Chancellor, CMR University President, CMR Jnanadhara Trust President, Board of Governors, Ekya Schools
Dr. Sabitha Ramamurthy is a pioneering educationist, entrepreneur, and institution builder who currently serves as the Chancellor of CMR University and President of the CMR Group of Institutions. With a career spanning over three decades, she is recognised as one of the few women founders in Indian higher education and a leading voice in purpose-driven, values-based learning.
Her journey began in 1991 with a small school launched in a guava orchard behind her home, an initiative rooted in compassion, vision, and a deep understanding of what education could offer to future generations. What started with six children has since evolved into a vibrant network of over 20 institutions, educating more than 20,000 students from over 60 countries, offering academic programmes from Montessori to PhD across diverse disciplines including architecture, design, engineering, technology, management, law, liberal arts, psychology, and commerce.
Guided by the values of trust, empathy, and community, Dr. Ramamurthy co-founded the CMR Jnanadhara Trust in memory of her father-in-law, the late Shri Chikka Muniyappa Reddy. Her leadership is defined by quiet resilience, clarity of purpose, and the courage to challenge convention. As the spouse of a senior bureaucrat and mother of two young children, she made the bold decision to pursue entrepreneurship in a time when few women led institutions of such scale. While nurturing a growing educational enterprise, she also pursued and completed her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in Education, embodying lifelong learning in practice.
Dr. Ramamurthy’s entrepreneurial spirit is matched by her deep academic grounding and ability to translate vision into action. Her leadership has resulted in several landmark institutions under the CMR banner, including the founding of CMR National Public School (1991), CMR Institute of Technology (2000), and CMR University (2013) where she continues to shape the institution’s mission as its Chancellor. She is also the Founding President of Ekya Schools, a progressive K–12 school network launched in 2010, and serves on the board of National Public School, Singapore.
Throughout her career, she has challenged gender norms, navigated a complex education ecosystem, and built a legacy rooted in integrity, academic excellence, and social responsibility. Her leadership has consistently promoted a culture of trust, quality, and opportunity, ensuring that every learner at CMR institutions is equipped with the skills, curiosity, and confidence to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Her contributions to education and society have been widely recognised through honours such as the Mother Teresa Excellence Award, Rashtriya Rattan Award, Jewel of India Award, Bhartiya Nirman Ratna Award, Indira Gandhi Sadbhavna Award, Great Daughter of Karnataka Award, The Doyens Award by The Hindu Group, and the Nari Narayani Award by Public TV.
Dr. Ramamurthy continues to inspire students, educators, and entrepreneurs alike, not only as a transformational leader, but as a woman of substance, vision, and unwavering purpose.
