Belonging to a small city of Jalore, Rajasthan, Shri Sandeep Joshi is a celebrated name in the field of teaching. A committed, conscious, and creative member of the National Council for Teachers Education, Shri Joshi Sandeep Joshi is working as a Teacher at Sr. Secondary School Rewat Dist. in Jalore. He is known for his splendid devotion in the field of teaching and has forever been committed to the cause.

With a spirit of enthusiasm and energy in his heart, he has proved quite efficiently that teachers can do wonders with mere dedication and love for one’s work. Renowned for his successful large-scale initiatives like NO BAG DAY and JAY BHARAT attendance system, his ideas are simply surprising.

Idea of reducing weight of School bag

While teaching his students one day, he recognized the need to address the issue of heavy bags and ignorant curriculum. Soon he arranged for a weighing machine and weighed the bags of all his students. In a shocking turn of events, he realized that the weight of the bag was 30% of the weight od the student. Having read several news pieces and reports, he had the eagerness to do something for his students. Thus, he went to his students, demanded their books, and tore their bindings as per the syllabus files. On doing this, he confessed that he had brought out a solution for his students and the unnecessary weight they have to carry all throughout the year. He asked his colleagues and students to do the same and got the books arranged as per the monthly schedules. Ever since his step has brought about a better change in the lives of his students, he formulated a proposal and directed it to the state government in year 2009. At the moment, his idea has brought about a significant change in the lives of students enrolled at 64,000 schools under the state of Rajasthan!

By doing this, he believes that he proved that not only the central government is responsible for transforming the system but even small cities and people living there can be the hope of change.

Moreover, his concept of #NoBagDay has also won hearts over the country. He formulated that no student in his school would bring a bag on Saturdays. Practical education and learning are the highlights of the day when #NoBagDay is practised!

Bharat Darshan Corridor

To aware of the rich culture and diversity of India, Sandeep ji has created a special corridor, namely Bharat Darshan Galiyara, in the school campus. Here students can get all important information of Indian geography, culture etc. His efforts caught the attention of the public and appraised by the education department officials and state education minister Shri Vasudev Devnani. At the individual level, he had influenced 15 schools in 9 districts to create a Bharat Darshan Corridor in the campus.

Set a botanical garden in school campus

With the rise in the bookish knowledge and non practical education, he felt a dire need to expand his creativity and make the most of it. Therefore, he set a small botanical garden on his school premises and did this so as to help his students experience practical learning in the school itself.

It wasn’t only about botanical gardens or reduction in the weight of the school bags, but also about a societal change that would reflect a healthy mind-set of the students.

Tirelessly working for behaviour change

As all Indians would accept the fact that the festival of Diwali is a festival of lights. By clubbing the societal principles of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Diwali, he along with 200 of his students and colleagues lit 200 diyas. This not only brought elegance to their school but also proved that unity and togetherness can make a distinct change in our lifestyles.

Likewise, he has been arranging events of KANYA BHOJAN where his students often invite little girls and treat them like a goddess. As the ritual suggests, they perform all the needful activities. By doing this, he feels that he is teaching his male students to respect women throughout their life.

He has also projected the unity of his students and school staff by assembling a brick brought by each student in order to make SARASWATI MANDIR. This not only enhances their respect for their school but also fights against discrimination in cricket light of urging everyone to do similar work.

Due to efforts of Sandeep ji, State’s first science laboratory established at Upper Primary Level school. Earlier, science lab used to be held only in higher secondary level schools. This initiative was lauded by the local district collector, who later become Director of the Education department and ordered to provide same science kit to every schools to all upper primary schools in Rajasthan

On being asked about his lifestyle in the COVID-19 pandemic, he highlights another initiative that he has invested in. By asking all teachers to post a photo of them reading a book and writing a few lines about it, he suggests that the teachers are collectively inspiring their students to do something good.

The Yashwant Rao Kelkar Yuva Puraskar awardee Sandeep Joshi has indeed been a source of inspiration and power for people around him!