‘To whom much is given, much is expected.’ This guiding principle has shaped Merlia Shaukath’s journey as the Founder and CEO of Madhi Foundation. Inspired by the opportunities she received during her academic and professional journey, Merlia is a passionate advocate for equity in foundational education. She believes that access to quality early childhood and foundational education is the most powerful equaliser against social inequity and leads Madhi with the vision of ‘putting foundational learning first, so every child can thrive.’
Merlia holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Stella Maris College (Chennai, India), an MSc in Area Development Studies from the University of Oxford, and an MSc in Governance and Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her commitment to quality foundational learning has been recognised by the London School of Economics and Political Science. A vocal advocate for equity in education, Merlia has written extensively on the need for a measured approach to edtech for The Bastion and shared her insights on leadership and management through her writing.
In recognition of her pioneering work at Madhi Foundation, Merlia was selected in 2022 to join the prestigious cohorts of the Rainer Arnhold Fellowship by the Mulago Foundation, the Ashoka Fellowship and the Nudge Accelerator programme. She has also been honoured as a Global Finalist for the UK Alumni Award by the British Council.
With over 15 years of experience in the development sector, Merlia’s career is rooted in meaningful, system-driven change. During her tenure at Teach For India, she was instrumental in setting up the Chennai chapter and led multiple verticals, including community relations, government relations, fundraising and human resources. Building on this foundation, she worked in senior policy consulting roles at Athena Infonomics, where she led projects in collaboration with state governments in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, as well as international NGOs like Save the Children, Aga Khan Foundation and Smile Foundation.
Madhi Foundation was born from the confluence of Merlia’s diverse experiences and her desire to bridge the gap between policy and implementation at a systemic level. Under her leadership, Madhi continues to work toward creating a future where India’s public schools become schools of choice for all families!
