Montessori
Hands-on materials let children discover shapes, letters and numbers by touching and doing.
Our story
It began in Kolhapur, in 1946
Shrimant Maisaheb Bavdekar was widowed young. Instead of a quiet life of privilege, she chose to study — and trained in the Montessori method under Dr Maria Montessori herself.
In 1946 she opened a Montessori Balmandir in Kolhapur — the first pre-primary school in South Maharashtra. Dr Montessori later visited her school and called her the “Little Montessori of India”. Her school grew into a primary school and a high school, and her way of teaching — children learning by doing, with their hands and senses — is still the heart of Tulips today.
- 151915
Born in Pune
4 December 1915, into the Sardar Raste family.
- 351935
Marriage
Married Shrimant Parshuramrao (Bhausaheb) Bavdekar of Gaganbawda.
- 421942
A new path
After losing her husband, she decided to study and trained under Dr Maria Montessori, in Ahmedabad and in Italy.
- 461946
Montessori Balmandir, Kolhapur
The first pre-primary school in South Maharashtra.
- 501950
“Little Montessori of India”
Dr Maria Montessori visits her school and gives her this name.
- 621962 – 1987
Primary school, trust and high school
Primary school in 1962; the Shri Pant Amatya Bal Vikas Vishwastha Nidhi trust in 1975; a high school in 1987, now Shrimant Maisaheb Bavdekar Vidyalaya.
- 042004
Her legacy continues
She passed away in 2004; her trustees carried her work forward, including English-medium pre-primary education under the name Tulips.
- 132013
Tulips comes to Ichalkaranji
Tulips Pre Primary School, Ichalkaranji opens in 2013. Sangli Road branch opens in 2025. · Marathi medium adds मोठा गट in 2026.
Her values
“बाल देवो भव” — the child is God
- She gave up a life of wealth to devote herself to children.
- She declined government grants to keep the freedom to teach the Montessori way.
- She used her award money to honour widowed women and people who serve children.
- She saved the children’s playground from being sold, with money from her own family.
Sources: the school’s own history; Dr Sunilkumar Lawate, “Kolhapurche Swatantryottar Samajsevak” (Akshar Dalan, 2018).
Tulips today
Mrs. Nitudevi Pandit Bavdekar and Mrs. Preeti Katti
Tulips Pre Primary School, Ichalkaranji is the brainchild of Mrs. Nitudevi Pandit Bavdekar and Mrs. Preeti Katti.
To be added: a short message (3–4 lines) from each of them.
Our mission
Fostering early learning, curiosity and social skills, laying strong foundations for future academic success.
Our vision
Empowering young learners through joyful education, fostering curiosity and nurturing lifelong skills.
How children learn
Six ways we teach
Phonics
Children learn the sounds of letters, then blend them into words.
Play-way method
Hopscotch, number mats and games make counting and colours fun.
Project and concept method
Small projects help children understand one idea deeply.
Audio-visual learning
Smart screens bring stories, rhymes and the world into the classroom.
Child-centric teaching
Every child moves at their own pace, with a teacher for every 20 children.
Our campus
Spaces made for little learners
All our branches are built around how young children learn: by moving, touching, playing and exploring.
Bright, spacious classrooms
Child-sized tables and chairs, charts at eye level and smart screens.
Montessori corner
Shelves of hands-on materials children choose and put back themselves.
Sandpit
Digging, pouring and building — great for little hands and imagination.
Learning floor mats
Alphabet snakes, number hopscotch and mazes painted on the ground.
Play area
Slides, climbers and a crawl-through caterpillar under a shaded roof.
Audio-visual learning
Screens in class for rhymes, stories and short learning videos.
Safety and hygiene
- CCTV in the classrooms
- A 20:1 student-teacher ratio, so every child is watched over
- Children go home only with adults named by the parents — anyone else is verified with you first
- Every teacher submits a police verification certificate before joining
- First-aid kit at school and teachers trained in first aid; a hospital near every branch
- Clean, child-friendly washrooms; toys cleaned every week
- Fire safety as per local body norms
Celebrations and stage time
Festivals, dress-up days and celebrations give every child a chance to perform and feel proud, with parents joining in.
Birthdays: every child’s birthday is celebrated on the day, at prayer time, with the whole school singing “Happy Birthday”. The birthday child wears a special badge all day and comes in a colour dress.
Our teachers
Experienced, trained early-years teachers
Our teachers know every child by name, and keep parents involved through meetings, workshops and celebrations. Every teacher is police-verified before joining and takes part in continuous training throughout the year.
To be added: each teacher's photo, name, qualification and years at Tulips.
Come and see Tulips for yourself
Walk through our classrooms, meet our teachers and see your child play. A visit takes about 30 minutes.