The event was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhury, along with secretaries from the two ministries.

Dr Gandhimathi’s innovative teaching methods, which have had a profound impact on students, set her apart from the several hundred entries received nationally. Beyond the classroom, her significant contributions to empowering women in the community were also recognised.

“Being counted among the 16 best teachers from engineering colleges and polytechnics in the country, and being honoured by President Droupadi Murmu, who herself excelled as a school teacher in her distinguished career, is the greatest recognition I could ask for,” said Dr A Gandhimathi.

“National awards like these serve to remind the entire teaching community of our higher purpose—preparing young talent,” she added.

Encouragement by PM Modi

Dr Gandhimathi was among a few of the awardees who interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an informal meeting at his residence the following day.

“It was a privilege to meet with the Prime Minister, who spoke with us so warmly. His words were truly inspiring,” said Dr Gandhimathi, reflecting on the experience. “He spoke about the vital role teachers play in transforming the nation, which reaffirmed my commitment to making a difference in the lives of students.”

The Prime Minister underlined the importance of the mother tongue in the education system while also emphasising the significance of English language proficiency.

“This National Award for Dr Gandhimathi is equally an honour for Thiagarajar Polytechnic College, which has played a pioneering role in preparing diploma holders in engineering and technology to excel in their communication,” said Principal V Karthikeyan of Thiagarajar Polytechnic College.

Mr C Valliappa, Chairman of the Sona Group of Institutions, added, “The Thiagarajar Polytechnic College ecosystem—especially the faculty, students, parents, alumni, and employers—can take pride in contributing to this rare honour for the 66-year-old institution.”

After graduating from Vellalar College for Women, Erode, Gandhimathi earned her Master’s and MPhil degrees from Annamalai University and a doctoral degree in English Literature from Periyar University.

As faculty and Head of the English Department at Thiagarajar Polytechnic College, Gandhimathi is known for creating an exceptional learning environment through pioneering Student-Centric Learning, Student Facilitator Scheme, Tech Talk, and Employer-Centric Learning, leading to a 99 per cent academic success rate for her students.

Of the nine NPTEL courses she completed, she earned four Gold and two Silver medals. She has published 22 research papers, authored 10 articles, and participated in over 100 training sessions.