Meet the Magical Trainers
A transformative journey that blends deep understanding, hands-on practice, and a heart-centered approach to teaching.
Neelima Mhaskar
AMI (3-6) Director of Training
Neelima Mhaskar is an AMI Trainer at the Primary Level. She completed her AMI Montessori Diploma in 1989 under Ms Zarin Malva at Mumbai. She went on to work closely with children in Montessori schools in Mumbai and Pune. She has a vast experience of over 19 years of working with Children.
She joined the AMI Training of Trainers Programme and became a certified Trainer in 2016. Additionally, she has done Certificate Courses at 0 – 3 and 6 – 12 Levels. She has served on the Training Team in India at the RTI Montessori Course – Mumbai: and Navadisha Montessori Foundation team at Thrissur, Kerala.; Overseas at Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Chongqing in China.
She has successfully conducted more than 25 AMI Certificate Courses at different centers in India, China, Taiwan and Vietnam; and has served in the capacity of National Examiner and AMI Examiner at the AMI Primary Exams. She is currently a faculty at the AMI Primary Training Course at Beijing Kidtopia Montessori Institute, China and is the Director of Training at the AMI Montessori Chinese Taipei Center and Vivek High Montessori Institute at Chandigarh, India. She loves to travel, is an ardent nature lover; likes to watch and eager to acquire knowledge about birds and butterflies.
Dipa Sreekumar
AMI (3-6) Co-Director of Training
Dipa Sreekumar is an AMI Associate Trainer age level 3-6. She is an Economics graduate from the Delhi University, and holds an AMI Children’s House Diploma, from the Indian Montessori Training Course, Bengaluru in 1991. After working for two years in Chennai, she took a break for 13 years.
In 2005, Dipa started working as a Montessori Educator at Pebble Creek Montessori House of Children, Hyderabad. Within a short period of time, she took up the responsibility of running the school. She has worked closely with parents and teachers in her career as head of the organization.
Dipa joined the Training of Trainers Asian Seminar at Hyderabad. As part of her training programme, she has spent two years at the Navadisha Montessori Foundation, Chennai under the guidance of AMI Trainer Ms. Rukmini Ramachandran. She joined the Montessori Training and Research Trust, Hyderabad in the year 2019 and is currently part of the Primary Diploma Course Training Team. Dipa has offered AMI Orientation Certificate Courses and has been an examiner for Chennai, Bangalore, China and Vietnam courses.
Prabha Kartik
AMI (6-12) Director of Training
Prabha Narayanan is an AMI Elementary Trainer based in Chennai, India. She is currently the Director of Training at Vivek High Montessori Institute, Chandigarh, and is part of the pedagogical team on the blended 6to12 course run by Alison Awes in Montessori Institute Bangalore. She completed the AMI 6 to 12 and 3 to 6 courses in Navadisha Montessori Foundation, India. She worked in Navadisha as part of the training team under Ann Dunne, from 2012 to 2021.
She has been a National Examiner on AMI Elementary courses, and conducted many orientation courses, both online and in-person, in India and abroad. She is a part of the training team to conduct the Montessori Core Principles courses in India. She consults with Montessori schools supporting elementary teachers in their practice and has conducted workshops for parents and teachers both in India and outside. She is especially interested in the area of supporting children’s language and emotional development during the elementary years.
She holds a Master’s degree in Econometrics from Madras University, Diploma in Special Education from V-Excel Education Trust, and Diploma in Elementary Education from the National Institute of Open Schooling, Government of India.
Prabha has been involved with a Gandhian organisation Shanti Ashram, Coimbatore, for over 15 years. Through a partnership with Shanti Ashram, Arigatou International, UNICEF and Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC), she has facilitated ethics education workshops for children, young people and parents both in rural and urban communities, within India and outside. She has also been part of an international working group as a Montessori specialist to help create and implement ethics education programmes for children under 12 years of age.
Prabha lives in Chennai with her mother, two children and their dog. rural and urban communities, within India and outside. She has also been part of an international working group as a Montessori specialist to help create and implement ethics education programmes for children under 12 years of age.
Kamini Kapur
AMI (6-12) Co-Director of Training
Kamini Kapur is an AMI Elementary Trainer who collaborates with multiple training centres in India and abroad to support adult learners. She currently serves as the Director of Training at JFA MTTC, Kolkata, and is Co-Director of the Elementary Diploma Course in VHMI Chandigarh. She is also part of the pedagogical team at the Montessori Institute of Bangalore for its elementary training programme. In addition, she actively promotes Montessori principles and practices through orientation courses, workshops, consultation and mentorship programmes for Montessori schools, offering guidance and support to teachers in their practice.
With over two decades of experience working with children, Kamini brings deep insights and commitment to adult training. Her professional contributions include serving as a National Examiner for AMI Elementary courses in both the UK and India. She has undertaken AMI training at Primary, Elementary, and Adolescent age level and holds a Master’s degree in Sociology.
Passionate about environmental stewardship, Kamini is committed to nurturing a love for nature and a sense of environmental responsibility in both children and adults. She promotes hands-on learning and sustainable living practices to foster meaningful engagement with the natural world.