As a young girl growing up in Chirimiri—then a small mining town in Madhya Pradesh—Madhurima Acharya would walk 40 minutes each way to school. Next week, after more than two decades of shaping young minds, she will be walking into Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive one of the country’s highest recognitions for educators: the National Teachers’ Award 2025.
Acharya, a computer science teacher at Delhi Public School (DPS) Newtown, is among the 45 teachers selected nationwide for this honour, conferred by the Department of School Education and Literacy. From Bengal, only two teachers made it to this year’s list: Acharya and Tanusree Das of Kuchlachati Primary School in Kharagpur.
“The confirmation mail reached me on Monday. Honestly, I had not expected my application to make it through such stiff competition,” Acharya shared, still sounding amazed at the news. “Every school can recommend only two teachers, and the documentation process is intense. I gave it my best and left the rest to fate.”
Encouraged by her school to apply, Acharya now follows in the footsteps of her colleague Swarnali Chattopadhyay, who received the award in 2013. Principal Sonali Sen praised her contribution: “As academic coordinator of the senior school, she has brought innovation to her subject, motivates lateral thinking, and ensures her students shine at national-level competitions. She has been with us for nearly two decades and is an inspiring leader.”
One of the evaluation parameters for the award was the role of teachers in preventing dropouts. While urban schools like DPS Newtown do not struggle with the same challenges as rural institutions, Acharya highlighted another concern—students of classes XI and XII leaving for “dummy schools” to focus solely on competitive exams. “We counter this by engaging them in projects, leadership roles, and activity-based learning, which keeps them invested in staying on with us,” she explained.
Her use of technology also found a place in the application. Paperless teaching through platforms like Google Classroom, virtual sessions on Google Meet, and integrated digital tools have allowed her to extend learning beyond regular school hours. “Students can access material anytime, seek clarifications, and stay connected,” she said.
Once shortlisted in July, she was asked to submit a seven-minute video presentation on her work and prepare for a jury interaction. “I was nervous since my presentation overshot the time, but eventually, everything worked out,” she recalled with relief.
Looking ahead, Acharya sees the award as both recognition and added responsibility. “In computer science, change is constant. I studied C and C++ as a student, but today I teach Python and Java. Tomorrow, new languages will emerge. Our aim is to instill logical thinking and life skills so that students can adapt to any change.”
She draws a parallel between the computer revolution and artificial intelligence: “When computers came in, they replaced some jobs but also created many more. The same cycle will repeat with AI.”
In the days leading up to the award ceremony, she is preparing for the orientation in Delhi on September 3, ahead of the Teachers’ Day event on September 5. Meanwhile, she is also adjusting to the flood of congratulatory calls and messages. “It feels surreal—I am overwhelmed by the love and support coming in,” said Acharya, who lives in Koyla Vihar on VIP Road.
