Saturday 18 / January / 2025
MUSCAT: Indian Schools in Oman have elected a new leadership team following Saturday's election, where parents voted for five new members to serve on the Board of Directors (BoD).
The elections saw a large turnout of parents, with hundreds flocking to the polling stations at Indian Schools Muscat, casting their votes until 5 pm to help shape the future of over 46,000 students enrolled in 21 Indian schools across the country.
The five newly elected members are Shameer P.T.K (597 votes), Damodar R Katti (550 votes), Syed Ahmad Salman (496 votes), Krishnendhu S (440 votes), and Nidheesh Kumar PP (430 votes).
A total of eight candidates contested for the five available positions on the BoD, making the election highly competitive.
Among the newly elected, Damodar R Katti expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to serve on the Board.
"It is an honour to be entrusted with this responsibility," Katti said.
"I am committed to working closely with the other board members to ensure the continued growth and success of our schools, while always prioritising the needs and welfare of our students."
Earlier, in an interview with Times of Oman, Katti also highlighted his dedication to addressing challenges faced by the schools. He said, "There are a lot of areas where we need to focus, including enhancing infrastructure and providing more extracurricular activities for our students."
He added, "Our goal is not only academic excellence but also to create an environment where students can thrive in all aspects of life."
The newly elected Board members are now tasked with overseeing the direction and policies that will impact the large Indian school community in Oman.
Their election is seen as a significant step in fostering stronger governance for these institutions, ensuring quality education for the thousands of students who rely on them.
Besides the elected five, the other three who contested in the elections were Prabakaran Krishnamoorthy, Dr. Saji Uthuppan, and Vijaya Saravanan Sankaran.
The new board is set to commence the new term on 1 April 2025.
The Board, empowered by the Bye-Laws approved by the Ministry of Education of Oman, establishes Indian Schools to impart education to the students of the Indian community residing in Oman.
The primary objective of the Board of Directors is to ensure that no Indian expatriate child in the Sultanate of Oman is denied the opportunity of qualitative primary and secondary education at par with the national standards in India.
The schools function and operate as non-political, secular, non-profit making and self-sustaining institutions solely with an aim of serving the educational needs of the Indian diaspora.
