” he noted. The school educates around 1,200 students and offers classes up to Plus 2.

Fr. Shinoj emphasised that his recognition also reflects the school’s outreaching activities and his own efforts: “This is what is given for the outreaching activities that we have, for the books that I have written, the training programs that I have conducted across the country for teachers, for the students.”

Instituted by CISCE, the Derozio Awards honour individuals whose leadership and contributions have strengthened the nation through education. Presented annually, the awards recognise educators who have made transformative impact in primary, middle, secondary, senior secondary education, and educational leadership. Each award includes a 24-gram gold medal, a silver-engraved citation plaque, a scroll, and prize money worth ₹1 lakh.

The awardees are Shinoj Kizhakkemuriyil, Principal, St Antony’s School, Ghaziabad; Priti Sinha, Principal, Gulmohar High School, Jamshedpur; Seena Joseph, Principal, Auxilium Nava Jyoti School, Kerala; and Kusum Uniyal, TGT Science, Jyoti Vidyalaya, Joshimath, Uttarakhand.

The two-day School Heads’ Conference by the Association of Schools for the Indian School Certificate began on Thursday in Chandigarh, drawing more than 2,000 heads of CISCE-affiliated schools from across India to discuss emerging educational trends and chart a forward-looking roadmap. The theme of the conference is Building stronger schools together.

“This year's awardees shine with extraordinary dedication, bold innovation, and deep human impact. Our rigorous evaluation reaffirmed the remarkable educational transformation unfolding across CISCE schools and the inspiring commitment of educators who continue to elevate learning nationwide,” said Joseph Emmanuel, Chief Executive and Secretary of CISCE, in a statement issued ahead of the event.

By Catholic Connect Reporter