On 5th March 2021, a District-Level Low-Cost/No-Cost Teaching-Learning Material (TLM) Development Competition was organized for primary-level teachers in Namchi Bazar, South Sikkim. Conceptualized by the then Head of the South District Education Office, Mr. Dhan Bahadur Subba, and conducted under the banner of the District Education Office, this initiative was the first of its kind in Sikkim—and, to the best of our knowledge, possibly across India. With the participation of nearly 99% of government primary school teachers from the district, the event marked a significant moment in the region’s educational journey. It also saw active involvement from Block Education Offices, ensuring widespread participation and the presentation of highly relevant, locally rooted TLMs. The District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), South Sikkim, served as the judging body. Winning teachers were honored with certificates and prizes in recognition of their innovation and creativity.
Regrettably, this unprecedented event remains absent from online sources, including major search engines like Google. As the originator of the idea, I find it surprising—and somewhat disheartening—that such a historic milestone in grassroots educational reform has gone unrecorded in the broader narrative of Indian education.
