Kids Age congratulates
Dr Anubha Negi
Director, Zen School, Vadodara, GJ
as the winner of the
TOP 100 NATIONAL PRINCIPAL AWARDS – 2026
for the worthy contribution in educating the youngest learning population of the nation.
The Teacher Within Us: Empowering Teachers, Inspiring the Next Generation
“विद्या ददाति विनयं, विनयाद् याति पात्रताम्।
पात्रत्वाद् धनमाप्नोति, धनाद् धर्मं ततः सुखम्॥”
Knowledge gives humility; humility leads to worthiness; worthiness opens the door to prosperity, righteousness and, ultimately, happiness.
For centuries, India has regarded education not merely as the accumulation of information, but as a journey of inner transformation. A teacher was never simply someone who taught lessons from a textbook. A teacher was a margdarshak—one who showed the way, awakened curiosity and helped a young mind discover its own possibilities.
Today, the world is changing faster than ever. Artificial intelligence, technology and new careers are transforming the way we learn and work. Yet, in this rapidly changing world, one truth remains unchanged:
A child does not merely need information. A child needs inspiration.
And that is where the teacher becomes irreplaceable.
A Teacher Is More Than a Teacher.
Every teacher leaves behind something far greater than a lesson plan.
A mathematics teacher may unknowingly teach a child to approach life with logic.
A language teacher may give a hesitant child the courage to find a voice. A sports teacher may teach resilience after a defeat. A compassionate word from a teacher may become the reason a child chooses not to give up.
Sometimes, the most powerful teaching happens without a blackboard.
A smile can say, “I believe in you.”
A patient ear can say, “Your feelings matter.”
A second chance can say, “Your mistake does not define you.”
This is the true power of a teacher—to see the potential in a child even before the child can see it in himself or herself.
From Teaching to Empowering
But to inspire the next generation, teachers themselves must be empowered.
An empowered teacher is not one who knows every answer. An empowered teacher is one who is curious enough to keep learning.
The teacher of tomorrow must be a learner, mentor, counsellor, facilitator and role model. Technology may provide answers within seconds, but teachers must help children ask the right questions.
They must create classrooms where children are not afraid of being wrong, where curiosity is celebrated, creativity is encouraged and differences are respected.
Because education is not about producing children who all think alike.
Education is about nurturing minds that can think independently, hearts that can feel deeply and characters that can stand firmly.
Our Heritage, Our Strength
India’s educational heritage reminds us that learning has always been deeply connected with life.
The ancient Gurukul tradition emphasised discipline, humility, self-reliance, respect for nature and responsibility towards society. The relationship between Guru and Shishya was not merely academic; it was transformational.
The timeless words—
“सा विद्या या विमुक्तये”
That alone is true knowledge which liberates.
—carry a powerful message even today.
Knowledge should liberate us from ignorance, prejudice, fear and narrow thinking. It should make us more humane.
Our heritage also teaches us “वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्”—the world is one family.
Imagine a generation educated with this spirit: children who are ambitious, yet compassionate; technologically skilled, yet rooted in their values; confident, yet humble; successful, yet sensitive to those around them.
That is the generation we must strive to nurture.
And What About the Children?
Dear young readers, teachers can guide you, but your journey ultimately belongs to you.
Do not wait for someone else to discover your talent.
Discover yourself.
Read beyond your syllabus. Ask questions. Listen to different opinions. Learn from failure. Be kind when you have the power to be harsh. Help someone who is struggling. Stand up for what is right.
And remember—your greatest competition is not the child sitting beside you.
It is the person you were yesterday.
Every day gives you an opportunity to become a little wiser, kinder, braver and stronger.
Somewhere along this journey, you too will become a teacher.
You may teach a younger sibling how to ride a bicycle. You may teach a friend not to give up. You may teach someone courage simply by showing courage yourself.
For every human being has the capacity to illuminate another life.
The Future Begins Today
The India of tomorrow will not be built only in laboratories, boardrooms or institutions. It will be built quietly—in classrooms, playgrounds, homes and conversations.
It will be built by teachers who choose to inspire rather than merely instruct, and by children who choose to learn not merely for marks, but for life.
Let us therefore empower our teachers to become torchbearers of hope, and our children to become architects of a better tomorrow.
For when a teacher believes in a child, a possibility is born.
When a child believes in himself or herself, a future begins.
And when knowledge joins hands with compassion, courage and values—a generation does not merely become successful; it becomes worthy of leading the world.
“तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय।”
Lead me from darkness to light.
May education continue to do exactly that—
from ignorance to wisdom,
from fear to courage,
from potential to purpose,
and from one inspired child to an inspired generation.
AWARD WINNERS OF 2022-23
