Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Telegraph School Awards Honor Courage, Resilience and Remarkable Comebacks
The Telegraph School Awards celebrated people who stayed brave during very difficult times.
Some children faced serious illnesses or disabilities but continued with their lives.
Pritam Das helped a girl avoid an early marriage so she could continue her education.
Md Zianul Molla lost both arms in an accident but learned to write and use computers with his feet.
The event also recognized adults who work hard and follow their talents.
Shovan Chakraborty sings while working as a teacher, and Sujay Bhaduri hopes to become a full-time artist.
Bharati Mudi trains tribal girls to play football for free.
Other honorees included an elderly taxi driver, a longtime teacher and a tiger-rescue worker.
The main lesson was that setbacks do not have to stop people from making a comeback.
The 2026 Telegraph School Awards celebrated students who showed courage, resilience and determination despite serious challenges.
Pritam Das, 12, helped prevent a child marriage, while Md Zianul Molla learned to write and use computers with his feet after losing both arms.
The event also honored everyday champions, including artists Shovan Chakraborty and Sujay Bhaduri, taxi driver Rabindranath Sarkar and football coach Bharati Mudi.
Mary Ann Dasgupta, 89, was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her teaching, writing and community work in Bengal.
The programme highlighted tiger conservation, climate concerns and the message that people can recover from difficult circumstances.
- Who
- Students receiving the Telegraph School Awards, along with educators, artists, workers, community volunteers and other honorees.
- What
- The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence 2026 recognized courage, resilience, achievement and service.
- When
- Saturday, August 29, 2026.
- Where
- Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata, with honorees and stories from Bengal locations including Bankura, Purulia and the Sundarbans.
- Why
- To celebrate people whose determination and service demonstrated that adversity does not have to defeat them.
- Event
- The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence 2026
- Organizers and partners
- Presented by IIHM in association with The Bhawanipur Education Society College and Exide
- Venue
- Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium
- Hall of Fame inductee
- Mary Ann Dasgupta, 89
- Courage award recipient
- Pritam Das, 12, who helped prevent a child marriage
- Courage award recipient
- Md Zianul Molla, who learned to write and type with his feet after losing both arms
- Community work recognized
- Bharati Mudi’s free football coaching for tribal girls and Usman Molla’s tiger-human conflict response work