Founder and CEO, The Circle, Co-founder and Advisor, Teach For India, Author of Grey Sunshine

Sandeep Rai started his career as a Teach For America corps member, teaching seventh and eighth-grade science in Washington, D.C. In addition to championing multiple school-wide reforms, he led his students to dramatic gains across literacy, mathematics, and science. That experience, in a low-income government school in the inner city, cemented his resolve to eliminate educational inequity. In 2008, Sandeep moved across the world to help launch Teach For India, a nationwide movement that spans operations across eight regions. The organization houses 1000 Fellows who impact 32,000 children; over the years, it has graduated more than 4500 Alumni who are now reaching 33 million children across India. In the thirteen years since inception, Sandeep has played numerous leadership roles at Teach For India, including serving as the Chief Program Officer and the Chief of City Operations.  

Since his time in India, Sandeep has published multiple articles and works, including Grey Sunshine, a recently released book on the truth and hope of India’s educational system. He sits on the advisory boards of Saturday Art Class and The Apprentice Project; he’s also on the governing board of iTeach, a school chain located in Pune.

Sandeep is currently pivoting to a senior advisory capacity at Teach For India so that he can found and lead The Circle.