Alumna Urvashi Sahni Wins Haas International Award

Urvashi Sahni has become the first alum of the School of Education to win the prestigious Haas International Award. The prize is given to a graduate of UC Berkeley who has made major contributions to the betterment of the world community, and is not a citizen of the U.S. Dr. Sahni won the honor for her work in her home state of Uttar Pradesh, India, where she has had an extraordinary impact on the field of education. The award was presented by Chancellor Robert Berdahl at the Charter Day ceremony at Zellerbach Auditorium on March 23, 2000.The following day she gave the Haas International Award Lecture at Tolman Hall.

Urvashi Sahni completed her Ph.D. in 1994 in Language and Literacy under the mentorship of Professors Anne Haas Dyson (no relation to the donor of the award) and Herbert Simons. Since graduating, Dr. Sahni has returned to Lucknow, India, where she started an innovative inservice program for UNICEF that has involved 30,000 kindergarten and first-grade teachers in 28 districts.

She continues to run the highly-praised schools that she founded, Study Hall in the city of Lucknow, its affiliated girl÷s school, and a subsidized school in a rural area.

In addition, Urvashi Sahni initiated and manages a school reform project in a rural section of Uttar Pradesh that involves 62 schools, 16,000 children, and 258 teachers. "In this project," said Professor Dyson, "Dr. Sahni has worked hard to put into action her beliefs that school reform must engage the intellectual and emotional energies of all involved, including teachers, parents, and community members, so that all own the school." Urvashi Sahni has worked with teachers to develop a participatory curriculum for the children, started a teacher newsletter, and mobilized community support for the schools.

As if this were not enough, Dr. Sahni has also worked as a director of an action research project aimed at strengthening girls÷ education. Urvashi Sahni herself trained the teachers in action research methodology and guided them in developing skills in conducting inquiries on the educational experiences of girls in their classrooms. Dr. Sahni also serves on the state government÷s Girl Child Mission, which is charged with promoting the education of female students.

"She is deeply involved in mobilizing people and their energies for change, guided by her enormous intellect and heart, and her charisma as well," said Anne Haas Dyson. Urvashi Sahni is the 31st recipient of the Haas International Award. Previous winners include the President of Ecuador (1967), the Minister of Japan to the United Nations (1978), and the Governor of Taiwan (1995).

Urvashi Sahni

Urvashi Sahni training teachers in Uttar Pradesh, India