Sandeep Rai discusses a transformative journey from a childhood aspiration of being a doctor to the decision to become a teacher. he digs into the issues confronting India's education system, highlighting the need for reform to address dropout rates and outmoded curricula. Sandeep tells the moving story of Mehek, a girl from a Mumbai slum, which highlights the harsh circumstances that many youngsters suffer. The address finishes with a call to action, calling the TED community to get involved, spend time with youngsters, and demand critical improvements in the education system to improve the country's future. Sandeep Rai is the Founder and CEO of The Circle, as well as the former TFI Chief of City Operations. Sandeep helped found Teach For India in 2008 after working as a Teach For America Corps Member in Washington, DC. Sandeep has been a key creator of Teach For India's organizational strategy and flagship fellowship programme for the past twelve years. After holding more than a half-dozen positions, he began directing both strategy and operations across the organization's eight regions in 2017. Sandeep has always believed in schools' transformative capacity to provide opportunity and promise to youngsters from marginalized situations. The Circle was founded on this concept, as well as the belief that schools must be completely reformed. He serves on the boards of Teach For India, Saturday Art Class, and iTeach Schools. Sandeep wrote a book called "Grey Sunshine, Stories from Teach For India" on his experiences. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx