The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the Malti Gyan Peeth Puraskar for the year 2016 today (May 29, 2016) at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the award ceremony coincided withthe 95th birthday of Smt. Malti Mohinder Singh Syngle. He conveyed his best wishes to her on her birthday and wished that God may grant her the strength to continue her seven decades of dedicated service to the cause of education. He complimented Shri Manoj Singhal, President of the Mohinder Singh Syngle Education and Research Society, for his initiative in introducing this Award and for his passion in spreading quality education in the rural areas. He also complimented the efforts of the state government of Punjab for recognizing and collaborating with the selection process.

The President said that the teachers who had been awarded represent the dedicated teachers who are educating and extending learning opportunities to thousands of students in the country. From the Vedic era to modern times, we have had the‘Guru-Shishya parampara’ and ‘gurus’ who nourished the minds and intellect of our people. Such teachers are there even today. He called them inspired teachers. He stated that they encourage students to be inquisitive and explore new frontiers of knowledge and understanding. Inspired teachers themselves have deep knowledge of their subject areas. They are able to assist students in understanding and appreciating the subject from different perspectives, and in fact, help them in constructing new knowledge.

The President said that a pool of competent and motivated teachers, through their collective efforts, can create a society of strong minds and courageous hearts. He said that he had said earlier that education is the true alchemy that can bring India to its next golden age. To realize this ambition, we must proceed with the motto: All for Knowledge, and Knowledge for All.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Shri Manish Sisodia, Dy. Chief Minister of NCT Delhi, Shri S. S. Maluka, Minister of Rural Development & Gram Panchayat, Govt. of Punjab and Dr. D. S. Cheema, Education Minister, Govt. of Punjab.

This release issued at hrs.