The "Magician" from Bihar: How a Harvard Graduate Is Transforming Lives Through the Power of Education

 When Satyam Mishra picked up a piece of chalk at the age of eight, he genuinely believed he was performing magic.

The “classroom” wasn’t formal—just a corner of the courtyard in his family home in Bihar, India. The floor was cement, shaded by trees, and the soundtrack included the rustle of leaves and distant birdsong. There were no whiteboards, no lesson plans, not even desks. The student was a 72-year-old woman with silver hair and calloused hands. The teacher was her young grandson.

This unassuming moment marked the beginning of Satyam’s journey in education. His path has never relied on illusions or theatrics. Instead, his magic lies in his ability to unlock human potential through the quiet power of knowledge—a force that has since reshaped lives from rural India to Harvard’s ivy-covered halls.

His first student, his grandmother, had never received a formal education. And yet, in their household, she was revered as the family’s storyteller. Every evening, under the dim glow of a lantern, she recited oral folktales passed down through generations. But when it came to reading wedding invitations or newspapers, she relied on Satyam to interpret the text. That’s when he realized education is not just about acquiring facts—it’s about preserving dignity.

He began to teach her the alphabets and sounds he was learning in school. By the end of one sweltering summer, she could read fluently. From that point on, she no longer needed anyone’s help. “She’s 99 years old now,” Satyam recalls. “And she still reads the paper on her own.”

This story might seem quaint, even poetic. But for Satyam, it became a personal awakening. In households where education is considered a luxury, he witnessed firsthand how it could also be an act of empowerment.

Today, Satyam Mishra is the 2025 recipient of the Phyllis Strimling Award from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), which honors a student who advances gender equity, demonstrates inclusive leadership, and inspires those around them. While Harvard degrees often come with prestige, it’s Satyam’s deep, humanistic approach to learning that has truly set him apart.

Before enrolling at HGSE, Satyam served as a fellow with Teach For India, a competitive national teaching corps. In a school with limited resources, he created a classroom environment where students began to genuinely enjoy mathematics—a subject that typically inspires fear more than excitement.

He still remembers the moment a janitorial worker approached him after class. She had watched the children cheer and laugh during his lessons and was curious about why they seemed to love math so much. Eventually, she confessed that she had dropped out of school after tenth grade because she had struggled with math and believed it wasn’t for her.

Satyam began working with her in the same way he once taught his grandmother—gently, patiently, and without judgment. She passed her tenth-grade exam on the first try. Two years later, she earned her twelfth-grade certificate. Today, she aspires to become an adult literacy teacher, offering second chances to women who had once believed their time had passed.

These kinds of stories are often told as sentimental anecdotes. But Satyam’s approach represents something more profound: a reframing of what education truly means in practice. In an era where discussions about graduate education and online master’s programs dominate elite conversations, his work reminds us that the roots of transformative learning often begin in overlooked corners of the world.

At HGSE, he has deepened his understanding of education theory and pedagogy. Yet his core philosophy remains grounded in lived experience. “You have to explain things in a way people can actually understand and trust,” he says. “That’s something no textbook can teach you.”

This is particularly relevant today as educational institutions grapple with rising demand for inclusive teaching practices and equitable access to learning opportunities. High-value keywords like “professional development programs,” “education leadership,” and “adult learning initiatives” are not just SEO buzzwords. They reflect real societal needs—needs that educators like Satyam are addressing on a deeply personal level.

His understanding of inclusive leadership doesn’t come from a theoretical framework. It comes from teaching someone to read while they’re chopping vegetables. It comes from waiting patiently as an adult learner builds the confidence to ask questions without shame. These aren’t just lessons in literacy—they’re lessons in human connection.

At Harvard, whether in rigorous seminars with future policy architects or during evenings volunteering in Boston’s immigrant communities, Satyam has stayed true to his belief that education is, first and foremost, about relationships. His presence is understated but magnetic. He doesn’t lecture or command attention. Instead, he quietly reminds those around him that great teaching often happens in small, consistent acts of trust.

As education evolves—with AI-assisted learning, micro-credentials, and remote instruction becoming commonplace—his journey offers a powerful counterbalance. Emotional intelligence remains the most underrated innovation in education. It's not easily quantified, nor can it be mass-produced, but it changes everything.

For families in high-income countries who are exploring the best educational pathways for their children, Satyam’s story offers a gentle challenge: Don’t just look at rankings or test scores. Look at whether a learning experience teaches students how to elevate others. Education should be measured not only by academic outcomes, but by how deeply it empowers one person to uplift another.

The future of graduate education, continuing education, and lifelong learning may well be digital and global. But the essence of teaching remains timeless: it’s about lighting a spark in someone else, even if that someone is long past the “school age.”

Satyam’s story has traveled far—from the dusty alleys of Bihar to Harvard’s Commencement stage, from adult learning forums to after-school tutoring rooms. What he teaches isn’t just reading. He teaches people to believe that it’s never too late to start learning again ✨

And maybe, one day, his students will go on to light that same spark in someone else.

They might say: it felt like magic.

And they’d be right.