This Teacher’s Day, Google celebrates India’s educators for championing technology

“A good teach is like a candle. It consumes itself to light the ways for others.” From ancient to modern times, India has seen some of the most idealistic teachers. One amongst them was Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Vice-president and the second President of India. And it’s his birthday that we celebrate as Teacher’s Day.

In the 21^st century, technology has drastically changed teaching and learning process. Even in India, teachers have also been using technology to make teaching experience more interesting and indulging.

In many of the urban schools, chalk-board has become a thing of past. And eBook, iPad, web-based lessons, online tests, Chromebook, etc., are the game-changers.

This Teachers’ Day, Google decided to thank some of these teachers from across India who are championing technology in the classroom and helping their students thrive in this digital world. Let’s meet these great teachers who are striving hard to impart the world-class education.

Dipak Tatpuje

With more than 30 years of teaching experience, Dipak Tatpuje, a senior lecturer at Satara Polytechnic, has pioneered technology in rural classrooms and trained over 150 rural teachers on how to use free online tools.

Believing that technology can be a great equalizer, Tatpuje says that empowering rural students through technology “allows them not to spread their wings and walk further in life.”

Balaji Jadhav

Another rural teacher who supports technology is Balaji Jadhav. He developed a series of interactive, HTML-based online tests that are now used by over 500 teachers on a day-to-day basis. Balaji is no tech expert, but it was YouTube that helped him learn HTML.

After gaining expertise in HTML, Balaji launched a blog for fellow educators in Maharashtra. Currently, he is playing role of an advisor for five state government departments and trains teachers in 36 school districts about how to use blogs for teaching.

Sarvesh Srinivasan

The next in the line is Sarvesh Srinivasan, director of Bengaluru’s Gifted Education and Research (GEAR) Foundation. He champions technology adoption for personalized learning. In order to help teachers recognise students’ strengths and tailor their teaching methods, Srinivasan ran a 10-month pilot program with Google Apps for Education for middle schools students.

Sangeeta Gulati

The last one to champion the use of technology in classrooms is Sangeeta Gulati, the head of the mathematics department at New Delhi-based Sanskriti School. Her dedication towards education for more than a decade helped her receive the Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching in 2011. She constantly encourages her students to be creative with technology.

Sangeeta says that she finds herself “a stronger, more effective teacher who is connected with her students” using Google Apps for Education and Chromebooks.

This Teacher’s Day, we thank all educators who inspire hope, ignite imagination and instill love for learning so that even an ordinary student dreams to do extraordinary things.
(Image: Thinkstock)