Chandigarh, September 26, 2025-Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT Chandigarh, Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria, today graced the Teacher’s Day celebrations organized by Sanyukt Shikshak Sangh as the Chief Guest. Extending warm greetings to the teaching fraternity, he paid tribute to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary is celebrated as Teacher’s Day, and said that this day is not just an occasion to honor educators but also a reminder of their pivotal role in shaping the future of the nation.

In a significant move, the Administrator announced to the Conveyed Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) Immediately for the promotion of Lecturers to Principals, and on the very same day, the official letter was issued following his directions.

He further declared the setting up of a dedicated committee to address all issues of teachers, ensuring that every grievance is taken up promptly and resolved at the earliest.

Joint Teacher Association President and his team handed over a cheque of ₹5,00,001 (Five Lakh One Rupees) in the name of the Indian Red Cross Society, Chandigarh to the Hon’ble Governor, as assistance for the flood-affected families of Punjab.

The Governor highlighted that teachers are not merely providers of knowledge but the true architects of national character. He remarked that a teacher’s greatest reward is not a title or recognition, but the success of his or her student. Emphasizing the thought “Yatha Shikshak Tatha Rashtra” (As the teacher, so the nation), he said that if teachers are empowered and inspiring, the students will be strong, and if the students are strong, the nation will definitely become great.

Quoting Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the Governor said that “a teacher has to create a lifelong autonomous learner,” stressing that the goal of education should be to prepare students who keep learning, innovating and expanding their abilities throughout their lives, and eventually become reformers of society and builders of the nation.

He lauded the organization for not only safeguarding the rights of teachers but also contributing to social causes, recalling its recent initiative of extending financial support to flood-affected families in Punjab. He noted that through its transparent and collective approach, the organization has been working with the vision of “teacher to society,” thereby prioritizing not only the welfare of teachers but also that of students and the larger community.

Reflecting on the present education system, the Governor spoke about the need to bridge the gap between rural and urban education and to ensure that every child gets equal opportunities to learn in this digital age. He stressed that the true measure of quality education is not limited to textbooks and examination scores, but lies in developing creativity, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking among students.

He called for greater focus on value-based education, reminding that education is not only about securing jobs but about building responsible, sensitive, and ethical citizens. He added that in today’s era of technological transformation, it is essential to prepare students for new fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, data science and innovation. He further emphasized that teachers themselves must be continuously trained, motivated, and respected so that they can guide the youth with renewed energy and confidence.

In conclusion, Sh. Kataria underlined that India is moving towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 where education will play the most crucial role. He said that teachers are the guiding light in this journey.