Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with the winners of the National Teachers’ Awards at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, in New Delhi. The interaction covered teaching methods, public speaking, hidden talents among students, screen addiction, drug abuse and the importance of protecting childhood. The discussion also included several light-hearted moments between the Prime Minister and the award-winning teachers.

Sharing a video of the interaction on Teachers’ Day, PM Modi wrote on X, "Teachers' Day is about appreciating the strong contribution of teachers to our society. It is also a day to pay homage to Dr. S. Radhakrishnan. Here is what happened when the National Teachers' Awards winners were invited to 7, LKM yesterday."

During the interaction, one teacher spoke about teaching students how to conduct interviews through an innovative approach. PM Modi responded humorously by suggesting that the students might also be interviewing their parents at home. "They must be interviewing their parents at home too. Like, 'Why did you cook this? Why did you cook it this way? Who made this decision? How much was spent on the budget?'" he quipped. The teacher laughed and said, "Yes, sir. And now, just for fun, all the kids in my school want to be reporters."

Another teacher, who trains students in public speaking, was asked by PM Modi what advice she would give to a student who wanted to become a skilled speaker. "If I were your student and wanted to become a skilled orator, what tips would you give me? What should I do?" he asked. The teacher said confidence was the first requirement and that it came with regular practice. She then admitted that she herself was nervous during the interaction. "Sorry, sir... even I was a bit nervous myself, seeing your aura," she said.

Her comment led to a playful exchange. PM Modi asked, "So, you mean to say that to be a public speaker, one shouldn't have an aura?" The teacher quickly clarified, "No, one should have it. Yours is already there, sir." PM Modi replied, "Then people won't listen! They will just keep looking at your aura." The teacher added, "They could just keep looking at you, sir."

PM Modi also spoke about the need to recognise talents in children who may not perform well in academics. He asked teachers whether they made efforts to identify such abilities. "It's possible that a child might not be good at academics. But God has given everyone some strength. Do you teachers try to identify their talent?" he asked. One teacher said this remained a major focus in her school. She said every child had a different quality, talent and challenge.

Another awardee spoke about the impact of the Eklavya schools initiative on first-generation learners. She said the initiative had helped connect with families whose children had never seen a school before. "By opening Eklavya, you didn't just build a school... rather, in my opinion, you've connected with as many families who are first-generation learners today; they never saw a school. Their children are now dreaming of NITs and IITs, and qualifying for medical exams," she said.

A teacher involved in breast cancer awareness among women also shared her work. She said many women still hesitate to discuss the issue. Her efforts include primary screening and helping women understand when they may need medical advice.

PM Modi recalled his own breast cancer awareness campaign in Kashi. "Since you're working on this subject, I'm the MP from Kashi. So, I started a campaign there for breast cancer awareness. And I'm very happy that these days, women are coming forward on their own for check-ups," he said. He also noted that the initiative had once helped register a Guinness World Record for the highest number of people screened in a single day.

The Prime Minister then highlighted growing screen time among children. He described it as "a kind of addiction" and suggested sports and creative activities to help children reduce their dependence on screens. "Either that child will start taking a lot of interest in sports... and by sports, I don't mean video games but actually playing on the field. Then slowly, they can come out of it. And we should make it a habit to involve kids as much as possible in creativity, and we should design some programmes for that," he said.

PM Modi also warned teachers about drug abuse among students. He said the problem was no longer limited to large cities or universities. "Now take the case of drugs. It's not just in big cities or universities anymore, nobody even knows what it is; someone just comes and gives it," he said. He urged teachers to remain alert and watch for changes in children's behaviour.

At the end of the interaction, PM Modi stressed that education must go beyond textbooks and syllabuses. "We need to step outside of books and the syllabus much more than before and get into the lives of children. Childhood shouldn't be allowed to die. And the biggest task of keeping childhood alive can be done by a teacher. It's the teacher's job to ensure the child within remains," he said while extending his wishes to the award winners.

Earlier on Friday, President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Teachers Awards to 48 school teachers at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The winners were selected through a three-stage process at the district, state and national levels. The awardees included 26 men and 22 women from 27 states, seven Union Territories and six central government organisations.

Teachers' Day is observed every year on September 5 to mark the birth anniversary of former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. A philosopher, scholar and teacher, Radhakrishnan's legacy continues to be honoured through the day dedicated to educators across India.