Gujarat Gujarat’s Governor Dr Shrimati Kamlaji and Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi today honored 33 state-level award winning school teachers at a grand function at the Town Hall here on the eve of Teachers Day to commemorate India’s former President Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan’s birth anniversary.

The award distribution ceremony, followed by the Chief Minister’s 90-minute long question-answer session with students from various educational institutions here, was telecast through various channels and cables via satellite for 1.5-crore school students.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Kamlai asked the teachers to learn from the life of Dr Radhakrishnan, his contribution to the nation as a great teacher-scholar, even after assuming the country’s highest post of the President.

Post-Independence, she said, efforts were made for growth of education which has paid dividends too, but there is need to take the benefits to the people living in remote areas. Extra efforts have to be involve teachers create awareness and involve their participation in educating particularly those living in villages and slums, women and illiterate adults left behind.

Shri Modi said, ‘Once a teacher, always a teacher. Even Chanakya, known for his uncanny diplomacy to take on tyrants, took pride in describing himself as a teacher.’

He said the society’s greatest expectation from teachers is to build a mentally and physically strong future generation. He asked them to join the state’s latest drive for qualitative improvement of education called ‘Gunotsav’.

Shri Modi pointed out that the state has taken up several innovative schemes such as providing basic physical infrastructure in schools, recruiting teachers, insuring students from the primary school to postgraduate level, fortified midday meal, sports activity for all round development of the youth. He wished each and every school participates in the forthcoming Sports Mahakumbh, as well as in other programmes.

Education Minister Ramanlal Vora gave details of innovative schemes in education in the state. Prominent among those present on the occasion included Ministers of State for Education Jaysinhji Chauhan and Prof Vasuben Trivedi, Principal Education Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, Education (Primary) Secretary R.P. Gupta and Higher Education Commissioner Jayanti Ravi, among others.