TV
From a sarpanch to Guruji in Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir and to becoming the 15th chief minister of Odisha, the life journey has been incredible for CM Mohan Charan Majhi. Not just the 15th CM, Mohan Majhi is also the first BJP chief minister of Odisha.
On Teacher’s Day, CM Majhi got candid about his life as a Guruji at Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir at Jhumpura in Keonjhar where he continued teaching for three years before BJP gave him a ticket to contest for the Keonjhar Assembly seat in 2000. Since then there has been no looking back for Majhi.
In an exclusive interview with OTV, CM Majhi shared his roadmap for Odisha’s future education system, the development of school infrastructures, and his message for students and teachers.
The CM began his answer with Jai Jagannath and said, “On this special day, I extend my greetings to all the students, Guru Maa and Gurujis. Swami Vivekananda is my inspiration and I follow his rules ‘Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached’.”
“Teachers play a crucial role in developing a civilized society, saving culture and traditions. So, on this day, my message to the students will be to always hold their teachers in high regard. It is the blessings of teachers that will pave the way for our success. After our parents, our teachers are our second parents and we owe them a lot,” the CM stated.
“We should follow Sanatan Sanskriti which is very powerful and has been followed for thousands of years. It depicts the strong bond between a student and a guru,” he added.
He further continued, “Odia Asmita is going through a tough phase. PM Modi believes that Odisha will be among the top-performing states in the country. If India is a train, then Odisha will be the first bogie proudly representing ‘Odia Asmita’.”
Recalling his days as a teacher, CM Majhi said, “I was Acharya or Guruji in Sishu Mandir. I was paid Rs 300 as ‘dakshina’, but I was very happy. A teacher also has responsibilities for his family, the education of his kids and their future, or building a home. But first and foremost, the job of a teacher is nation-building and building the future of the children.”
“It cannot be neglected that teachers need better salaries, but our first and foremost goal should be education. We should not forget our ‘dharma’ as a teacher. I used to teach primary school students till Class VII,” he added.
“There are two types of students – those who grab the lessons easily and those who struggle a bit. In such times, the teachers should study the minds of the weak students and help them to succeed. Parents should also guide their children apart from their time in school,” the CM stated.
The CM also recalled how one of his students who was very weak in studies is now a professor at Banaras University.
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“The education system is like a triangle where students, teachers, and parents are the three sides. The teachers should perform their duty diligently during their 8 hours at school, parents should take care of their children at home and the students should also do every bit to fulfill the dreams of their family members,” the CM said.
