Punjab: Teacher dedicated to education despite kidney problem

Punjab: There is an unusual silence in the classroom as the students wait for their beloved teacher to begin the lecture. Suddenly, a powerful voice fills the air and the students listen to each word attentively. The teacher makes sure that he asks each student if they are understanding the lecture or have any questions. Deepak Prakash, the headmaster posted at Government Primary School, Mandla Chanana, is an epitome of bravery and dedication towards education and his students. Unless one meets him, one cannot know the struggle he is going through and what his battle is with time. In the classroom, he wears a belt around his waist. Both his kidneys have failed and he has to go for dialysis regularly. This has been going on since 2018. Deepak is now waiting for a transplant. Still, no disappointment can be seen on his face. The school, located in Lohian block, has over 80 students. The medical problem did not become a hindrance to Deepak’s love for teaching. He has been serving in the remote area for a long time. He started his teaching career from a private school in 2003 before getting a government job in 2009. Deepak was employed as a teacher in the government school in Noormahal and was later appointed as the centre head teacher in Government School, Nahal. “I joined this school in 2016. I have been suffering from kidney problems since 2013 and have been on dialysis for the last seven years,” he told The Tribune. During the floods of 2019 and 2023, the Mandla Channa school was the worst affected as it was submerged in water for several days. But the teacher did not stay behind. He himself went inside the school to clean the mud and silt. Even during the admission season, he visits every house in the village to convince parents to send their children to school. He urged the villagers to educate their children. “This is my ultimate goal. I don’t want any child to be left out,” he said. However, Deepak does not like to talk much about his medical problem. He said, “I don’t even want to think about my problem. If I start paying too much attention to it, it will get worse. I do everything happily.” Deepak, a father of two girls, says that he knows the importance of education for girls. He wants to provide free education to the girls of the village.