ABOUT US
Leadership That Makes A Difference
Late Dr Jagdish Gandhi
Founder-Manager
Dr Gandhi, founder of the world’s largest city-school, earned global recognition for advancing peace through education. He fostered global citizenship, respect for diversity, and unity through initiatives such as divine education conference, All-Religion Prayer, Students’ Quality Circles, World Peace Prayer, and Children’s World Parliament. Honoured with prestigious awards, he received the Yash Bharti Award (2014), the Gusi Peace Prize (2011), and the Hope of Humanity Award from the Dalai Lama (2010). He was also conferred the ‘Key to the City of Georgetown, USA’ (2002) and honorary doctorates from universities in Argentina, Mongolia, Northern Ireland, Peru, Russia, Turkey, and the UK. His speeches are featured regularly on national and international platforms. For 24 years, he organised the annual International Conference of Chief Justices of the World, fostering global consensus among the world’s senior judiciary and world leaders on world unity and peace. A passionate author, reader, and orator, Dr Gandhi wrote 28+ books, including Broader, Bolder Education for the 21st Century and The Purpose of Life.
Dr Bharti Gandhi
Founder-Director, CMS
Alumna of Lucknow University and former psychologist at the UP government’s Psychology Bureau, Dr Bharti Gandhi is the co- founder of CMS. An able administrator and leader, she has championed numerous social causes and convened an all-India Anti Dowry Conference and the UP State Prohibition Conference.
She has organised several youth & children’s festivals to promote international understanding, and continues to organise Satsang (spiritual discourse) on a regular basis since the last 23 years at CMS. She has been conferred many prestigious awards including the Devi Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished contributions to education in India at the House of Commons, London.
With over six decades of dedication, Dr Gandhi continues to inspire and lead CMS, shaping compassionate, globally-minded individuals and advancing her vision of a peaceful, unified world.
Prof Geeta Gandhi Kingdon
Manager, CMS
Mentor, CMS Cambridge Team, Prof Geeta Gandhi Kingdon is the Manager of City Montessori School and an Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), where she was the Chair of Education Economics and International Development from 2007 to 2024.
She holds a BSc (Honours) in Economics from the London School of Economics and a DPhil in Development Economics from the University of Oxford. After living in England for 31 years, she returned to India and continues as Emeritus professor at UCL.
She is committed to transforming CMS while preserving its rich legacy.
The CMS Cambridge Team
Ms Susmita Ghose
Advisor
Head, Quality Assurance & Innovation Department (QAID)
Ms Dawn Taylor
Advisor
Head of School Development
Mrs Sushma Rajkumar
Dean
Cambridge Campuses
Our Torchbearers
Gomti Nagar Extension
Ms Manjit Batra
Senior Consultant
Ms Manjit Batra, a visionary educator, has served City Montessori School (CMS) for over four decades, including 45+ years as Principal. She has been instrumental in scaling three CMS campuses and securing their affiliations with CISCE and CAIE.
Renowned for her leadership, Ms Batra fosters academic excellence, innovation, and holistic education. In 2004, she was honoured by Late Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as the “Jewel of the Institution” for her exceptional contributions to education. She also received the Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya award (2003) from ASISC, UP.
As Senior Consultant, Ms Batra continues to inspire global citizenship and excellence at CMS.
Gomti Nagar Campus I
Mrs Anupama Checker
Principal
CMS Gomti Nagar Campus I &
Cambridge Campus
Mrs Anupama Checker, an accomplished educator and visionary leader, brings over two decades of experience to City Montessori School. Currently serving as the Principal of CMS Gomti Nagar Extension Campus (Montessori–12), she has previously led CMS Asharfabad (Montessori–12) and CMS Rajajipuram Campus II (Montessori–8), leaving a mark of academic excellence, innovation, and global-minded leadership at each.
With a Master’s in Mathematics, B.Ed., and a diploma in Information and System Management, Mrs Checker champions application-based and hands-on learning. She has spearheaded landmark events like Matheletics International, GeoFest International, Sportofista, Ecologique, and the Dr Jagadish Gandhi Inter-School Roller Skating Championship 2025. Her commitment to student engagement and teacher development is reflected in her mentoring for international contests, CENTA TQ Badge recognition, and certifications from HarvardX and CI-CEDL. Admired for her warm leadership, Mrs Checker embodies future-ready, inclusive education at CMS.
Rajajipuram Campus I
Ms Nisha Pandey
Senior Principal
CMS Rajajipuram Campus I &
Cambridge Campus
Ms Pandey invests in teacher development and takes a child-focused approach, enhancing academics, extracurriculars, and infrastructure. Under her leadership, students have become national toppers in ISC and ICSE and excel in National and International Olympiads, making her campus one of Lucknow’s best schools.
Aliganj Campus I
Mrs Shivani Singh
Principal
CMS Aliganj Campus I &
Cambridge Campus
Committed to CMS Vision 2025, Ms Singh emphasises professional development and a child-focused approach. Under her leadership, students have achieved stellar ICSE and ISC results, admissions to top global universities, and success in Civil Services, IIT, and NEET.
Gomti Nagar Campus I
Mrs Soma Chandra
Principal
CMS Gomti Nagar Campus I &
Cambridge Campus
Mrs Soma Chandra, an accomplished educationist, has been part of City Montessori School since 2012 and currently serves as the Principal of CMS Gomti Nagar Campus. Her journey from a primary teacher to IT trainer, pre-primary in-charge, headmistress, and Vice Principal (Academics) reflects her dedication and deep understanding of educational leadership.
A certified Google Trainer with a Master’s and B.Ed., Mrs Chandra has completed multiple professional courses, including EdTech certifications and training in experiential learning. She has earned national recognition, including the Indian Education Award 2023, the International Teachers Olympiad Finals 2024, and CENTA accolades, consistently ranking among the top educators in India.
Renowned for her thought leadership, she has conducted webinars for CENTA and Oxford University Press, and has spoken at forums like the Global Teachers Meet and the International Conference of Principals. Her focus on early childhood education, mental health, and capacity building continues to drive innovation, excellence, and inclusion at CMS.
Golf City Campus
Ms Reema Sethi
Principal
CMS Golf City Campus &
Cambridge Campus
She is a “Google Certified Educator of the year 2021″ and was awarded “Distinction in Cambridge International Certificate” in Educational leadership.
With her visionary and astute far-sightedness for a progressive academic culture, Cambridge Golf City Campus is wholesomely nurturing its young learners into global citizens and empowering them to excel in higher education.
CMS Cambridge Campus Coordinators
Ms Maseerah Arif
Coordinator
Cambridge Section, Gomti Nagar Ext. Campus
Ms Jaspreet Kaur
Coordinator
Cambridge Section, Gomti Nagar Campus I
Ms Sana Shamim
Coordinator
Cambridge Section, Rajajipuram Campus I
Ms Manisha Chaturvedi
Coordinator
Cambridge Section, Aliganj Campus I
Ms Jasica Massey
Coordinator
Cambridge Section, Golf City Campus
Cambridge Board
Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) is a division of the esteemed University of Cambridge, a global bastion of academic excellence. As the world’s largest provider of international qualifications for learners aged 5 to 19, CAIE enjoys unparalleled credibility among universities, educators, and employers worldwide. The curriculum is applauded for its intellectual rigour, emphasis on critical reasoning, and capacity to cultivate globally competent individuals.
CAIE qualifications, including the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and Advanced Level (A-Level) programmes, are highly regarded internationally. Within India, the IGCSE is recognised as equivalent to Class X by the Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE), while the A-Level qualification is acknowledged by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) as comparable to Class XII.