Samagra Shiksha Director Rajesh Sharma Honoured with ‘Himachal Ratna’ for Transforming School Education
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presents the prestigious award at Peterhof ceremony
Shimla: Samagra Shiksha Director Rajesh Sharma (IFS) has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Himachal Ratna Award’ by the Divya Himachal Group for his outstanding contribution to the field of education.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented the award to Rajesh Sharma during a ceremony held at Hotel Peterhof in Shimla on Wednesday. The event recognised individuals and achievers from different fields who have made significant contributions to the development of Himachal Pradesh and its society.
Rajesh Sharma has played a significant role in strengthening school education in the state through innovative initiatives, strategic partnerships and effective leadership. During his tenure as Director, Samagra Shiksha, special emphasis has been placed on teacher training, school leadership, global educational exposure and the development of 21st-century skills among students.
For the first time, government school teachers from Himachal Pradesh were sent on an international educational exposure tour to Singapore. A partnership was also established with the Principals Academy, Singapore, for professional training and capacity building of teachers and school leaders.
In another major initiative, more than 33,000 school teachers across Himachal Pradesh received training in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, aimed at strengthening teaching practices in line with global educational standards.
The state also partnered with UNESCO to implement the HP FUTURES programme. The initiative focuses on developing 21st-century competencies among students through Competency-Based Education, Value Education through sports and Greening Education.
Strengthening school leadership has also remained a key priority. School heads and teachers have been provided specialised training through reputed institutions, including IIM Sirmaur, to enhance leadership, management and academic capabilities at the school level.
Himachal makes significant progress in national education rankings
The impact of these initiatives has also been reflected in national-level educational assessments. In the National Achievement Survey (NAS), Himachal Pradesh improved its position significantly, moving from 21st place to 5th among states.
The state has also recorded substantial progress in the Performance Grading Index (PGI), improving its position from 21st to 6th. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) has likewise placed Himachal Pradesh among the leading states in the country.
The ‘Himachal Ratna’ recognition for Rajesh Sharma acknowledges his contribution to educational innovation, teacher capacity building and strengthening the state’s school education system. The honour also reflects the collective efforts of teachers, school heads and education professionals working towards improving learning outcomes across Himachal Pradesh.
Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLA Sanjay Awasthi, Shimla Mayor Surender Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, SSP Gaurav Singh and other dignitaries were present at the ceremony.
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