Chandralekha Mistry Honoured with National Teachers Award 2024 for Botanical Garden Initiative in Goa School

Chandralekha Damodar Mistry, a grade-I Biology teacher at Satyavati Soyru Angel Higher Secondary School in Mashem Loliem, Goa, is one of 50 educators honoured with the National Teachers Award 2024. For the last 24 years, she has shown unshakeable dedication to the field of teaching and education by travelling 50 km each day to her school. Her long travel, rather than exhausting her, motivates her to educate with even greater passion.

Chandralekha’s students predominantly hail from tribal and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Many of these students are the first members of their family to attend school, while some are from fishing communities who travel from the Karnataka border to study under her guidance. To make learning more accessible and interesting, she has established unique teaching approaches, such as setting up a botanical garden on the school campus. This garden serves as a living laboratory, allowing kids to study biology via hands-on activities that link them with nature and stimulate scientific curiosity.

Chandralekha’s enthusiasm for teaching remains undeterred despite her three-hour travel every day. She spends her travel time planning classes and designing scientific projects. Her passion goes beyond the classroom. She frequently spends additional time developing educational materials to improve her students’ learning experiences. Her efforts have introduced her students to competing in numerous national science fairs. 

Chandralekha Mistry has garnered several honours during her career for her distinctive teaching methods and commitment to education. Notably, she received the Best Teacher Award from the state in 2021. Despite these achievements, she stays humble, claiming that her goal is her students’ success and progress rather than awards.

When the National Teacher Award 2024 was announced, Mistry modestly said that she never worked to get recognition or accolades for her work. For her, teaching goes beyond the classroom, necessitating devotion even after school hours to assure her students’ success.