NE EDUCATION BUREAU
CHENNAI, AUG 22
A classroom in a rural Tamil Nadu school and another in a PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya in Madurai have together scripted a powerful national education story: two teachers, working in very different settings but united by an unwavering commitment to children, have earned one of the country’s highest recognitions for school educators.
ஆசிரியர் தினத்தை முன்னிட்டு, மாண்புமிகு இந்தியக் குடியரசுத் தலைவர் அவர்களால் வழங்கப்படும் தேசிய நல்லாசிரியர் விருதிற்கு தெரிவுசெய்யப்பட்டுள்ள தமிழ்நாட்டின் புளியம்பட்டி ஊராட்சி ஒன்றிய தொடக்கப் பள்ளி ஆசிரியர் திரு.தங்கராஜ் மற்றும் மதுரை, பிஎம் ஸ்ரீ கேந்திரிய வித்யாலயா பள்ளி…
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) August 22, 2026
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Vijay on Saturday congratulated Thangaraj, teacher at Puliyampatti Panchayat Union Primary School, and Amudha, teacher at PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Madurai, on their selection for the National Teachers’ Awards 2026.
- Thangaraj of Puliyampatti Panchayat Union Primary School and Amudha of PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Madurai, chosen for National Teachers’ Awards 2026
- CM C Vijay hails the honour as a proud moment for Tamil Nadu and its teaching fraternity
- Rural-school innovation and student-centred education earn national recognition
- President to honour the awardees at Teachers’ Day celebrations; their journeys spotlight the transformative power of committed educators
The prestigious national honour will be presented by the President of India as part of the Teachers’ Day celebrations.
The selection has brought particular recognition to Tamil Nadu’s school education system, with the two teachers representing different educational settings while demonstrating the same defining qualities—dedication to teaching, innovative classroom practices and an uncompromising focus on students’ welfare and development. The selection of the two Tamil Nadu teachers for the 2026 awards was reported on Saturday by multiple current sources.
Beyond the four walls of a classroom
Congratulating the awardees, Vijay said their achievement was a matter of pride for Tamil Nadu and its entire teaching community.
He underlined that the contribution of teachers goes far beyond delivering lessons or preparing students for examinations. Teachers, he said, shoulder the “noble and vital responsibility” of shaping the future of children.
Their influence extends into nurturing confidence, curiosity, discipline and social responsibility, thereby helping young learners develop into responsible and capable citizens.
The Chief Minister said the national recognition reflected the dedication of Thangaraj and Amudha, their innovative approaches to teaching and their concern for the overall development and welfare of their students.
He also expressed the hope that the honour would provide the two educators with renewed motivation to pursue their work with still greater commitment and inspire other teachers across the State.
A rural classroom takes centre stage
The recognition of Thangaraj from Puliyampatti Panchayat Union Primary School carries a particularly compelling message about the power of education at the grassroots.
According to a report published on Saturday, Thangaraj himself emphasised that his work was never driven by the desire to win an award. His stated motivation was to use education to bring about a positive change in the lives of rural students, viewing the National Teachers’ Award as recognition of that continuing effort.
That sentiment adds an important dimension to the national honour: the award is not simply celebrating an individual teacher, but drawing attention to the transformative possibilities of a committed educator working with children in a rural setting.
From innovation to inspiration
தேசிய நல்லாசிரியர் விருது வெறும் அங்கீகாரம் மட்டுமல்ல; மாணவர்களுக்காக கூடுதலாக உழைக்கும் பொறுப்பை தந்துள்ளது
– மதுரை கேந்திரிய வித்யாலயா பள்ளி ஆசிரியை அமுதா பேட்டி#NationalTeacherAward #Madurai #TeacherAmutha #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/eblmb5d9Xk
— DD Tamil News (@DDTamilNews) August 22, 2026
Amudha’s selection from PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Madurai, meanwhile, brings national attention to innovative and student-focused teaching in the Kendriya Vidyalaya system.
Together, the two awardees demonstrate how educational excellence can emerge from different institutional environments when teachers place the learner at the centre of their work.
The National Teachers’ Awards are presented annually to recognise educators who make notable contributions to improving the quality of school education and enriching the lives of their students.
For Tamil Nadu, the double recognition offers more than a ceremonial distinction. It is an affirmation of the countless teachers who work every day—often away from the spotlight—to ensure that children learn, grow in confidence and acquire the curiosity and skills needed to navigate a rapidly changing world.
‘May this national honour inspire you further’
Vijay extended his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to both teachers and expressed the hope that their national recognition would inspire them to continue touching the lives of many more students.
“May this national honour inspire you further in your service and illuminate the lives of countless students,” he said.
The message perhaps captures the larger significance of the award most aptly: the finest teachers do not merely fill young minds with knowledge—they light the path by which those minds discover what they can become.
With Thangaraj and Amudha set to receive the national honour, two Tamil Nadu classrooms have, for a moment, become symbols of a much larger truth—the future of education is ultimately shaped not only by policies, infrastructure or technology, but by teachers who choose to make a difference, one student at a time.
