Chennai: The Lions Club of Meenambakkam, in association with Mission Guru Devo Bhava, on Friday hosted the inaugural edition of the Vidhya Seva Samman Awards 2025 to honour teachers for their outstanding contribution to education and children.

Held at D.A.V. Girls Senior Secondary School, Gopalapuram, the ceremony recognised 20 teachers from across Chennai for their impact on students and the education ecosystem. Each awardee received a citation and a cash prize of ₹21,000.

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Dr Irai Anbu presented the awards and spoke on the role of teachers in nation building, calling the initiative an effort to “enhance pride in teaching and honour of teachers.”

The programme also featured a session on “Happy Teachers - Happy Classrooms” by educationist Vidya Shankar Chakravarthy, and felicitations by DAV Group of Schools Director Shanthy Asokan. A short documentary on teachers who left corporate careers to serve in schools was screened during the event.

“Teachers are the true nation builders,” said Ln. CA Anil Khicha, Co-Founder of Mission Guru Devo Bhava. Lions Club of Meenambakkam President A Balaji added that the awards celebrated “the true heroes of society—our teachers.”

One of the awardees, S Mala of The Children's Garden Higher Secondary School, said, “Those who light the lamp of knowledge keep the flame of humanity alive.”

Mission Guru Devo Bhava, launched in 2012 under the guidance of CA S Gurumurthy, works to enhance pride in teaching through documentaries, discussions and forums.

The Lions Club of Meenambakkam, one of the oldest in India, has been active in social service for over six decades.