With Inputs from R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi/Karkala (HB)

Updated

Udupi/Karkala, Sep 1: Considering their distinct achievements as teachers, the central government has chosen Ashok Shetty, headmaster of Srinikethana High School at Matapady near Brahmavar, and Vasanthi Joshi, headmistress of Gurukul aided higher primary school at Mala village in Karkala taluk for the coveted National Best Teacher Award, 2015.

Ashok Shetty (51) hails from Kadoor village in the taluk. He had also served Sri Vani High School at Nadoor as a teacher for three years. He holds MA and M Ed degrees.

Shetty has been serving Srinikethana Kannada Medium school as headmaster for the last 26 years.

He is currently the president of district high school headmasters’ association (since 2010-'11) and vice-president of Teacher Co-operative Bank. Ashok Shetty has also served various voluntary organizations in different capacities.

He is a state-level specialized resource person in social science subject, including edusat satellite based education and geography subjects.

He has received many awards for his dedicated service in educational institutions. He was conferred with the district level Best Teacher Award in 2005 and state-level Best Teacher Award in 2011.

Headmistress of Gurukul aided higher primary school at Mala village in Karkala taluk, Vasanti Joshi, is the other teacher from the district to have been chosen for national level Best Teacher Award.

Vasanti joined the said school as teacher in 1976. She has been heading the school since the last 15 years. After becoming the head teacher of the school, she has succeeded in providing most of the basic facilities required for the school like water tank, tap water, microphone, band set, kitchen, movables like plates, glasses etc, with the help of donors. She played a stellar role in undertaking various development initiatives in the school including repair of the school building and its beautification. The school, which also provides computer education to students, was chosen as the best aided school in the taluk by Belady Maranna Mada Foundation in 2004.

Vasanti Joshi is a talented teacher with a tilt towards the welfare of students. She is trained in music, dance, Yoga and plays. Therefore, she has always remained an inspiration for the students in their extra curricular activities and hence been instrumental in their all-round development. In her individual capacity, Joshi has taken part in different competitions and won a number of prizes. A number of dance dramas directed by Vasanti Joshi have been staged at various places. Backed by her efforts, her school has been emerging as the cluster level champion in Pratibha Karanji competitions every year. The programmes directed by her have been winning prizes in the 'Chinnara Masa' competitions organized every year by Srikrishna Math, Udupi. She has also taken part in various programmes in the capacity of resource person.

Vasanti had won most popular teacher award in 2002, and state level best teacher's award in 2013.

President of India Pranab Mukherjee will be handing over the national award at a function scheduled to be held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on September 5 on the occasion of Teachers' Day.