Blog
Committee Members 2024-2026
Committee Members 2024-2026
Jayantilal Tanna
Chairperson
Jayantbhai is a retired mathematics teacher, school improvement adviser, Ofsted inspector and teacher trainer. He taught in several high schools and worked as an education adviser for Hounslow and Slough local authorities. He was also the Headteacher of a very popular Gujarati school for several years.
Jayantbhai has been the Chairman of the Consortium of Gujarati Schools since its inception in 2015. He has focused on supporting Gujarati teachers and schools to inspire more students of Gujarati to learn their native language through excellent teaching skills and strategies.
Shobhaben Joshi
Vice Chair – Midlands
Shobha Joshi is passionate about Gujarati language. She holds BA First class honours degree with Gujarati Literature and Philosophy from the University of Bombay, India. She taught GCSE Gujarati at two mainstream schools in Leicester and worked as the author / examiner of GCSE Gujarati with the Midlands Examining Group and later, as the Chief Examiner at OCR for A Level Gujarati. She has been teaching A level Gujarati since 2001.
Shobha has been working in local government since 1992. In her role as a radio presenter, she presents the weekend Gujarati shows on Leicester’s Radio SABRAS.
Chetana Bhatt-Shah
Vice Chair – Northwest
Chetana is a retired physics teacher, school Improvement Advisor, Ofsted inspector and a teacher trainer. She has taught in high schools both in the U.K and in Kenya. Chetana started her career teaching in Newham in the early 1970s and later worked in the Northwest as an Education Advisor in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. She was the Headteacher of a Gujarati school in Ashton-U-Lyne for several years.
Chetana currently runs a successful online Gujarati school. Chetana’s passion is to preserve, promote and propagate Gujarati.
Vijyaben Bhanderi
Secretary
Vijyaben is a retired Administrative Officer. She is the Assistant Secretary of Gujarati Sahitya Academy. She has taught GCSE Gujarati in a number of Gujarati schools and is currently the Head Teacher of Maa Krupa Gujarati School in Edgware.
Vijyaben has been the Secretary of CGS since its inception in 2015 and has played a crucial role in training, organisation and administration for the CGS.
Rekhaben Patel
Treasurer
Rekhaben is a chartered certified accountant working in public practice. She has served as the Treasurer of CGS since its inception and feels that working with experienced and knowledgeable colleagues at CGS over the past years has helped enhance her knowledge and appreciation of our beautiful language!
Rekhaben works as a volunteer classroom assistant and coordinator for the Gujarati team at Shishukunj.
Sonalben R. Shah
Immediate Past Chair
Sonalben attained a B Commerce degree from Vadodara, India and a PGCE from UCL, London. She has a varied experience of teaching Business Studies, Economics, Accounting, Special Needs and Gujarati in the mainstream and the voluntary sector to a diverse age range of students. She has the experience of being a Company Secretary, a Head Teacher at a Gujarati school, an Examiner as well as an Education Lead for Oshwal Association of UK.
Sonalben has been a Committee Member for CGS since its inception and was Chair during 2022-24.
Dipaben Chhatralia
Committee Member
After completing her schooling, Dipaben studied Physics and Mathematics at Gujarat University and attained a BSc. degree. She went on to teach Physics and Mathematics to younger students before emigrating to the UK. Dipaben worked as a nursery nurse for some time before joining her husband in a family business where she helped with accounts and administration.
Dipaben has been teaching Gujarati to a variety of age groups for the last 15 years. She has taught GCSE Gujarati classes and supported some students at A Level Gujarati as well.
Hasvinaben Shah
Committee Member
Hasvinaben works for the NHS. She has been teaching Gujarati for the last 30 years at different Gujarati schools. She is currently the Head teacher at the Shishukunj Finchley centre and has been their teacher for GCSE classes.
Hasvinaben is a Gujarati GCSE examiner and has taught Gujarati at A level classes in the past.
Jatinbhai Shah
Committee Member
Jatinbhai is a dedicated professional with a master’s degree in engineering. He has built a successful career in the business and digital transformation arena. He has a passion for preserving our language and culture.
Jatinbhai is the Curriculum Assistant Head at Pandav Vidya Shala. His main responsibility is designing and developing a curriculum for Gujarati and Hindi languages.
Jatinbhai serves as a backup teacher for pre-GCSE classes to ensure continuity and progression. He is keen to promote highest the standards of educational achievement and cultural development.
Rekha Patel
Committee Member
Rekha is a retired administrative officer. She attained an M Sc degree in Botany in 1970 and completed the requirements to be conferred the Aswad Award by Gujarati Sahitya Academy.
Rekha was a Gujarati Teacher at Kingston Gujarati School for 20 years. She was the Chief Examiner for GCSE Gujarati at OCR from 1998 to 2020. She was also Principal Examiner at Pearson Edexcel for International GCSE Gujarati from 2012 to 2019. Rekha is deeply involved in the work of her local community organisation and is very proud of our Gujarati language.
Ritaben Kamdar
Committee Member
Ritaben has been teaching Gujarati for the last 17 years at Alperton Community School in Brent. She is the only teacher teaching Gujarati in the mainstream in the UK at present. She has also taught Gujarati for many years at SKSS school.
Teaching mainstream school students at KS3 and KS4 has given Ritaben a good insight into how students learn and progress across the years. Her students have been able to get very good grades at GCSE.
Ritaben has been a most valuable committee member of CGS and has recently run very successful sessions at CGS courses.
Tusharbhai Shah
Committee Member
Tusharbhai Shah is a pharmacist and has been a committee member of CGS since 2017. He has been the President of Oshwal Association of UK and is currently their Treasurer.
Tusharbhai has worked passionately for the teaching and development of Gujarati for our children and has been a vital cog in the CGS wheel of progress.
Ritaben Patel
Committee Member
Rita Patel is a versatile individual with a rich background spanning various fields. She has worked as a microbiologist, honed her culinary skills as a chef, and currently serves as a teaching assistant for children with learning difficulties at a state primary school.
As a founder and key member of Pandav Vidya Shala (PVS) school, Rita holds the position of Head of Curriculum for Languages. Additionally, she serves as an examiner for Gujarati GCSE with Pearson Examinations Board. She actively engages in charity work and strives to promote Gujarati and Hindi languages and Hindu dharma within the community.