TAMPA / Dharamshala (TIP): Rohini Rustogi, a resident of Kangra town, has been awarded the ‘Business Woman of the Year’ award for Tampa Bay by the INDO Chamber of Commerce for the year 2024.

Rohini is CEO-cum-founder of The Brandon Montessori (BMS), Riverview Montessori (RMS), SouthShore Montessori (SMS) and Edward James Samuel (EJS) Montessori schools in the US.

Talking to The Tribune, Rohini said, “With my roots deeply anchored in the serene landscapes of Kangra, my ancestral home, my educational journey largely unfolded in the picturesque town of Nainital as my parents were teaching in boarding schools there. Our winter holidays, however, were always spent in Kangra, where our sprawling ancestral home became a place of warmth, tradition, and cherished memories.”

In 1990, Rohini’s life took on a new trajectory after she moved to Tampa, Florida, following her marriage. By the time she had received the green card, her daughter was two years old. She opted to work as a teacher’s assistant at a Montessori school, securing free education for her daughter. Over the years, she honed her skills and gained experience to become proficient in Montessori affairs.

As per Rohini, the education she had received in India instilled a deep respect for knowledge and learning in her and also gave her the confidence to create something extraordinary.

With the unwavering support of her husband and the encouragement from her parents, Rohini opened her first Montessori school in 2001. She opened three more schools in 2005, 2012 and 2021.

In 2008, Rohini was honored with the ‘Minority Woman Business of the Year’ award by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. The recognition proved to be a significant milestone in her journey, validating her hard work and dedication. Rohini is emotionally connected to Kangra where the rest of her family lives.

A true philanthropist in thought and action, she has been helping the needy back home.