The Character Teaching project in India began in 2007, when Lee Havis visited Bangalore to conduct an on-site accreditation visit with a Montessori training program in Bangalore. This IMAC accrediting team visit gave him an opportunity to learn about Montessori teaching in India, as I was able to visit and observe a number of different Montessori schools. At the GEAR Institute, during his consultation, an amazing video was captured of children acting in a spontaneous “true natural” manner to take turns in working with the Pink Tower. See video here. This was taken in one of their classrooms consisting of about 40 2-6 year old children.
During that 2007 visit, Lee also met with K.R. Dharmadhikary (Lok Sevak Sangh, New Delhi) and Indrani Roy and Smita Kalappa of Smile Foundation. Later, in Mumbai, he met with Ganesh Sharma and other members of the board of Yash Creative Education Trust Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) to discuss the CT project operation.
In 2009, Sudev Suchan, CT board member in Karnataka state (Bangalore), met with the governor of his state to explain the CT project and request his official support. The governor expressed his pleasure about the project and asked Sudev to meet with his staff to provide details. In Calcutta, West Bengal, Sakyajit Banerjee joined the CT consultation board. Sakyajit is on the staff of Daffodil Buds Montessori school in Calcutta. In Maharastra, Vishwas Bomsvah joined the board. Vishwas is director of a school in Nagpun, Maharastra.
Since 2009, IMS has affiliated a number of new recognized schools in India, especially in the southern region around Chennai, Tamil Nadu.  In October, 2023, SB Silvaraj of Hyderabad, India, renewed his prior 2017 membership on the CT/India consultation board, which led to the current active status of CT/India today.Â
SB Silvaraj offers a strong, favorable background and experience to lead the CT project forward in India. With an MA degree in Economics, he has spent many years as agent and marketing representative for various commercial businesses and international educational institutions in India.
SB’s current main employment is as agent for on-line
business courses of various UK universities, centering his work primarily in the South India region, which includes the major cities of Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
SB has also taken an interest in the field of scientific education, since he has been the chief patron of the Victory Montessori School in Hyderabad for many years. Now, he indicates that his wife will be taking over the direction of this school starting in spring, 2024.
The current renewal of the CT project in India seems to be a hopeful opportunity for its eventual progress and success.The CT project welcomes new members to join the consultation board in India or elsewhere. In India, for further information, contact: SB Silvaraj, Loyola Edu Abroad, Hyderabad. Tel. 630-208-9446. email: loyolaeducabroad@gmail.com