Kalyani’s relentless efforts bore fruit. Enrollment rose to 53. More importantly, she ensured quality—helping 23 students’ secured seats in prestigious Gurukul schools and one in Navodaya Vidyalaya.

Passion for teaching and an unwavering spirit shown by a teacher M Kalyani Kumari helped revive the Mandal Parishad Primary School in Kurnool. Kalyani, who hails from Alur in Kurnool district was posted at the school in 2017 but found to her dismay-only two students attended school despite 14 taking admission.

Kalyani took it as a personal mission to revive the school. Using her own savings, she painted the school, distributed additional learning materials, and went door-to-door convincing parents to trust the public education system. Her relentless efforts bore fruit. Enrollment rose to 53. More importantly, she ensured quality—helping 23 students’ secured seats in prestigious Gurukul schools and one in Navodaya Vidyalaya.

She completed B Sc and B Ed in Adoni and after marriage, appeared for DSC and her first posting was in 2010 as a teacher at Nagarakanvi Primary School in Holagunda mandal. Later in 2017, she was posted in MPP School in Jeevaralmala Tanda (JM Tanda).

Impressed by her achievements, Minister Lokesh invited Kalyani and her family for an interaction at his home in Undavalli. He praised her efforts, calling her journey “a chapter of history written with one hand.” “What you achieved as a single teacher is nothing short of a revolution. There is much we can learn from you,” he told her.  He felicitated her with the ‘Shining Teacher’ award.

Kalyani didn’t just receive praise, she offered concrete suggestions. She emphasized the need to assign an additional teacher to single-teacher schools, organize regular parent meetings, and introduce motivational programs like “Star of the Week” to boost student morale.

Lokesh took note and acknowledged that nearly 9,600 schools in the state currently have only one teacher per class, and committed to expanding the staffing model. He also reiterated the government's focus on learning outcomes and pledged to resolve hurdles in teacher recruitment through the pending DSC (District Selection Committee) process.

For Kalyani Kumari, being honored at the residence of a cabinet minister was a moment she says she'll “never forget in her life.” Lokesh, on the other hand, remarked that it is the dedication of teachers like her that forms the backbone of Andhra Pradesh’s public education system.