Faridabad: Jagdish Ram, a teacher teaching in a government school in Faridabad, has been awarded a doctorate degree by Georgia University of America. This honor was received in a program held at Golden Tulip Hotel in Lucknow where Bollywood actress Tanaaz Irani was also present. He gave this degree to Jagdish Ram from the stage and said that his contribution towards education, social service and environment cannot be ignored. Tanaaz also expressed hope that Jagdish Ram will continue to contribute to society and education in the same way in future also.
Teacher in government school
While talking to Local18, Jagdish Ram tells that he currently works in a government primary school in Faridabad. According to him, this doctorate is a recognition of his efforts which he made selflessly for the children and the society. Jagdish Ram was born in a small village in Rajasthan where educational facilities were minimal. Despite lack of money and resources, he completed his initial studies from there and gradually progressed.
How did the journey begin?
Jagdish Ram remembers that many children in his village used to leave studies because of money. Jagdish Ram opened Saraswati Vidya Mandir in the village, so that no child is deprived of education and from there the real beginning of his journey began. It was from here that the seed of social service also sowed in his mind.
It is about 1998. Many of the children I taught have today studied in Navodaya, Kendriya Vidyalayas and are doing government jobs. It really makes me proud to see that I could bring a little change in their lives… He says that for him, the better future of his children has been the biggest reward and now the doctorate degree has become a formal recognition of that service.
Connect children to the environment
Along with education, Jagdish Ram’s interest in environment also increased. During this time, he got associated with the Japanese organization Oiska International North India which works on environmental education. India-Japan Children’s Forest, a joint project of Haryana Government and OISCA, was started in 2004. In this, Jagdish Ram got the responsibility to connect the schools of Faridabad with the environment and tell the children the importance of nature. In the next five years, he linked 100 government and 100 private schools to this campaign. He used to take children on trips to the forests, explain the importance of plants and conduct nature tours. These efforts created sensitivity towards the environment among thousands of children.
Campaign launched to save birds
After this, Jagdish Ram also worked in Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Noida where there are more than 250 species of birds. He launched a campaign to save birds, worked on the declining number of vultures, built nests for sparrows and told people that birds were disappearing because of the concrete jungle. The sparrow was disappearing so quickly that it seemed that if we did not take precautions now, the next generation would see it only in books.
Library started for prisoners in jails
Jagdish Ram’s efforts were not limited to just school and environment. He also worked for the prisoners lodged in the jails of Noida and Lucknow. In collaboration with an organization, a library was started there so that the prisoners could change their thinking by reading books like Geeta and Ramayana. Many prisoners are cut off from family and society. Studies and spiritual books connect them with themselves.
Has also received the award for best teacher
In 2017, he became a primary teacher in the Education Department of Haryana. At that time his age was 42 years. While working in Faridabad, he received the Best Teacher Award in 2018. He himself wrote children’s songs for children and adopted methods of teaching them through games. He was also honored by SDM Faridabad for a children’s song. He has also been the master trainer of Balvatika.
The story seems like a movie
Even today at the age of 50, he has the same passion and dedication which was born out of lack of education in his childhood. He came to Gurugram in 1991 and made Faridabad his home since 2002. Jagdish Ram believes that whatever honor he receives is due to his parents, guru and society who gave him good values and inspiration.
Jagdish Ram’s story seems like a movie, starting from a small village and improving the lives of hundreds of children, connecting more than two hundred schools with the environment, running a campaign for birds and nature, opening libraries for prisoners in jails, and now getting a doctorate from the University of America. All this is the result of his hard work, dedication and true dedication for the society.
