97 national awardee teachers for 2020 and 2021 write to President, PM to honour them in physical ceremony on September 5

As many as 97 national awardee teachers for 2020 and 2021 have written to the President and the Prime Minister requesting to honour them at a ceremony on Teachers’ Day on September 5 as they missed the opportunity of receiving the award in person due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

All these teachers had received the award in a virtual event due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Of them, 47 teachers had received the award in 2020 and the rest in 2021.

“All of us have individually e-mailed the President of India, the Prime Minister and the Union Education Minister requesting an opportunity to meet them. In addition, a consolidated request too has been submitted to the office of the President of India and the Prime Minister’s Office. We want to cherish our lifetime memorable event with them,” said Yakub Koyyur, Assistant Teacher at Government High School, Nada, Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district who received the honour in 2020.

Some of the teachers have tweeted their request to the dignitaries.

In his August 8 letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Mr. Koyyur said that teachers receive the award from the President every year. They also get an opportunity to interact with the Prime Minister on the occasion. The family members of the awardee teachers are allowed to witness the ceremony.

“All these moments are the most memorable events in the life of a teacher, which we missed… It will be my privilege to be honoured by an ex-teacher who is now the first citizen of our country. This will not only boost my morale but also enhance the confidence level of stakeholders of my State.”

Incidentally, the government announced the national award for 46 teachers for 2022 on August 25.

The winners include Umesh T.P., a teacher from Amruthapura in Chitradurga district of Karnataka. He is the only teacher from Karnataka to be selected for the award.