HP Governor Kavinder Gupta honours 33 teachers on Teachers’ Day in Shimla

The Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Kavinder Gupta, on Saturday conferred State Awards on 32 teachers and honoured one teacher with the National Award for 2025 at a State-level Teachers’ Day function held at Lok Bhavan, Shimla.

Governor highlights role of teachers in nation-building

Congratulating the award-winning teachers, the Governor said teachers, parents and students all have an important role to play in strengthening the education system. “Teachers should be sensitive towards their responsibility of imparting education and values, as only then can the process of teaching and learning become truly effective,” he said.

Paying tributes to former President, eminent educationist and philosopher Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary, Gupta said teachers play a vital role in shaping not only the future of students but also that of the nation.

He said a teacher does much more than impart textbook knowledge. “A teacher builds values, character and confidence and gives direction to the lives of students. The future of any nation takes shape in its classrooms, and teachers are the ones who shape it,” the Governor said.

NEP 2020 and technology’s role in education

Highlighting the importance of quality education in nation-building, Gupta said active and meaningful participation of youth would be essential for realising the vision of Viksit Bharat-2047. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accorded high priority to quality, inclusive and value-based education as the foundation for a strong and developed India.

Referring to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Governor said education was no longer confined to examinations and degrees but was increasingly focused on knowledge, skills, creativity, innovation, research and character building. He said initiatives such as PM SHRI Schools, NIPUN Bharat, Samagra Shiksha, Digital Education and Atal Tinkering Labs were providing students with opportunities to develop scientific temper and 21st-century skills.

Gupta said that in an era of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Digital Technology, the role of teachers had become even more important. “While technology can facilitate the teaching-learning process, the inspiration, guidance, affection and values provided by a teacher can never be replaced by technology,” he said.

Appreciating Himachal Pradesh’s achievements in education, the Governor said the State had performed exceptionally well in the PARAKH National Survey. He particularly congratulated teachers and the education system for securing the second position nationally in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN). He said the effective implementation of programmes such as Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, NIPUN Bharat and PM SHRI was helping promote national unity, creativity, scientific thinking and essential 21st-century skills among students.

The Governor expressed confidence that continued efforts by the government and dedication of teachers would further strengthen Himachal Pradesh as one of the leading States in quality, inclusive, innovative and future-ready education.

He said the dedication, hard work and commitment of the award-winning teachers were a matter of pride for the entire State. The greatest reward for a teacher, he added, was when students remembered them throughout their lives and went on to make meaningful contributions to their families, society and the nation. Gupta extended his best wishes to all teachers and expressed hope that they would continue to illuminate the lives of future generations with the light of knowledge and values. The Governor also released a souvenir brought out on the occasion.

State govt committed to quality education: Rohit Thakur

Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur, during the event, welcomed the Governor and said the State Government was committed to strengthening the education sector, with special emphasis on quality education.

Paying tribute to Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Thakur said his life and contribution remained an inspiration for strengthening education. He said Himachal Pradesh had made remarkable progress in education and that the State’s literacy rate had reached 100 per cent.

Thakur said more than 9,000 appointments had been made in the Education Department by the present government. English was being introduced from Class I while local languages were also being promoted, he added. The Minister said rationalisation had been undertaken in the department to address staff shortages. He also highlighted exposure initiatives under which students were being taken on educational tours within the country and teachers were being sent on foreign exposure visits.

Minister addresses teacher concerns and CBSE affiliation

Speaking to reporters, Thakur said Teachers’ Day was dedicated to the teaching fraternity and congratulated those who had rendered outstanding services in the department. “Today, September 5, Teachers’ Day is dedicated and devoted to our teaching fraternity, our teachers. Today, those who have rendered outstanding services in our department have been honoured. I extend my best wishes and congratulations to them. I firmly believe that this will boost their enthusiasm and, at the same time, inspire those teachers who could not receive an award this time. On this Teachers’ Day, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire teaching fraternity,” he said.

On issues raised by the Primary Teachers’ Association, Thakur said the government was aware of the matters and had already clarified several concerns. “Certainly, all the matters are in our knowledge. We have already clarified several issues. There was a misconception, for example, that your posts would be abolished or your avenues for promotion would be closed. We have already given clarification on that. Certainly, whatever positive suggestions there are, through which our education system can be improved, will definitely be welcomed,” he said.

Asked whether representatives of the teachers would be called for talks, Thakur said, “This matter is also being looked into by the Chief Minister himself and, certainly, they will be called for talks.”

On the decision to affiliate around 147 government schools with the CBSE, Thakur said the move was aimed at improving the quality of education and stemming the migration of students from government to private schools. “You know that quality education is a priority of the present government. With that thinking, we have affiliated around 147 schools with the CBSE board. It is still the initial stage and this is a transitional period,” he said.

“Certainly, the thinking behind this step is that although the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE) is also counted among the best boards in the entire country, there should also be competition. The migration that is taking place from government schools to private schools should also, somewhere, be checked. With that thinking, the present government has taken this decision and we are hopeful that positive results will emerge,” Thakur said.

Asked about Governor Gupta’s remarks on weakening moral values, Thakur said, “The Governor has put forward his views on that, and I certainly second this point personally.”

Minister Dharmani praises award-winning teachers

Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had taken several concrete steps to improve the standard of education in the State. Congratulating the award-winning teachers, Dharmani said they had discharged their duties with dedication and commitment and had often gone beyond their prescribed responsibilities to bring positive changes in the lives of children.

He suggested that the success stories of such teachers should be documented and shared with other teachers so that they could serve as a source of inspiration. He said teachers had a crucial responsibility in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat and stressed that the next goal should be to develop institutions of excellence.

Earlier, Education Minister Rohit Thakur felicitated the Governor on the occasion. Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar welcomed the Governor, while Director, School Education, Ashish Kohli proposed the vote of thanks. A cultural programme was presented by students of GSSS Portmore and RKMV. Shimla Municipal Corporation Mayor Surender Chauhan, Principal Secretary, Technical Education, Abhishek Jain, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, Secretary to the Governor Sandeep Bhardwaj, Director, Higher Education Suneeta Singh and other prominent people were also present.

Governor reflects on awards and teacher motivation

Speaking to the media after the event, the Governor said teachers across the State and the country who had rendered outstanding services and fulfilled their responsibilities with dedication deserved congratulations. “Those who have done excellent work and made outstanding contributions in their respective fields, and who have fulfilled their responsibilities during their tenure, have been honoured by the State Government and at the national level. They deserve congratulations. I feel that the sacrifices and dedication they have made towards their students and others will become a source of inspiration,” he said.

He added that other teachers should also be encouraged to strive for such recognition in the future. “I want all of us to work together through the New Education Policy and pay special attention to innovation and skill development among students. This is a very important medium for doing so,” he said.

The Governor said the competitive spirit among teachers should remain intact. “Competition should certainly remain. It is because of this competitive spirit that not everyone can be awarded, although that does not mean that everyone has not done good work. Only some people can be honoured,” he said.

“I would like to tell the entire teaching fraternity that you build individuals, you build students and you build the future. It is important that if the government makes efforts wholeheartedly in this direction, it will strengthen the inspiration among teachers and encourage them to make similar efforts,” Gupta said.

He also praised the Education Department and officials involved in the selection process. “The State Government has also made efforts. As we have seen today, I think the teachers who have received these awards deserve our heartfelt congratulations. I also extend my congratulations to our Director, who is present here. The special efforts made by teachers in their schools have made all this possible,” he said.

Asked about the selection process, the Governor said, “As the State Government has informed us, the selection was carried out through three stages. Those involved in the selection process have performed their role very well.”

Award-winning teachers share their success stories

Chaman: Transforming a primary school

An award-winning primary teacher Chaman from Government Primary School Kandhla, Education Block Nankhari, Shimla district, said he had succeeded in increasing student strength substantially after joining the school. “My name is Chaman. I am working at Government Primary School Kandhla, Education Block Nankhari, Shimla district. When I joined four years ago, the strength was around 10 to 12 students. Today, the strength has increased to 63. This is my biggest achievement because the strength in government schools has continuously been declining day by day,” said Chaman, an awardee teacher.

“I feel fortunate that the villagers and parents supported me and placed their trust in me. They brought their children from private public schools and enrolled them in my school, and today the strength is 63,” he added.

The teacher said he introduced several changes, beginning with the morning assembly, to increase children’s confidence and demonstrate that government schools could provide education comparable to private schools. “First of all, I brought changes to the school. I started with the children’s morning assembly. The children from the village also started coming to school. I began with the morning assembly, where we included all kinds of activities, from news to general knowledge. I encouraged small children to speak confidently, and the villagers felt that a government school was not inferior to a public school,” he said.

“With the cooperation of the parents, I then introduced a smart uniform. All activities are TLM-based and use the play-way method. Whether it is a small child or an LKG child-children as young as two-and-a-half years come to school; they are unfamiliar with everything. Changing their lives, teaching them and instilling discipline is a very difficult task. But I made an effort, and my effort succeeded,” he said.

Asked about his plans ahead, he said, “Going forward, my next goal is that receiving this award is not the end. I want to motivate the village and everyone there so that I can provide the best possible education to the children.”

Roshan Lal Bharati: Mentoring sports champions

Another awardee teacher, Roshan Lal Bharati, a DPE at Government Senior Secondary School Dagshai, said he received the State Award for his contribution to sports. “My name is Roshan Lal Sharma. I am working as a DPE at GHSS Dagshai. I have received this award for my outstanding contribution to sports,” he said.

“My main objective is to guide children and mentor them for national-level competitions. Because of this, 22 children who are medal winners—gold, silver and bronze medallists—are currently serving in various government departments through the sports quota,” he said.

“Another 15 children whose sports quota records have been registered with the Directorate have become eligible for jobs after completing different types of education. That is why I feel I have received this State-level Teacher Award today. For me, it is a very happy occasion, a golden and unforgettable moment,” he added.

Purnima Kumari: Integrating environment with science

Purnima Kumari, a teacher at Government Senior Secondary School Jalari in Hamirpur district, said she was proud to be honoured at the Governor’s House on Teachers’ Day. “ I am working at Government Senior Secondary School Jalari, Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh. Today, I am proud and happy to say that I have been honoured here on such a big platform,” she said.

“I have received many honours in the field of education and for the upliftment of society and children, but today is the biggest honour for a teacher, when our State Government and Education Department honour us on this day,” she said.

Kumari said her main field was science teaching, but she had worked to integrate environmental education with science to strengthen children’s learning abilities. “My main work and field is teaching science, but I have worked on how environmental education can be integrated with science to enhance children’s learning and their ability to learn. I have been honoured here today, September 5, at the Governor’s House for this work,” she said.

“I want more teachers like me to come forward and increase children’s interest in science, creative teaching and innovation. Many of my students have achieved success at the national level in Science Fairs, survey reports and the INSPIRE Awards. Today, they are preparing for engineering and allied fields and have also achieved success,” she added.

She said problem-solving was at the core of her teaching approach. “Our main work is problem-solving. If children see a problem in their surrounding environment, I make them aware and encourage them to work on it. The result is that I am preparing children who directly take up environmental or other social problems, work on them and continue with lifelong learning,” she said.

Asked about concerns surrounding government education and the migration of students towards convent and private schools, Kumari said government schools could provide opportunities for children to succeed if parents placed their trust in them. “Actually, I want to give my own example. I come from a very small village where even a road does not reach. My father was a teacher, and it is a very small village. Even today there are no proper bus services or connectivity there,” she said.

“If I can receive good opportunities at the national and State levels while studying and working in government education, then there is nothing to suggest that it cannot happen. We too studied in government schools, and many IAS and HAS officers have also come from government schools,” she said.

“There only needs to be trust on the part of a child and the family in our government schools and our teachers,” Kumari added.

The Teachers’ Day function highlighted the contribution of educators to academic excellence, character-building, innovation, sports and social development, with the award-winning teachers being presented as examples of how dedicated efforts can transform government schools and the lives of students. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)