Teachers: The strong edifice of resurgent Odisha

On the sacred occasion of Guru Diwas, I extend heartfelt greetings to all teachers, their families, and the student community across Odisha. Teachers are not only the architects of our classrooms but also builders of our state's future. The Guru–Shishya tradition has been the cornerstone of Indian civilisation for the millennia. Today also marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan—teacher, philosopher and India's second President. By dedicating his birthday to the teaching fraternity, he gave rise to the celebration of Teachers' Day in 1962. Yet, the tradition of honouring the Guru is far older. India has long celebrated Guru Purnima (Vyasa Purnima) in memory of Maharshi Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas. On this Guru Diwas, I bow to this timeless tradition and pay tribute to the teachers, who continue to enrich our society.Before entering public life, I had the privilege of being a teacher. The memories of guiding young children, joining their play, and engaging with parents remain etched in my heart. The joy of being honoured during Guru Puja is one of the golden pages of my life. This personal connection has deepened my belief that teaching is not just a profession but a sacred duty. Every teacher shapes not only young minds but also the society's destiny.People of Odisha have entrusted the BJP government with the responsibility of leading our state. We are living in the Amrit Kaal of our nation's freedom. In 2036, Odisha will mark 100 years as an independent province, and in 2047, India will celebrate a century of independence.Our vision is clear: Odisha will be the foundation stone of a developed India by 2047. To achieve this, we have adopted a time-bound, goal-driven action plan for the coming decade. Education is the cornerstone of this journey.The prosperity of Odisha depends on strengthening our educational institutions—from primary schools to universities, technical colleges to skill development centres. The intellectual power of Odia children has always shone brightly across India and the world.Just days ago, I had the honour of representing Odisha at a national semiconductor event in New Delhi alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There, the nation witnessed the extraordinary achievement of students from Parala Maharaja Engineering College, Berhampur, who developed the high-performance multiplier IC C2S0061 chip. Applauded by the Prime Minister, this innovation placed Odisha firmly on India's semiconductor map. As the world looks to India as a hub of future technology, I believe Odisha can be a centre of innovation. Recognizing that teachers are the true catalysts of transformation, our government has taken strong steps to strengthen education. We have regularized schematic primary teachers. A massive recruitment drive has brought in 39,366 new teachers to meet growing student needs. Today, 45,292 primary schools are being strengthened with 1,60,319 sanctioned teaching posts.We've placed renewed emphasis on primary and secondary education, aligning with the National Education Policy (2020). Education is not just about literacy—it's about nurturing a generation that is innovative, skilled, and rooted in values. The blueprint of a nation's future is drawn in its classrooms. Teachers are the torchbearers of this journey. Jai Jagannath!(The author is chief minister, Odisha)