Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
I left the medical profession to become an educator. Obviously it is #1 on my list.
How best to upgrade government schools?
Make teachers and administrators totally accountable to an external rating agency. There has to be competition in teacher performance.
Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
My wife — Dr. Jhansi Lakshmi Bai.
Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Rabindranath Tagore.
Your leadership style.
Democratic and inclusive. I interact with students and staff at all levels to understand their needs. I also appreciate accomplishment.
Your favourite book on leadership.
The Bhagavad Gita.
For or against the RTE Act mandating 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
Against, because it doesn’t go far enough to solve the problem of poor quality education for the underprivileged. A lot more than RTE is needed.
Should education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
I am not an authority on national budget allocations.
How satisfied are you with the growth and development of Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions?
Very satisfied and proud. My goal was to send the largest number of students from Andhra Pradesh to IITs, and we have achieved it.
Pessimistic or optimistic about the future of Indian education?
Very optimistic.