As a talented and successful woman in the fields of marketing and education, Executive Director at Quality Education School, Madhuri Prakash, has much wisdom to share. Let’s take a walk in her shoes!
What’s the first thing you do each morning?
I carve out 15 quiet minutes just for myself. With music playing softly, I ease into the day – sometimes solving a Sudoku puzzle, notebook open beside me. As thoughts settle, my to-do list gently takes shape. It’s a small, grounding ritual that brings calm and clarity, helping me feel less like I’m reacting to the day and more like I’m shaping it.
Describe your job in three words.
Strategy, communication and leadership. No two days are the same – there’s always something new to learn or solve. I started in journalism, moved into corporate communications, but working in a school is something else altogether. It’s lively, unpredictable and fulfilling, and everything we do is for our students’ growth.
What’s one school memory from your own childhood that still makes you smile?
In Grade 8, I got caught sneaking snacks into the IT lab and learned teachers really do have eyes everywhere. Today, that same teacher is still on faculty, yet I still feel like her student. Some bonds never change, and some lessons – like stealth failures and lasting respect – stay with you for life, often with a hint of fear.
Were you more of a front-row student or the one secretly passing notes in the back?
Oh, front-row student all the way! But that doesn’t mean we didn’t do our fair share of note passing.
What’s one marketing trend you secretly wish would disappear?
I’d retire the surge of AI-polished brand content that’s eroding true differentiation. While generative AI aids ideation and scale, overreliance breeds sameness. In 2025, I hope marketers use AI as a fast, clever intern – great for drafts and data, but always refined by the irreplaceable human touch that brings authenticity, nuance and originality back to the forefront.
Coffee or tea?
Let’s just say breakfast can wait, my brain runs on dark roast. Coffee is my ultimate creative sidekick. I have had some of my best ideas over a cup of coffee.
What advice would you give your younger school-going self, now that you’re on the other side of the classroom?
To embrace individuality, take risks and value curiosity over certainty. It’s okay to fail. Life teaches best. Also, ditch Orkut early and join Facebook quickly.
Who’s your biggest inspiration when it comes to leadership and why?
The greatest leadership lesson I learned came from my father, Prakash Devji. His quiet strength, integrity and resilience shaped who I am. He led by example, never seeking praise but always doing what was right. His words still guide me: “Don’t be the one pointing at the problem, be the one offering a solution.”
If your school days had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Good Life by OneRepublic takes me back to school days, evoking nostalgia for carefree moments, cherished friendships and a reassuring sense that everything was going to be alright.
Finally, if you could relive one day from your own school years, which one would it be?
I’d relive our school’s cultural show for the thrill of performing, backstage excitement and the unforgettable sense of unity it brought as classmates became a team in that magical moment.
