Every year on Teacher’s Day, the Ministry of Education honours educators with National Awards to Teachers for their contribution and impact on students’ lives. This year, a list of 50 teachers was announced by the ministry, and among them, two teachers from Karnataka shared their love and passion for imparting knowledge: Narayan Parameshwar Bhagwat and Sapna Shrishail Anigol.
Narayan Parameshwar Bhagwat is a 55-year-old teacher at Shri Marikamba Government PUC High School, Sirsi, in Uttara Kannada, which has 1529 students and is reported to be the school with the most students in Karnataka. Speaking to the Indian Express, he said that the driving force behind his passion for “infotaining” in Kannada and theatre is his love for them and his profession. He said, “I love my students as much as my children”.
Reportedly, Narayan Bhagwat is a theatre performer who has specialised in children’s theatre. He has won Prathibha Karanji four times, a programme that includes cultural and literary competitions at the cluster, block, district, and state levels. Additionally, he was also named best director by the Ministry of Science and Technology last year for his work on the science drama ‘Story of Vaccine,’ which chronicles the route of vaccine discovery from Edward Jenner to Indian saints. The publication mentioned that this piece of art featured individuals from his high school.
Narayan Bhagwat’s love for theatre knows no bounds. According to the report, he holds a Sunday theatre class for his students and trains them in acting. His plays cover a wide range of topics, from science to literature to social science. For him, learning goes beyond the syllabus and books. When the country was dealing with the pandemic lockdown, this teacher made sure to innovate the learning experience for his students. He told the portal, “I wanted to make learning fun and dramatic during the lockdown. I collated voice notes sent by all Kannada teachers across the state and weaved it into different episodes of online drama. These included some of the lessons in Kannada language expressed in dramatic and artistic form. About 10 episodes were uploaded on YouTube for students to watch and learn.”
He encourages his students to write reports on their friends who have achieved something, with the aim of increasing their vocabulary. He said, ” I want my students to be able to make independent decisions, form opinions, and speak in public spaces through such activities.”
Another educator from Karnataka who is making an impact is 47-year-old Sapna Shrishail Anigol. She is a science teacher at KLE Society’s SCP Jr College High School in Bagalkot, North Karnataka and aims to make scientific learning interesting and engaging in innovative ways.
Speaking to The Indian Express, she said, “I don’t teach students science. Instead, I help them experience.” Sapna added, “I believe that teaching students in simplified yet practical ways will allow them to comprehend the concept much better.”
Sapna is a firm supporter of reusable and recyclable products and guides her students towards sustainability. Reportedly, Sapna Anigol holds a competition in which students are asked to collect plastic debris outside the school. The student who collects the most wins a prize. “The idea is not to give them a cash prize or an award. It is to help them realise the amount of waste surrounding them. It is to drive home a message of keeping the surroundings clean. Sometimes students have come up to me with plastic weighing 25-30kg,” says the teacher.
Not only students, but Sapna also inspires their parents towards a more eco-friendly way of living. She asks them to make cotton bags, voices her opposition to the use of plastic bottles, and more. Reportedly, she was also elected as a Swaccha Sarvekshana brand ambassador for her village this year in January for her efforts towards sustainable living.
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