Dr Leena Francis
Principal
Indian School Muladha
Sultanate of Oman
The Indian expatriate community has rendered yeoman service to the cause of education in the Sultanate of Oman. Among its distinguished contributors is Dr Leena Francis, who has been serving as the Principal of Indian School Muladha since 2024. Since beginning her teaching career in Muscat in 1993, she has remained a beacon of inspiration and knowledge, shaping the lives of thousands of young students and moulding hundreds of generation builders.
A Journey Rooted in Thrissur
Dr Leena hails from Kuriachira in Thrissur. She was born to N. P. Lazar, an ex-serviceman, and K. J. Agnes, a retired principal of Government Boys High School, Kodakara. She credits her father for instilling in her courage, discipline, and an appreciation for the value of hard-earned money, as well as the importance of commitment to zero – waste sustainability.
A 10th rank holder in the Class X board examination, Leena completed her Pre-Degree at Sacred Heart College, Chalakudy, and earned her degree in Physics from Vimala College, Thrissur. She later pursued a degree in Teaching, followed by an MBA and a doctorate in Educational Administration. Her consistent academic excellence laid a strong foundation for her professional success.
A Flourishing Career in Oman
In 1993, Dr Leena moved to Oman with a determination to build a meaningful career in education. She began her journey at KSBSS (Kerala State Board Syllabus Stream) under the roof of Indian School Muscat, later changed to Indian School Darsait, where she initially taught at foundational level and later handled Mathematics and Science in the senior section. She was awarded as the best teacher in 2000 & 2005 at ISD. Remarkably, she received the award for excellence in teaching organised by the board in the very first year ,2010.
Her dedication and leadership skills saw her rise steadily—she became Head of the Science Department in 2009 and was promoted to Vice Principal two years later.
In 2017, she joined Indian School Al Seeb as Principal. During her tenure, she introduced systematic procedures to streamline operations and enhance academic standards. She actively involved staff in institutional development, initiated regular Academic Strategic Planning meetings and promoted sports and co-curricular activities. Various inter school programmes like Avenir (Be future ready-A career guidance programme) in 2019, celebrating Educel—20 years of achievement—in 2021-22, Indian School Talent Fest in 2022, Indian School Film Fest 2024 were organised under her leadership.
Under her stewardship, the school witnessed significant progress in both academics and extracurricular activities, earning recognition as one of the top-performing Indian schools in the GCC region. A true highlight was the mega project KION (knowledge collage of India and Oman), which saw the enthusiastic participation of over 2000 students and earned a place in the India Book of Records—indeed, a proud moment for the entire ISAS community.
Committed to lifelong learning and holistic education, Dr Leena encouraged teachers to serve as role models while prioritizing student welfare. Her guiding philosophy—“Do small things perfectly, and bigger things will follow automatically”—has been central to her success.
In 2024, she assumed charge as Principal of Indian School Muladha, where she continued her journey of excellence by producing commendable performance in SIF, STAI, Runner up in the Preparatory level for ISTF and initiated events like -Mother’s Day celebration, Foundational Fest and sports. As the Oman Chapter Convenor, organised training sessions for more than 900 teachers across Oman and the Gulf Council Conference for the principals of gulf countries in Jan 2025.
Family and Personal Interests
Dr Leena, popularly named as LLL – Life Long Learner, has a deep passion for reading and admires the works of renowned Malayalam writers such as S. K. Pottekad and Vilasini. Trained in Bharatanatyam during her childhood, she also excelled in dance and oratory during her school years.
She is a member of the World Women’s Wing, Toastmasters International and is married to V. A. Francis, a former IT Manager at Saud Bahwan, Muscat. Their son, the late Dr Iwin Francis, was a multi-talented individual who excelled professionally as well as in music and sports. An accomplished guitarist and keyboard player, he was also highly tech-savvy.
Their daughter, Ar. Evelyn Francis, a licensed Architect, completed her studies from TKM, Kerala, MSc in Construction management from Deakin university and pursued her career at Melbourne, Australia.
Contact Information
Dr Leena Francis
Sultanate of Oman
Phone: +968 92814166
