Dr. Farida Lambe

Member, Advisory Board

Dr. Farida Lambay is one of India’s most respected educationists, social reformers, and child rights advocates. A pioneering leader in the field of elementary education and community development, she has dedicated over four decades to ensuring quality education and equal opportunities for disadvantaged children. As the Co-founder and Trustee of Pratham Education Foundation, she has played a transformative role in building one of the world’s largest and most influential non-governmental organizations working to improve children’s learning outcomes.

A qualified social work professional, Dr. Lambay earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from the College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai. She began her career as a faculty member and later served as the Vice Principal of Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work, where she pioneered several community-based initiatives linking education with social development. Her innovative Municipal School Project helped integrate professional social workers into Mumbai’s municipal school system, laying the foundation for sustainable collaboration between government and civil society.

In 1994, Dr. Lambay co-founded Pratham Education Foundation with the vision of ensuring that every child is in school and learning well. Under her leadership, Pratham developed innovative, scalable, and evidence-based learning models that have reached millions of children across India. The organisation’s programmes in foundational literacy and numeracy, community-based learning, and volunteer engagement have significantly influenced national education policy and have become internationally recognised models for improving learning outcomes.

Beyond Pratham, Dr. Lambay has initiated and nurtured several landmark social initiatives, including Prerana, an organisation working for the protection and rehabilitation of women and children in red-light areas, and YUVA (Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action), which focuses on youth engagement and social development. Throughout her career, she has actively worked on issues related to child labour, early childhood education, women’s empowerment, disaster relief, and community mobilisation, consistently translating successful grassroots initiatives into public policy.

Dr. Lambay has served on numerous national and state-level committees related to education, child protection, and social welfare, including the Government of India’s Committee on Child Labour, the National Advisory Committee under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, the Maharashtra State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and the Sachar Committee. Her expertise has contributed significantly to policy reforms in education, child welfare, and inclusive development.

In recognition of her exceptional contribution to education and social development, Dr. Lambay has received numerous honours, including the Ahilyabai Holkar Award from the Government of Maharashtra, the Sahyadri Navratna Award, and several other national recognitions for her lifelong commitment to educational equity and child rights.

As a Member of the Advisory Board of the Sharad Pawar Inspire Fellowship, Dr. Farida Lambay brings unparalleled expertise in education, social innovation, child development, and community leadership. Her lifelong commitment to inclusive education, grassroots empowerment, and evidence-based social transformation provides invaluable guidance to the Fellowship’s mission of nurturing compassionate, socially responsible, and future-ready leaders in Agriculture, Education, and Literature.