Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal
Bantwal, Sep 28: Sudha Sandesh, an assistant teacher at the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat higher primary school in Kamajalu, has been chosen for the 6th annual 'Shivarama Karantha Shikshaka Puraskara - 2026'.
The award is jointly instituted by the Karantha Pratishtana in Kota, Kotathattu gram panchayat, Udupi Haji Abdullah Saheb Memorial Charitable Trust, Sandeep Shetty-led S-Crete Additions India Pvt Ltd, and the 'Usiru Kota' organisation.
With 16 years of service in the teaching profession, Sudha Sandesh has placed special emphasis on improving the educational atmosphere and basic infrastructure since joining the Kamajalu school. The award recognises her efforts in achieving the comprehensive development of the school with the cooperation of local donors and the public. As a result of her efforts, the school received the Dakshina Kannada district-level best SDMC award from Samagra Shikshana Karnataka for the academic year 2025-26.
She played a key role in constructing a classroom at a cost of Rs 10 lac and installing interlocks for Rs 3 lac with the help of donors. To ensure students receive computer education, she arranged for two computers and a printer at a cost of Rs 70,000.
Furthermore, she worked hard to provide necessary infrastructure to the school, including a CCTV camera for Rs 30,000, a pure drinking water unit for Rs 10,000 with donor assistance, a refrigerator for Rs 20,000, an inverter, and a smart TV.
Kitchen garden lessons alongside learning
Not limiting learning strictly to the classroom, Sudha Sandesh's other notable initiative is setting up a kitchen garden on the school premises to give students real-life experience. At a cost of Rs 20,000, the school ground was levelled and fenced, and a system was established to grow vegetables with student participation. Besides using the homegrown vegetables for the midday meals, the surplus is sold in the market, providing students with hands-on experience in agriculture, hard work, self-reliance, and life-oriented learning.
Achievements in sports and literature
Along with education, Sudha Sandesh has also achieved success in the fields of sports and literature. She was selected for the state-level throwball event in the state government employees' sports meet. She also secured the second place at the district level in an essay competition organised by the primary school teachers' welfare fund.
Recognising her dedicated service towards school infrastructure development, the academic and overall growth of students, donor engagement, and her emphasis on real-life learning, she has been honoured with the prestigious award.