TENKASI/MADURAI: Two teachers from Tamil Nadu have been selected for the National Teachers’ Awards, 2026, by the Union government.
The awardees are M Thangaraj, a secondary-grade teacher at the Panchayat Union Primary School at Puliyampatti in Tenkasi district, and J Amudha, the Headmistress of Kendriya Vidyalaya (No 2) in Madurai.
Speaking to TNIE, M Thangaraj said that receiving the national award was a lifetime achievement. “I joined the teaching profession in 2004. For more than two decades, teaching has been much more than a profession for me. It has been my responsibility, my service and my commitment to the future of children,” he added.
Thangaraj’s contribution doesn’t end with the classroom. He improved the school environment through community participation and voluntary contributions and established an advanced smart digital classroom with the support of a trust.
“I developed school infrastructure worth Rs 2,00,000 at my own expense and created educational, cultural and traditional wall paintings to make learning joyful and attractive. I have been working mainly with children from the SC and SCA communities. Most of the families in our village are socially and economically disadvantaged,” he added.
Thangaraj added that his main intention is to create more first-generation graduates in Tenkasi villages and support school students in sports activities. “I use simple and activity-based teaching methods instead of depending only on traditional methods. Storytelling, games, flash cards, alphabet cards, sentence strips, phonics cards, story books, art activities and audiovisual resources are regularly used in my classroom. These methods help children learn through seeing, listening, speaking and doing,” he said.
The other awardee, J Amudha, an alumna and employee of Kendriya Vidyalaya. Elated with the national honour, she said , “I feel deeply honoured and humbled to receive this National Award after 22 years of dedicated service in the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. As a Headmistress, I consider this award not merely a recognition of my individual work, but a reflection of the collective efforts of my school community. I dedicate this award first and foremost to my beloved Amma and Appa. Whatever I am today is because of their love, values, guidance and sacrifices in bringing me up.”
“I sincerely thank our Deputy Commissioner Dr R Senthil Kumar for recognising my potential, encouraging me and motivating me to apply for this award. I am also deeply grateful to our Assistant Commissioner, Mini Mullath, for her constant support and encouragement, and to my Principal, S Lakshminarayanan, for his guidance and support,” she added.
On her education, Amudha told TNIE, “My father, Janardhanan, served in the Indian Air Force and was transferred to various locations across India, which meant my education took place in Kendriya Vidyalayas. After schooling, I chose to pursue a career in teaching. I earned my B Sc and M Sc in Education and joined the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan in 2003, becoming a teacher and later the headmistress at Kendriya Vidyalaya (No.2) in Thiruparankundram. Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to children’s education and raising societal awareness through NCC programmes and actively encouraging students to participate in social activities.”