SHIMLA-5 September, 2026-Governor Kavinder Gupta conferred state teachers awards on 32 teachers and honoured one teacher with the National Award for the year 2025 at a State-level Teachers’ Day function held at Lok Bhavan, today.

Congratulating the award-winning teachers, the Governor said that 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, the Governor said that 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, he said.

Highlighting the importance of quality education in nation-building, the Governor said that the active and meaningful participation of youth would be essential for realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat-2047. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has 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. 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 21^st century skills.

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

Appreciating Himachal Pradesh's achievements in education, the Governor said the state had performed exceptionally well in the PARAKH National Survey. He particularly congratulated the teachers and the education department for securing 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 21^st century skills among students.

The Governor expressed confidence that continued efforts by the government and the 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 was when students remembered them throughout their lives and went on to make meaningful contributions to their families, society and the nation.

The Governor 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.

Education Minister highlights government’s initiatives

On the occasion Education Minister Rohit Thakur welcomed the Governor and said that the state government was committed to strengthening the education sector, with special emphasis on quality education. Paying tribute to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, he 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 percent. He 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.

Documenting success stories of teachers can inspire others: Rajesh Dharmani

Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani said the Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had taken several concrete steps to improve the standard of education in the state.

Congratulating the award-winning teachers, he 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 realizing 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.

Mayor, Municipal Corporation Shimla Surinder Chauhan, Principal Secretary Technical Education Dr. Abhishek Jain, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal Secretary to the Governor Sandeep Bhardwaj, Director, Higher Education Suneeta Singh and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.