Teach For India (TFI) began with a conviction that still drives it today—every child in India, no matter their background, should have the opportunity for an excellent education. The reality is that millions of children from low-income communities lack access to quality learning, limiting their choices and shaping their future far too early. TFI’s mission is to change that by developing a strong pipeline of leadership committed to addressing educational inequity at multiple levels.
Founded in 2009 and part of the global Teach For All network, TFI runs its flagship two-year Fellowship programme across eight cities in India. Fellows—selected through a rigorous process—work full-time in some of the country’s most under-resourced classrooms, teaching academic content and also inspiring confidence, creativity, and compassion in their students. The focus is holistic: equipping children not only to excel in exams but to lead meaningful lives with agency and ambition.
The end of the Fellowship is the beginning of a larger journey. Graduates become part of TFI’s growing Alumni network, which now has over 5,000 members impacting the lives of more than 50 million children indirectly. Alumni work in diverse spaces—founding educational organisations, influencing public policy, leading school reforms, and embedding themselves in grassroots communities. Together they form a collective leadership force, each tackling the problem from a different angle but united by the same vision.
TFI is now in Phase 4 of its strategic journey, a bold ten-year plan (2022–2032) that aims to grow 50,000 leaders working collectively and with love to transform the lives of one in ten children in its regions. The organisation’s roadmap focuses on strengthening the core Fellowship, creating alternative leadership pipelines, deepening Alumni engagement, advocating for systemic change, and mobilising public support for educational equity.
Meet the team
TFI, on LinkedIn
Shaheen Mistri, CEO
Alpana Mallick, Senior Director, Regions
Ashwath Bharath, Senior Director, Movement Building
Today, TFI is recognised not only as one of India’s leading educational NGOs but also as a leadership incubator, preparing people to solve complex social challenges with empathy, perseverance, and vision. Through classrooms, communities, and systemic reform, TFI bridges hope and opportunity—working towards the day when every child has the education they deserve.
