Meet 04 Muslims who have won the 2026 National Teachers Award
In a proud moment for the Indian Muslims, President of India Droupadi Murmu Saturday awarded 04 distinguished teachers from the community serving in various parts of India with the 2026 National Teachers Award
New Delhi: In a proud moment for the Indian Muslims, President of India Droupadi Murmu Saturday awarded 04 distinguished teachers from the community serving in various parts of India with the 2026 National Teachers Award.
President Murmu felicitated and honored as many as 48 teachers from all across India on the occasion of Teachers’ Day celebrated every year on September 05, 2026.
Of the 48 award winning teachers 04 - Mohd Mustafa Kamal, Mohammad Zafar Alam, Dr Iftikhar Khan and Mohammad Ayaz Raina, are from the Muslim community.
Instituted in the year 1958, the National Teachers Award is designed to honour and celebrate the unique contribution of some of the finest teachers in the country who through their commitment have enriched the lives of their students and improved the quality of school education.
Along with the brief profile of each one of the National Teachers Award 2026 winners, the Ministry of Education has also released their brief profile – in text as well as in the form a video clip.
Mohd Mustafa Kamal
Mohd Mustafa Kamal of Government Middle School Zgangjing, Sankoo, Kargil, Ladakh, has been awarded for making significant contributions to experiential, contextual, and technology-enabled Social Science education in remote and resource-constrained classrooms.
Kamal is currently posted at Middle School Lanakrchy Thang Sankoo. He also serves as District President of the General Line Teachers Forum, Kargil Ladakh.
“Since 2011, he has transformed local surroundings into learning resources through innovative approaches such as the Cave Classroom, Museum Classroom and Classroom Parliament, connecting history, geography, economics and civics with local heritage, livelihoods and community life”, the Ministry of Education said
“He has integrated School Bhuvan, Google Earth, Stellarium, Kahoot and Quizizz, and contributed digital lessons through PM eVIDYA”, the ministry said.
Mustafa Kamal had earlier also won the Asian Education Award in 2020. He was also among three teachers from Kargil district nominated by the District Selection Committee for the National Teachers Award in 2020.
Iftikhar Khan
Iftkhar Khan of Government Inter College, Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, won the 2026 National Teachers Award for providing free Sunday Art Education to hundreds of students, particularly from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling them to access quality training, career guidance and competitive opportunities.
Iftikhar Khan also organises special painting workshops during the summer holidays, providing children with regular practice and individual guidance. He began providing coaching to students in 2000, when he recognised that talented children from economically weaker families in Ballia had limited opportunities to receive formal training in fine arts or prepare for entrance examinations to leading institutions.
“Under his mentorship, students have excelled in state and national art competitions and gained admission to institutions including IIT, NID, BHU, Jamia Millia Islamia and FDDI. His students have progressed to careers in design, photography, multimedia and creative industries”, the Union Ministry of Education said.
Mohd Ayaz Raina
Mohd Ayaz Raina of Government Higher Secondary School, Dalhori, Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir, has been conferred with the National Teachers Award for dedicating over 30 years to advancing technology-driven, experiential and equitable education in remote and border regions.
"He pioneered ICT adoption by establishing a computer laboratory in a remote school and has integrated smart boards, virtual laboratories, digital assessments, educational apps and interactive e-content into classroom teaching. His low-cost science innovations and activity-based pedagogy have made complex concepts engaging and accessible", the Ministry of Education said.
Raina's efforts have previously earned him several honours including the National Information and Communication Technology Award in 2017 and the Best Teacher Award of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 2021.
Raina has also received the Global Teacher Award 2021 and the Global Best Educational Poster Award 2020.
Mohammed Zafar Alam
Md. Zafar Alam, Principal, Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) Karanjia, Odisha, has been conferred with the National Teachers Award 2026 for transforming tribal education with 20+ years of service. Blending technology, sports & experiential learning with tribal heritage, he led EMRS Karanjia to 100% Class X results & 16 national sports medals.
Located at Banuria (Tato), the residential and co-educational school operated under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, was established in 2017-18 for Classes 6 to 12. It has around 410 students and an overall capacity of around 480.
"Through enrollment drives, anti-addiction campaigns & financial support for higher education, Zafar Alam drives socio-educational progress for marginalized students", the Ministry of Education said.
[Inaya Faizee is Journalism Trainee at ummid.com.]
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