The headmaster of the heritage school, Searsole Raj High School in Raniganj, Tapas Chatterjee will receive the prestigious Shiksha Ratna award on the upcoming Teachers’ Day, 5 October.

This year, two teachers from West Burdwan district have been selected for the prestigious Shiksha Ratna Award out of a total 40 (recipients) in the state.

The second teacher to receive this coveted award from West Burdwan district is the headmaster of Hurumdanga Adivasi Primary School in Jamuria, Uttam Majhi.

At a function to be held at the office of the district magistrate and collector of West Burdwan district, S Ponnambalam in Asansol, these two headmasters from this district will receive the Shiksha Ratna award.

The reasons behind selection of the two headmasters are reducing the numbers of school dropouts, increasing enrollment of the number of students, introducing new methods and techniques for imparting education, improving parent-teacher relationship and many other positive efforts, according to state education department sources.

Arijit Ghosh, school inspector of Jamuria number one circle, said that only tribal students study in the Hurumdanga Primary School. The headmaster has set up a kitchen garden for mid-day meals of students and arranged special computer training in the school for the students, who belong from the economically weaker section.

“It was a very difficult task to impart education to the tribal students in Bengali language. But with our various efforts we are successful now and I am really overwhelmed after hearing that my name has been selected for the prestigious Shiksha Ratna award this year by our state government,” said Uttam Majhi.

“In my entire teaching career, spanning over 34 years, I have served for over 27 years as the headmaster of the school. After taking charge, I thought of improving the standards of education in the school and introduced many new things. I took part in many workshops and seminars to upgrade myself. Getting a Shiksha Ratna award for any teacher is a lifetime dream. I dedicate my award to my beloved teachers and fellow teachers of my school,” said Tapas Chatterjee.

Two famous alumni of Searsole Raj High School were rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and his friend, novelist and film director, Shailajananda Mukhopadhyay. At that time, great poet Kumd Ranjan Mallick was the headmaster of the school.

While reading in the school, Nazrul Islam became acquainted with the freedom movement. He was influenced by his teacher Nibaran Chandra Ghatak, a revolutionary and Juganter activist.