Jajpur (Odisha): Nanda Kishore happens to be a centenarian. He is very well known in nearby areas as a village school teacher. From young children to old people, everybody popularly and affectionately calls this new Padma Shri awardee ‘Nanda Master’.
The system of imparting initial education in village schools known as “chatsali” has vanished throughout the state and their place has been taken over by mushroom growth of English medium playschools and nursery schools. However, the age-old tradition of learning in a village school or “chatsali” in the beginning has been continuing in Kantira village of Jajpur district. For the last seventy-two years, this village school in Kantira is continuing under a tree near the ‘Hanuman’ temple of the village. When one comes across the scene of this 98-year old teacher teaching the kids under a tree and open sky today, it is bound to pique the curiosity of any person.
The young kids of the village first learn the Odia alphabets in this institution before they take admission in nearby regular schools. These kids are aged between three and six. Nanda Kishore Prusty who belongs to the same village has been teaching in this school since the year 1946 without any interruption.
Nanda Master is renowned in nearby villages as an ideal teacher and religious person. He also functions as the head of the village because of his judicious and fair pronouncements. Nanda Kishore Prusty says that his pure love and affection for the young children has kept him tied to this noble profession.
Till now he has been continuing to teach the poor and helpless young children of the village totally free of cost. Even today there is a heavy congregation of students in the village school of Nanda Master both in the morning and evening hours like before.
Good wishes have been flowing now from all quarters to this person popularly known as Nanda Master. Because of his incomparable contribution towards teaching the helpless and poor children, he has made himself worthy of receiving this prestigious award of the country.
After the announcement of the award, a sea of joy is prevailing not only in Sukinda area but also in the entire Jajpur district. Nanda Kishore while conveying his gratefulness to His Excellency, the President of India for this award, also feels honoured to have been recognised. Nanda Kishore is the only person from the district to have been selected for the Padmashri award this time.
He has built the futures of not less than three thousand boys and girls through his village school. He has received one of the most prestigious awards of the country ‘Padmashri' award because of his uninterrupted teaching of the young kids in a village school. That is why the people of Kantira village say with pride that the whole village is proud of the achievement of this village school teacher.
