Secunderabad’s Sherwood Public School founder YK Gurwara passes away at 78

Hyderabad: Yogendra Kumar Gurwara, founder of Sherwood Public School in Secunderabad, passed away on August 27, at the age of 78. His passing marks the end of a remarkable chapter in Hyderabad’s educational landscape.

Born in Jhansi a year before India’s independence, Gurwara devoted more than five decades to education. After serving at institutions such as St. Paul’s School in Darjeeling, Daly College in Indore, and Sherwood College in Nainital, he went on to establish Sherwood Public School in 1984 with his wife, Jyoti Gurwara.

Building Sherwood

Sherwood was more than just a school; it was a vision turned into reality. Gurwara sought to create an environment where learning went beyond textbooks.

“Our focus is equally upon nurturing the emotional, intellectual, and physical fortitude of the students,” he had said.

The school’s campus reflected this philosophy with al fresco mathematics and science parks, interactive installations, and sports facilities that ensured children grew in all dimensions. Teachers, too, found in him an ally who understood their struggles—he worked to improve their financial and professional well-being at a time when few thought about it.

A teacher beyond the classroom

Gurwara was not just a mathematician but a man of many pursuits, an avid badminton player and a keen musician. This energy carried into his teaching, making even difficult subjects accessible. Students recall that mathematics with him never felt intimidating.

Memories from alumni

Generations of students carry personal stories of his influence.

Tejaswini Pagadala, author and business leader from the 2005 batch, said, “For us, Sherwood means Gurwara sir. Everything was creatively based—assignments, projects, and activities. Game periods were always a compulsion because he believed sports shaped our mindset. He was a very lively man. His whole life was dedicated to Sherwood. He created a culture of zero tolerance for discrimination. He taught us maths and made it fun—it never felt like something difficult.”

Another alumnus, Ravi Shankar (Class of 1998), remembered, “He always told us, ‘Don’t just solve the problem, understand why it exists.’ That line stayed with me through engineering and even in my corporate life.”

Priya Nair (Class of 2010) added, “I was shy and quiet, and he would always remind me that talent is not about who speaks the loudest but who works with honesty. That encouragement pushed me into debating, something I never thought I could do.”

For many, his ability to see beyond marks and recognise potential was transformative.

A family’s commitment to education

His wife Jyoti Gurwara, who shared his vision from the very beginning, continues to be deeply involved in education. Their son, Anuj Gurwara, carries forward the ethos of inclusivity.

Together, the family expanded their initiatives with Akshar, a pre-primary curriculum, and Heritage Valley, The Indian School at Shadnagar, impacting more than 1,500 students.

A lasting legacy

Sherwood Public School completed 40 years in 2024.

For its alumni, the institution is inseparable from the figure who dedicated his life to it. His philosophy, education through creativity, inclusivity, and balance, remains at the school’s core.

In his passing, Hyderabad loses an educator who was more than a founder or a principal. Yogendra Kumar Gurwara was a teacher in the truest sense, someone who saw learning not as an end but as a way of life. His legacy will live on in the thousands of students whose lives he touched, and in the institutions he built with vision and care.