“From Koraput to National Glory: Tarun Kumar Das Bags Teacher Award-2025”

Koraput district has once again earned national recognition as Tarun Kumar Das, a teacher with an extraordinary commitment to education, has been selected for the National Teacher Award-2025. Das, a one-time resident of Koraput and presently serving as a primary school teacher at Prime Minister Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya, is among the two teachers from Odisha to be honored this year.

The prestigious award, instituted by the Ministry of Education, was announced on Monday, Das has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of education in the tribal-dominated district of Koraput by blending creativity with pedagogy, he has used short films as a medium to fight social evils and to inspire children from marginalized communities.

Till now, he has produced seven short films with the active participation of students, teachers, parents, alumni, and the public, three of which bagged national awards in 2021, 2024, and 2025.In addition, Das launched the innovative ‘Monday Millet Day’ campaign to promote nutritious food for the mental and physical well-being of children.

Tarun Das has also been working to reduce the burden of heavy school bags, prepared learning-friendly materials, and actively shares resources through his educational blog and YouTube channel, aiming to make students more self-reliant.His influence goes beyond classrooms.

As part of the National Mission for Mentoring, he has been providing online training to teachers at the national level, aligning with the objectives of the National Council for Teacher Education. Recognizing his dedication, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had previously felicitated him in 2023.

The District Magistrate of Koraput Manoj mahajan extended heartfelt congratulations, stating that Das’s achievement brings glory to the land of Koraput and serves as a shining example for educators across the country. With this honor, Koraput has proudly cemented its place on the national map of educational excellence.