After seven years of constant struggle to prevent dropouts, the headmaster of a school in a remote area in West Bengal's Howrah district has been selected for the Presidents Award for excellence in teaching.
The award will be given to Monojit Dutta, the headmaster of Gujarpur Shibganj Bisalakshi High School at Shyampur by President Pratibha Patil on Teachers Day on September 5.
The award carries a Certificate of Merit, a silver medal and Rs 25,000 in cash.
"I am delighted to get the award but this is for the students whom I have worked so far. I am honoured that I will meet the President," an elated Dutta said.
He said he would donate the money he would receive for the benefit of the students of his school. When Dutta left his job in the army and took over as the headmaster of the school in 2001, the dropout rate was high because of poverty of the students.
But in just seven years he single-handedly brought the children back to the school.
