Krishna Avanti School

The Governing Body has clear authority to run and manage the School as per its governing documents. 

The governing body fulfils a largely strategic role in the running of the School. It establishes the strategic framework by:

• Setting the aims and objectives for the School;
• Adopting policies for achieving those aims and objectives; and
• Setting targets for achieving those aims and objectives.
  

The Governing Body numbers 16 and is made up of the following:

Foundation Governors - 9

Nitesh Gor is Chairman of the Board of Governors of Krishna-Avanti Primary School. His career experience encompasses management, investment banking and a broad business strategy background gained as a result of working for two leading corporate strategy consultancies. He has an MBA from London Business School and a BSc from the University of London. Nitesh is a Director of I-Foundation.

Dr Kirit Modi is Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of Krishna-Avanti Primary School. Kirit has been involved in education for over thirty years. He started by teaching in two secondary schools for ten years, as a teacher of Mathematics, and became Head of Department in both. Kirit then joined Bedfordshire Local Education Authority as the coordinator of Multicultural Education.

When Luton became a unitary authority in 1997, he became an Assistant Director of Education and helped set up a successful education department.

Over the last eight years, Kirit has worked in Islington as Assistant Director, and helped turn round a failing authority. He has had extensive experience in helping improve schools, managing change, leading teams, overseeing functions such as capital programmes, finance, human resources, ethnic minority achievement and governor services.

Kirit is now working as an education consultant on a part-time basis. Kirit is a member of the Executive of the General Teaching Council for England and a governor at Canons High School in Harrow. Kirit's particular interest is in helping establish Krishna-Avanti Primary School as a successful school which meets the needs of the children in our multiethnic society, and is passionate about making equality a reality.    

Dr Kamlesh Bahl is the Chief Executive of Lotus Consulting Services, a social enterprise providing conflict resolution services and consultancy and training on diversity. Kamlesh has been a solicitor for 26 years and a mediator since 2007. She started her career as a lawyer in local government and then worked in a number of companies including British Steel and Texaco as an in-house lawyer and then as Company Secretary and Board Member at Data Logic Ltd. 

In 1993 Kamlesh became Chairwoman of the Equal Opportunities Commission and was the youngest and first Asian woman to hold this post. In 1996 Kamlesh was elected as Deputy Vice President of the Law Society and became its Vice President in 1997. Kamlesh has also served as a Non Executive Director on two health authorities, the Open University and London Transport. She was the European Commission representative on Racism and Xenophobia at the EC Consultative Commission which led to the establishment of the European Observatory on Racism. She works as a volunteer mediator with Camden Mediation. Kamlesh is the Chair of the Admissions Committee for Krishna-Avanti Primary School.

Srutidharma Das is a long-standing priest at Bhaktivedanta Manor and is a spiritual figurehead for the Hindu community. He has lived over 17 years as a fulltime Hindu monk and over a period of 25 years has been a pillar of Bhaktivedanta Manor's success as Europe's most successful Hindu temple. Srutidharma's responsibilities for Bhaktivedanta Manor include the spiritual development of Europe's largest Hindu congregation, regularly delivering lectures and programmes both at the temple and in the community and general managerial responsibilities of the temple. Srutidharma is a Trustee of the Hindu Forum of Britain and is an expert in Hindu teachings and their application. 

Prashun Popat is a Cambridge University graduate where he qualified in Natural Sciences and went on to earn a PhD in Chaos Theory. He holds an Executive MBA from the London Business School and spent his career in the financial markets. Prashun is a Director of I-Foundation and has been involved with numerous individuals and organisations working in the Vedic education and welfare fields.

Upendra Kalan qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Deloittes within the Financial Services Group and has over 20 years of finance and accounting experience. He was previously a Director in Global Equities Management at UBS where he spent fourteen years. Upendra is a Director of I-Foundation.

Sanjiv Agarwal M.S., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.(Urol.) is Consultant Urologist at the Hammersmith, Charing Cross and St.Mary's Hospitals. He is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Imperial College School of Medicine. Sanjiv is a Director of I-Foundation.

Peter Hamilton ... to follow.

1 Vacancy

Sponsor Governors - 2

Hare Narain Maskara has retired from the services of Vedanta Resources plc where he was Assistant Company Secretary between August 2004 and May 2008. He was associated with the Vedanta Group since 1992 in various management roles and before joining the Group he has had 30 years of experience in Banking and finance. Mr. Maskara has a Masters degree in Commerce from the University of Calcutta and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, London.

Krishna Ghosh is a founding teacher of the Swaminarayan Prep School, involved in the curriculum development and management. Six months after the school’s inception in 1992 she became the Head Teacher for over 10 years. Krishna has had a wide range of teaching experiences since her professional career began in 1968 after a Masters in English. She practiced as a classroom teacher for 13years until 1981 when she became a teacher trainer for primary school teachers at the ILEA Centre for Urban Educational Studies. Krishna was also a Parent Education Coordinator lecturer at the Adult Education Institute for childcare. In 1990 Krishna went back to primary classroom teaching and became the Head of Key Stage 1 in a school in Brent.

Local Authority Governor - 1

Pat Stevens’ entire career has been in teaching at secondary, further and higher education levels, with principal specialisms in religious education and principles and practice of education.  She was deputy headteacher in secondary schools both in London and Trinidad, West Indies, where she maintains regular contact with schools and the university through participation in a programme of teacher-training.

Since 1987, she has been a member of the Harrow Advisory Service, now called the Achievement and Inclusion Service and currently works as an Associate Senior Advisor and Religious Education Consultant.

As a member of the Harrow Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (S.A.C.R.E.), Pat consults with teachers and members of local faith communities in the five-yearly revision  of the local Agreed Syllabus of Religious Education and its accompanying scheme of work.  She works closely with  faith communities in and around Harrow and has been associated, for many years, with the Harrow Inter Faith Council.

Pat has had governing body experience over a period of twelve years, having served for eight years as Chair of Governors of a successful voluntary-aided school in Harrow. Other experience includes the editing of magazines and newsletters over a number of years and enjoyment of reading and music.

Staff Governors - 3

Mrs Naina Parmar
Head teacher
Naina has been involved in various leadership and executive roles during her time as a teacher and Senior Leader within Primary Education. She is a Farmington Fellow and an Advanced Skills Teacher for Religious Education. She held two consultancy roles within the QCA (Qualifications Curriculum Authority) for, Religious Education and the Primary curriculum.

Naina's experience ranges from holding an executive position for the National Association of Teachers for Religious Education to a judiciary role as Chair of Appeals for Haringey Democratic Services and NUT (National Union of Teachers) representative for Haringey SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education).

Her work on Creating Safe Learning Environment, Celebrating Similarities and Differences, has been recognised and published in 'Religious Diversity and Intercultural Education: A reference book for Schools by the European Commission in Strasbourg. Naina also has extensive voluntary experience in working for the community to support vulnerable children and families.

Mrs Sandra Clark
Teacher and Acting Deputy Head Teacher
Mrs Clark is a qualified teacher and her specialty subject is history. She has spent over 25 years studying the Vedas.  This involved her in extensive global travel and led to her experiencing the richness of cultural and inter religious diversity.  Working in Canada, United States and a variety of African countries inspired her to think globally and inspire children to think creatively, linking the whole curriculum. 

Sandra has taken a leading role in setting up and managing private nurseries and the very first independent Hindu primary school in the UK. Her most recent teaching post was in a Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided School in Hertfordshire. 

Nilam Jivan has extensive experience working in a variety of corporate bodies.  She has professional experience in PA, secretarial, accounting and office management roles.  Her most recent post was as a PA for the Director of Finance within the public sector.

Parent Governor - 1

1 Vacancy

Associate Members

Ben Rich MCIPR is Director of his own Communications consultancy, Ben Rich Associations, which specialises community and faith issues.  His experience includes 15 years advising some of Britain's leading blue-chip companies, as well as Government, public bodies and charities.

In 2007, Ben stepped down as a Director and Partner of leading independent PR consultancy, Luther Pendragon, to establish his own specialist consultancy business, working for clients whom are working in a variety of different ways to heal the world.

Ben is a regular columnist for the Jewish News and editor of the Jewish Chronicle's annual Power 100. He is an adviser to the Board of anti-death penalty charity, Reprieve, and a full member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. His 2005 campaign to mark the 60th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on behalf of the Home Office won the CIPR' "best not-for-profit" excellence award for the year.

Ramesh Shah is a chartered accountant with over 35 years experience managing his own successful city-based accountancy firm. Ramesh has over 15 years experience managing and advising charities and also brings a wealth of experience in supporting charitable schools and angel investing. Ramesh is co-founder and former Director of Garland Management, where he managed a substantial property investment portfolio. Ramesh is a Director of I-Foundation.

Guru Carana Padma (Wendy Harrison) BA Hons Primary School Education and School Management has been  head teacher at Bhaktivedanta Manor Primary School  for the past 5 years.   She has worked in school administration, teaching,  and curriculum development for the  past 15 years and has carried out significant research in regards to faith schooling.    Bhaktivedanta Manor School is a small independent school based at Bhaktivedanta Manor,  the headquarters of the faith partner.  It has recently been classified by OFSTED as “a good school with outstanding provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.”

Jagaddhatri Devi is head of the Manor Pre-School situated at ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor.  She has been a early years practitioner for the past 18 years having achieved a Diploma in Early Years Care and Education Level 3.  She has attended numerous courses as part of her continuing professional development in the Early Years Foundation Stage.   Prior to her commitment to the Foundation stage she spent 10 years  developing ashram (residential) training for girls.  She has been a level 2 Foster carer for Social Services for the past 5 years.

Rasamandala Das is an Educational Consultant specializing in education and Hinduism. He currently serves as a member of the Executive for the Religious Education Council for England and Wales and is a member of the Steering Group for the forthcoming National Framework for Religious Education. He has consulted to a number of publishers, including Heinemann, Hodder & Stoughton, Oxford University Press, Evans Brothers, Franklin-Watts, University of Derby/the Interfaith Network and SCAA/QCA (DfES). He is the founder and Director of ISKCON Educational Services, and will shortly begin a PhD in developing a pedagogical theory for ISKCON, addressing issues such as Values education, Emotional literacy and emotional intelligence, SMSCD and assessment in these areas.

Rasamandala’s publications include:

21^st Century Religion - Hinduism (Hodder Wayland, 2004)

The Heart of Hinduism teaching packs (IES, 2002)

My Life, My Religion – Hindu Pandit (Franklin Watts, 2000) 

Places of Worship; Hindu Temples (Heinemann 1998, 1999)

World Religions; an Illustrated Encyclopaedia (Open Mind, 1997)

The Hindu Concept of God in ‘Meeting Hindus’ (Christians Aware, 2000)

Time – the Hindu Perspective in the Shap Journal (The Shap Working Party, 2000)

Visiting Faith Communities published in ‘RE Today’ (CEM, 1992)

Rasamandala has also helped develop various courses, notably:

Teacher Training Course One, Two and Three (1995, 1997 and 1998 respectively)

Primary and Secondary Teacher Training Course (2000)

Vijay Persaud … to follow