{
  "id": 5723645,
  "title": "Meet Radha Rajesh, teacher using Messi and real-life stories to explain biology",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/meet-radha-rajesh-teacher-using-messi-and-real-life-stories-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T05:21:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/meet-radha-rajesh-the-bengaluru-teacher-who-uses-lionel-messi-parkinsons-disease-and-michael-schumachers-accident-to-make-biology-relatable-she-is-among-48-teachers-selected-for-the-national-teachers-award-2026/articleshow/133756685.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Biology teacher Radha Rajesh uses the stories of Messi, Parkinson's disease, and Michael Schumacher's skiing accident to make complex biological concepts more accessible and relatable for her students. As the Head of Department at New Horizon Public School in Bengaluru, Rajesh has been selected for the National Teachers' Award 2026, set to be awarded by President Droupadi Murmu on September 5 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. For Rajesh, the award is a recognition of her efforts to encourage critical thinking, independent research, and confidence in students beyond mere examination scores. By connecting scientific concepts to real-life examples, she hopes to spark curiosity and motivate students to explore biology beyond textbook definitions. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes understanding individual learners and providing opportunities for participation, questioning, and experimentation. Rajesh utilizes various technological resources, including animations, simulations, virtual laboratories, and AI-enabled tools, while emphasizing the importance of independent thinking. Her dedication to science education has earned her numerous accolades, including the Teachers' Insight Award from ISRO and the Educator of Excellence Award in 2023. Beyond the national recognition, Rajesh takes great pride in the impact her teaching has had on her former students, some of whom have pursued careers in medicine, research, and other fields, crediting her for shaping their perspectives on biology.",
  "summary": "Biology teacher Radha Rajesh of New Horizon Public School, Bengaluru, has been selected for the National Teachers’ Award 2026, representing CISCE. Known for connecting classroom concepts with real-life examples, she uses cases involving Parkinson’s disease, Lionel Messi and Michael Schumacher to make Biology relatable. Rajesh combines technology, AI, projects and hands-on learning while…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}