Col. Gopal Karunakaran graduated from the National Defence Academy,Pune and joined the Indian Army in 1981.

In the 27 years in the Indian Army, he spent over 10 years in conflict zones including 10 years in Kashmir. He was deployed at a United Nations mission in 1993 to Kuwait, Iraq. He had a life changing experience as a company commander in Siachen Glacier – the highest and coldest battlefield in the world.

In 2010 Col. Gopal Karunakaran joined the Shiv Nadar Foundation as a Director of Shiv Nadar Schools and in 2014 took over the reins of Shiv Nadar Schools as the C.E.O. As the CEO, he spearheads the development of the schools and helps establish newer benchmarks in academics, co-scholastic development and pedagogy.

His passion for education as a tool for social transformation has driven him to absorb rich and diverse experiences across all facets of school education, including policy, academic leadership, operations and business, and an understanding of the key drivers of the educational sector in India.