Resilience Amid Ruins: Gushaini Govt Senior Secondary School Hosts Annual Function with Raja Singh Malhotra as Chief Guest. 

Annual Prize Distribution Held at Temporary Campus; Demand Raised for New School Building and Filling of Vacant Posts. 

Gushaini, Tirthan Valley, Banjar (Kullu):

The Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS), Gushaini, located in the scenic but disaster-prone Tirthan Valley of Banjar subdivision in Kullu district, has emerged as a shining example of determination and resilience. Though the school lost its original building due to repeated natural calamities, its spirit, commitment to education, and collective resolve of students, teachers, and the school management remain unbroken.

Despite operating under changed circumstances and limited resources, the school successfully organized its Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony on Wednesday at its newly shifted temporary campus in Badiropa. The event was marked by enthusiasm, dignity, and a strong message that while buildings may collapse, courage, unity, and dedication to education never do.

The ceremony was attended by noted social worker, BJP leader and businessman Raja Singh Malhotra as the Chief Guest. Special guests included Dineshwar Prasad, Mahender Chauhan, Vice Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Kandhidhar, and Varun Bharti. Members of the School Management Committee, panchayat representatives, social organizations, parents, teachers, and local residents were present in large numbers. All guests were welcomed in a traditional manner by the school fraternity.

Chief Guest Raja Singh Malhotra said, “Gushaini School has shown that true education is not confined to buildings but lives in courage, unity, and determination. Despite natural disasters and limited resources, the dedication of teachers, students, and the community here is truly inspiring and sets an example for the entire society.”

Presenting the annual report, Principal K.L. Sharma highlighted the rich history of the institution, which was established as a primary school in 1924, upgraded to middle school in 1966, high school in 1973, and senior secondary school in 2002.

He said that the school has been repeatedly affected by natural disasters. The floods of 2005 and 2023, followed by massive landslides in 2024–25, rendered the school building and surrounding area unsafe, forcing the administration to shift classes to an alternative location to continue the academic session without disruption.

The Principal expressed special gratitude to Mahender Chauhan, who generously provided his private building free of cost for the school’s use until 31 March 2026, calling his contribution invaluable during this crisis.

He also acknowledged the support of various donors who came forward during the difficult times. Sarvjeet Singh Bobby donated Rs. 50,000; Karyansh Foundation provided 200 chairs, a printer, books, and water filters; Shakuntala Devi donated Rs. 35,000; Chachyot Nidhi Limited contributed Rs. 50,000; Chandrakant Shalat donated Rs. 11,000; Tirthan Valley Student Association provided Rs. 9,000; Raja Singh Malhotra donated chairs, blackboards, and a water tank; Vineet supported the Mid-Day Meal kitchen items; Gushaini Taxi Union installed an electricity meter; and Yograj Negi contributed Rs. 2,000 in cash.

The school also expressed its gratitude to the SDM Banjar, Tehsildar Banjar, Jal Shakti Department, Electricity Department, Public Works Department, and the School Management Committee for their continuous support.

Currently, the school has 422 students enrolled, divided into four houses—Subhash, Bhagat Singh, Gandhi, and Rani Lakshmibai. The staff includes the Principal, 20 teachers, one assistant, two peons, and one chowkidar. However, several key posts including Hindi Lecturer, Sanskrit Lecturer, Computer Science Lecturer, DPE, and Senior Assistant are lying vacant.

Despite these challenges, the school recorded excellent academic performance in the 2024–25 board examinations. In Class 10, Aarti Jufra secured first position, Diksha Bisht second, and Sujal third. In Class 12 Arts, Sunita Devi stood first, Rajkumar second, and Aarti Devi third. In Class 12 Science, Shalu (93%) secured first position, followed by Ambika (75%) and Jyoti Devi (74%).

In Class 11 Arts, Sonika (90%) topped, followed by Kanika Bisht (88.8%) and Sapna Devi (79%). In Class 11 Non-Medical, Puneet Joshi (91%) stood first, Saneha (78.6%) second, and Vanshika Thakur (74.4%) third.

Students were also selected for sports like kho-kho, kabaddi, and volleyball, though competitions were postponed due to heavy rainfall. Science models and mathematics activities were conducted under the Children’s Science Congress at the school level. Programs such as Swachhta Pakhwada, International Yoga Day, Road Safety Week, Anti-Drug Day, and Voter Awareness Day were organized throughout the year.

The NSS unit conducted a seven-day special camp, carrying out cleanliness drives in the school and village and planting 100 deodar saplings. Units like Scouts and Guides, Red Cross, and Disaster Management Committee remained active, providing students with training in first aid, disaster preparedness, and social service.

Special honors were awarded to Kamlesh (Class 12) as Best Boy of the Year and Kanika Bisht as Best Girl of the Year. Ved Prakash and Sapna Devi were awarded Best NSS Volunteers. Students with the highest attendance from various classes were also felicitated.

At the conclusion of the program, Vice Principal Prakash Deepak expressed gratitude to all guests, donors, parents, and teachers for the successful organization and wished the students a bright future.

Local residents and parents urged the government and administration to construct a new permanent school building at the earliest and fill the vacant teaching and non-teaching posts on priority, ensuring that the education of children in this disaster-affected region is not hampered in the future.