Himachal Pradesh Honors Educators with State Awards on Teachers' Day

Himachal Pradesh marked Teachers' Day with a substantial state-level event hosted at Peterhof, Shimla, where 38 educators were celebrated with prestigious State Awards for their exemplary contributions to education. Notably, this year marked the inaugural recognition of technical education teachers, reflecting their significant contribution to preparing skilled professionals for the modern workforce.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla graced the occasion as the chief guest, while Education Minister Rohit Thakur presided, stepping in for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who was conducting an aerial survey of disaster-hit areas in Kullu. Special guest Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani joined the dignitaries. Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar welcomed attendees, stating that the state manages 17,330 schools with about 14.25 lakh students and employs 1.02 lakh teachers. He noted the absence of applicants in certain award categories, leading to no selections.

Governor Shukla congratulated the awardees, lauding teachers as 'the true architects of society.' He emphasized the cultural reverence for teachers and highlighted the role of educators in shaping a robust society. Commending the National Education Policy 2020, Shukla expressed pride in Himachal's fifth national rank in education. Amid ongoing disaster recovery efforts, Shukla declined any ceremonial honor to focus on uplifting teachers' spirits, urging them to steer students away from substance abuse in line with governmental anti-drug initiatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)