PVLF 2025

Interview with Chitra Prasad, Author of "Beyond the Bell: Preparing Students for Life"

Chitra Prasad shares insights on holistic education, empowering girls, and integrating spirituality in learning through her book Beyond the Bell.
on Mar 26, 2025

Madhurima Vidyarth, "Job Charnock and The Potter’s Boy"

Frontlist: Beyond the Bell emphasizes holistic education beyond academics. What inspired you to write the book, and what key message do you want readers to take away?

Chitra: My mentor, Megha Bajaj, motivated me to write this book. She was highly impressed with the education we provided at NSN, so she felt a compelling need to share NSN's best practices with other educators nationwide, ensuring thousands of students would benefit.
In a world that focuses only on results, I wish to tell readers that concentrating on the process is more important. Schooling should be a rich experience—one that will aid in the holistic growth of the students.

Frontlist: You introduce a five-pronged approach to education. Which of these is most crucial for empowering young minds, especially girls?

Chitra: Developing life skills, values, and character traits is essential. When it comes to girls, building self-awareness and confidence will help them understand their strengths and weaknesses, become better at decision-making, regulate their emotions, stay true to themselves, unlock their full potential, take leadership roles, and thus live a purpose-driven life.

Frontlist: How does experiential learning shape students 'ability to face real-world challenges, particularly in a fast-changing society?

Chitra: Experiential learning develops practical skills, enhances critical thinking, fosters collaboration and communication, builds confidence, and makes them lifelong learners. Theoretical learning will give them the required knowledge, but experiential learning will help them apply it. Confucius says, "I hear, and I forget, I see, and I remember, I do, and I understand."

Frontlist: The book highlights gratitude and selflessness. How can educators and parents cultivate these values in children in today's competitive world?

Chitra: It is said that "Like begets like." It suggests that similar things or energies attract or produce similar results, positive or negative. In essence, our thoughts, emotions, and actions have consequences, and by building positivity, we can create a more harmonious and fulfilling life. So, count your blessings and never dwell on your troubles. This will provide you with more opportunities for which you can be grateful.
Through various activities, students at NSN learn to look beyond "me, mine, and myself." We have the moral responsibility to create a selfless society through our students. Giving is an attitude. Learning, earning, and returning should not be seen as different phases in life; they should be concurrent.
Values are caught, not taught. Educators can introduce activities that instill the value of gratitude in children. They can have a gratitude tree in the school, a gratitude journal in the handbook, or celebrate Thanksgiving Day. There are many ways to instill this value.
Parents can have a gratitude jar at home, which family members can use to drop their gratitude for the day. The family can also practice gratitude before every meal by thanking all those who worked hard to bring the food from the farm to the plate. There are many other ways to instill the value of gratitude in children.

Frontlist: You talk about integrating spirituality with education. How do you balance this in a secular educational environment, and why do you think it is essential for students?

Chitra: I am a firm believer in integrating spirituality with education. Only in a secular environment is this possible. Spirituality is more personal and focused on individual growth. Incorporating it with education will help students develop holistically.
Spiritual practices can help students reduce their stress and anxiety and bring peace within. They will also help students reflect on their values, beliefs, and emotions and create self-awareness through introspection.
Spirituality plays a vital role in students' development, fostering their emotional, social, and academic growth. Integration of the mind, body, and spirit can happen if spirituality is integrated with education. It can provide a more comprehensive and transformative development, preparing students for success in all aspects of life.

Frontlist: Responsible citizenship is one of your focus areas. How can schools encourage young students, especially girls, to become leaders and change-makers?

Chitra: The environment plays a vital role in developing the right mindset. A girl should not be made to feel that she is the weaker sex, as this conditioning can limit her potential. Girls should be treated on par with boys. They are born leaders, naturally assuming responsibilities at home. When this quality is directed towards a larger goal, it can empower them to become leaders and change-makers.

Girls need broad exposure. They should know how Malala Yousafzai championed the cause of female education even when her life was at stake, how Indra Nooyi went on to become the CEO of PepsiCo, and how the country's finance minister achieved a position of eminence. The success stories of such role models will inspire them to make their lives meaningful.
Girls should be instilled with leadership skills and encouraged to participate in social activities. Community engagement will help them focus on more significant causes.
Schools should first educate parents on how to avoid limiting their daughters' potential and instead motivate them to achieve great heights.

Frontlist: Many young girls face self-doubt and societal limitations. How does "Beyond the Bell" help educators create a more empowering environment?

Chitra:"Beyond the Bell" prepares students for life. It is not gender-centric. However, the experiences we provide to girls and boys students should make them life-ready. I have never felt the need to discriminate between boys and girls, as I see them only as students of NSN. Equal opportunities are given to both. However, I have often observed that girls are more forthcoming, while boys sometimes must be coaxed to assume leadership roles and participate in school programs. Of course, there are exceptions.
What is important is changing the mindset of parents and society. There are still families that believe girls should study and work only until they get married. We need to make girls independent. This seed must be sown when they are very young, as everything is shaped by mindset and belief. You can never outperform your beliefs. Therefore, we must cultivate self-belief in girls, empowering them to understand that they can transcend and transform their lives. Education can make all the difference.

Frontlist: As a woman leader in the education sector, what challenges have you faced, and how have they shaped your vision for holistic learning?

Chitra: As a woman leader, I have faced male domination. Instead of retaliating, I decided that the best way to tell the world to shut up is to produce results. I started improving the quality of education we provided at NSN. When everybody applauds you, the rest will also join. Today, I have earned the goodwill of both men and women because I focus on my work and extend my support to others. My message to all would be not to think against anyone but for others. Spirituality has taught me how one can live a happily successful life.
Self-awareness, emotional balance, physical well-being, maturity, peace and harmony, compassion, values, and ethics are all by-products of a spiritually aligned life. Textual knowledge alone will not take them very far in life. It is essential to convert knowledge into wisdom. A holistic education will help students be successful in all aspects of life.

Frontlist: International Women's Day celebrates progress and empowerment. How do you think education can be a tool for gender equality, and what role do schools play in this?

Chitra: I lost my father when I was nine months old. My mother was left with nothing but an empty pocket, a shattered dream, and three daughters to take care of. In the 1950s, she was a postgraduate and a lecturer in a leading women's college before marriage. After my father's demise, she started the NSN School in 1968. She could become an entrepreneur only because she was educated.
The NSN Group of Schools is 57 years old. Most of the staff are women, with only the physical education department having men. NSN stands for women's empowerment. Girls often tell me that having a woman heading the institution inspires them. Role modeling helps the younger generation.
Education can empower girls and women, boosting their self-confidence and self-esteem. It provides the skills and knowledge needed to secure better-paying jobs and achieve economic independence. Programs can be conducted to develop problem-solving and leadership skills. By harnessing the power of education, we can create a more equitable society where girls have equal opportunities to thrive.