Raipur, Sep 04: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai penned a heartfelt letter to teachers across the state on the eve of Teachers’ Day, urging them to mentor underprivileged and hesitant students so that personal circumstances do not limit a child’s potential.

Recalling his own childhood struggles, Chief Minister Sai shared memories of his journey from a village school in Bagia, Jashpur district, to leading the state. He reflected on losing his father at the age of ten while studying in Class 4, which forced him to balance family and agricultural responsibilities alongside his education. After completing Class 5, he moved to Kunkuri to study at Loyola Higher Secondary School, staying in a small room, but financial hardships eventually forced him to halt his studies to manage the family farm and support his younger brothers’ education.

Contrasting his generation’s slate-and-chalk era with modern smart classrooms, the Chief Minister noted that while technology can provide information, only a sensitive teacher can instil confidence, values, and character in a child. He highlighted state initiatives aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, including expanding digital infrastructure, teaching in local dialects, and reopening long-closed schools in conflict-affected areas of Bastar.

Exhorting the teaching fraternity to act as guiding lights, Chief Minister Sai asked educators to look beyond the curriculum and identify the hidden talent in every student. Expressing gratitude to his own teachers, he reiterated the state’s commitment to building a Chhattisgarh where every classroom becomes a realm of possibilities for the young generation to contribute to a developed India.