Presidential Award-Winning Teacher Dr. Devdas Honored with National Education Jewel Award 2026

Presidential Award-Winning Teacher Dr. Devdas Honored with National Education Jewel Award 2026

The Cliff News | Gariyaband | September 4, 2026 On the occasion of Teacher's Day 2026, Dr. Munnilal Devdas, a resident of Nagar Panchayat Kopra in the Gariyaband district of Chhattisgarh, was honored online with the 'National Education Jewel Award 2026' by the 'Global Icon of India E-Magazine'.

This award recognizes his extensive contributions to the preservation and promotion of art, culture, innovation, education, literature, social service, and the Shri Ram Charit Manas. Dr. Devdas, a retired head teacher, poet, lyricist, writer, litterateur, and social worker, is the only teacher from Gariyaband district to have been honored with a Presidential award for the past 19 years.

Dr. Devdas's life has been filled with struggles, and he has elevated his talent to national and international platforms by overcoming adverse circumstances and challenges. His multifaceted journey serves as a source of inspiration for teachers, students, and society, demonstrating how to play a leading role in nation-building while confronting challenges.

36 Years of Service and Public Service Experience

Dr. Devdas began his public life in 1982 after completing his undergraduate studies at Rajiv Lochan College, Rajim. From 1983 to June 1987, he served the public for four years as the Deputy Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Kopra.

Following this, he dedicatedly provided teaching service for a total of 36 years, from July 1987 to April 2023, in the freedom fighter village of Kaunkera. During his service, he received numerous prestigious awards, a testament to his conscientiousness and dedication.

National and State Level Honors

Achieving a unique distinction for the Gariyaband district, Dr. Devdas was honored with the National Teacher Award in 2007 by the then First Lady of India, Her Excellency Pratibha Patil. Since then, no other teacher from Gariyaband district has received the Presidential Award in the last 19 years, highlighting Dr. Devdas's exceptional achievement.

Recognizing his notable contributions to education and literature, the Chhattisgarh government honored him with the 'Dr. Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi Smriti Award' in 2020. This award has brought prestige to the Gariyaband district in both education and literature.

Compositions Echoed on International Stage, Gave Voice to Padma Shri Singers

A significant aspect of Dr. Devdas's literary talent is that his songs have been lent voice by several renowned singers from India and abroad. These include esteemed artists like Bhajan Samrat Padma Shri Anup Jalota, Padma Shri Anuradha Paudwal, Padma Shri Suresh Wadkar, and American singer Vandana Srivastava.

His songs have been released by major music channels such as T-Series Mumbai, Sonotek, and Zee Music. For this achievement, he was honored with the 'Shri Dada Saheb Phalke International Film and Television Award' in Mumbai in 2022. He is the first rural teacher from Chhattisgarh to have songs sung by three Padma Shri singers and released by a prestigious channel like T-Series.

30 Books Published, Three Received World Record Recognition

Dr. Devdas's contribution to the field of literary pursuit is extensive. He has published 30 books to date, with three more in the publication process. Additionally, seven of his research articles have been published.

He has organized four All India Free Poetry Writing Competitions on important themes such as 'Mata Kaushalya', 'Freedom Fighter Pt. Sundarlal Sharma', 'Sant Kavi Pawan Diwan', and 'Gariyaband Ki Gaurav Gatha', whose literary collections will prove to be an invaluable heritage for future generations. Three of his books have also been recognized with World Record honors. These books include 'Kopra Ki Prabhat Bhajan Parampara', 'Shyamnagar Mein Samuhik Rashtragan Parampara', and 'Pairinadi Parikrama Sirkatti Ashram'.

He has also made significant contributions to children's story writing, with four of his children's stories broadcast by All India Radio Raipur.

Organizer of Manas Tradition and Educational Innovation

Dr. Devdas has also been active in religious and social concerns. On May 25, 2014, he established the 'Mam Rajiv Lochan Zila Manas Sangh' at Sirkatti Ashram, through which he organized various Manas Mandalis of the district. For the past 12 years, this association has been engaged in public awareness through Manas in villages.

In this regard, in 2019, with everyone's support, he initiated the first 'Pitar Manas Mahotsav' at the world-famous Kaushalya Mata Temple, Chandkhuri. For this excellent work, Dr. Devdas was bestowed with the 'Pitar Manas Mahotsav Shilpi Samman' by the 'Manas Darshan Jeevan Arpan Sangh' in 2024.

In the field of educational innovation, Dr. Devdas's innovation titled 'Ankon Se Akshar Nirman' (Building Letters from Numbers) has proven extremely useful for primary class teaching, kindergarten, and the 'Sakshar Bharat Abhiyan' (Literate India Campaign). He represented Chhattisgarh at the National Educational Innovation Conference held in Maharashtra in 2006.

He has received several honors, including the 'Sir Ratan Tata Innovative Teacher Award'. In 2021, a discussion on this educational innovation was also broadcast on Doordarshan Raipur. He has provided education to many poor and differently-abled children with his personal funds, inspiring them to live dignified lives in society. This initiative reflects his dedication to education.

Mantra for Success: Continuous Work and Innovation

Dr. Devdas attributes his success to a few simple yet effective principles. He believes that associating with good people, not wasting time and energy on futile discussions, completing every task methodically and patiently, learning something new every day, self-reviewing one's actions by maintaining a daily diary, and remaining courteous while respecting everyone are essential for success.

These small yet significant aspects convey a message to the new generation of teachers and students that regardless of the magnitude of struggles, new heights of achievement can surely be attained through continuous work, innovation, and social service.