Salesian Nun Wins Prestigious Derozio Award for Education
George Kommattam - November 2025
Salesian Sister Seena Joseph, FMA, Principal of Auxilium Nava Jyoti School, Kerala, has been honoured with the Derozio Award for Education and Human Enrichment 2025, the highest national award conferred by the Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE).
Sr. Seena, who has served in the field of education for the past 25 years, received the award during the School Heads’ Meet organised by the Association of Schools for the Indian School Certificate in Chandigarh. Former Supreme Court judge and former Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Justice Vikramjit Sen, presented the awards.
Speaking to Matters India, Sr. Seena said, “I feel happy and honoured to receive such a prestigious award and also the recognition of our service to the needy youth and children. I am representing all the religious who contribute to the education of children and the youth of today.”
A member of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco (FMA), Sr. Seena is widely appreciated for her commitment to holistic, value-based education in the spirit of St John Bosco and St Mary Mazzarello.
Her initiatives at Auxilium Nava Jyoti School and in various youth development centres have focused on creativity, skill development, moral formation, and academic excellence, uplifting thousands of young minds in rural and semi-urban communities.
Besides Sr. Seena, this year’s Derozio Awards were also presented to Shinoj Kizhakkemuriyil, Principal of St Antony’s School, Ghaziabad; Priti Sinha, Principal of Gulmohar High School, Jamshedpur; and Kusum Uniyal, TGT Science at Jyoti Vidyalaya, Joshimath, Uttarakhand. The CISCE described all four awardees as educators who exemplify “extraordinary dedication, bold innovation, and deep human impact.”
Instituted by the CISCE, the Derozio Awards are among the most respected recognitions in Indian school education. Each award comprises a 24-gram gold medal, a silver-engraved citation plaque, a scroll and a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh.
This year’s School Heads’ Conference, attended by more than 2,000 school leaders from across India, is centred on the theme “Building Stronger Schools Together.”
The gathering aims to outline a collaborative and future-ready roadmap for CISCE schools and underscores the crucial role of school leadership in shaping India’s educational landscape.
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