Low-cost models, field visits: Ghaziabad teacher wins national award for making a difference

At 63, Dr Renu Tripathi, a science teacher at a government school in Ghaziabad for the past two decades, has defied stereotypes through her innovative teaching methods. Defying expectations, she runs two YouTube channels for students and constantly innovates using low-cost models and field visits to break down complex ideas. A prolific author of 12 books and several research papers, Dr Tripathi's efforts were recognized when she was selected for the National Teachers Award 2026.

The news came to her on August 21, with numerous congratulatory messages from colleagues and former students.

Born in 1958, Tripathi initially pursued a career as a project officer at a government office, working to ensure no child was left behind by identifying school dropouts and counseling them. Her father, also a teacher and school principal, encouraged her to follow in his footsteps. Dr Tripathi fulfilled her promise to her father when she took up a science teaching position at a school in Bulandhshahr in 2003, and later moved to Ghaziabad in 2006.

Tripathi believes that learning should not be confined to classroom walls. She uses field visits and handmade models to teach complex concepts, adapting to new technologies and NEP 2020's emphasis on experiential learning. On a recent trip to the Botanical Garden in Noida, she engaged her students in observing different tree species, fostering active participation in their learning process. This approach proved effective when one of her former sixth-grade students won a national award for a soil erosion model in 2019.

Now a Block Education Officer in Ghaziabad, Dr Tripathi sees the power of her innovative methods in seeing her students succeed, despite economic challenges. Many have become doctors, engineers, teachers, and bank officers. Tripathi encourages a modernized approach to education, using online presentations and WhatsApp groups to connect with students remotely. She hopes to continue teaching underprivileged students even after retirement.