Sopore Teacher Scripts National Success at TLM League 2025

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, Jan 17 :  Sufeena Bano, a multi-award-winning teacher educator from North Kashmir’s Sopore has secured national recognition by earning a place among the Top Ten National TLM Champions at the National TLM League 2025. Her achievement brings honour to the Directorate of School Education, Kashmir (DSEK), and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The National TLM League 2025 was organised through The Teacher App — a digital EdTech platform initiated by the Bharti Airtel Foundation — in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of India, various state Directorates of Education, and other supporting institutions. The nationwide initiative aimed to promote innovation in teaching-learning materials (TLMs).

The competition followed a rigorous three-tier evaluation process, attracting over 5,000 entries from across India. Following initial screening, 600 TLMs were shortlisted for Round One, which was further narrowed to 200 entries in Round Two. From these, 36 innovative TLMs were selected for the final stage, culminating in the selection of the Top Ten National TLM Champions.

The award ceremony was held at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi on January 16, 2026. Winners were felicitated with awards, cash prizes, and supplementary gifts. The organisers also arranged air travel, accommodation at Urban Oasis – New Millennium, and hospitality for the awardees.

The Top Ten TLM Champions represented Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Delhi, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir, reflecting the pan-India reach of the competition.

The event was attended by distinguished dignitaries, including Lt Col Jitendra Verma (OSD, Education & Skill Development, NITI Aayog), Manoj Kumar Srivastava (Director – Training, CBSE), Arun Kapur (Director, Pallavan Learning Systems), and Rakesh Bharti Mittal (Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises and Bharti Airtel Foundation).

Speaking to Kashmir Convener, Sufeena Bano stated that the recognition reinforces her belief in teacher-led innovation and motivates her to continue designing meaningful, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences, particularly for students in underserved contexts.

She expressed gratitude to Rakesh Bharti Mittal for spearheading such initiatives and voiced hope that this national movement would continue to inspire and empower innovative teachers across the country.

This is not Bano’s first accolade: she was previously honoured with the “Best Teacher 2023 Award” at the Union Territory level by the Department of Education, presented at a ceremony in Srinagar attended by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

In addition to receiving the prestigious TLM Champion title, Sufeena Bano also participated as a panelist in a special discussion held during the event, highlighting her contributions to innovative pedagogy at the national level.

Her achievement has been widely applauded by the education fraternity and is seen as a significant milestone for educators from Jammu and Kashmir on the national stage.

Sufeena Bano is a highly respected, multi-award-winning educator and resource person from the Baramulla district. She is also a content creator, mentor teacher, TLM innovator, environmental and social campaigner, community mobiliser, and a committed social activist.