“Growing up during the black and white television era, mode of education was quite different for us. It was quite natural for us to attain our education under a tree. Now I see students getting the best of comforts and access to education. Yet, there are many choosing distractions over education. A great deal of encouragement is required for the students to attend school and educate themselves.

I have been working as an Anganvadi teacher for 18 years now. The reason behind me choosing the path of teaching is because it gives me a sense of satisfaction. Teachers are the sculptors, who carve their students into better individuals. Teaching as an occupation always has its own share of respect, which never fades away.

My father’s encouraging words always told me to have some purpose in life. Penciling the lives of my students became my purpose. I have always been driven by the idea of helping someone with the knowledge I have acquired. I treat my students as my own and ensure to play a motherly figure role in their lives. Before diving into the profession of teaching, I was working as a nurse in a government hospital.

Covid-19 has ripped apart every profession and has been an exam from hell. Education for children has gone haywire, since the smooth functioning of schools has come to a screeching halt. My students come from a family that can afford only one smart phone and not more. Since the classes have been shifted to online portals, it has been difficult for every student to attend all their classes. As a teacher, it is going to be a tough slog for us to start our classes from the scratch.

Education is the passport to a better future. It should never be considered a burden to educate your children, particularly the daughters of the family.”