S Gopal Puri
Indora (Himachal): On February 1, 2026, the lush campus of Aarni University at Indora, Himachal Pradesh, witnessed a cricket match that went far beyond runs and wickets. It was a face-off between fame and foundation — celebrity singers of Himachal Pradesh versus the educators who shape the future of the state.
The celebrity side, aptly named the Shining Star Team, brought together popular voices like AC Bhardwaj (captain), Santosh Toshi, Bansi Bobby, Kumar Sahil, Deepak Chauhan, Arun Kaushal, Raj Jerry, Sahil Chalotra, Ishan Bhardwaj, Sahil TPL, Mohit Garg and Poonam Bhardwaj. Music icons exchanged microphones for bats, sending a powerful message that influence comes with responsibility.
Facing them was Educator 11 — a formidable team of teachers and principals representing some of Himachal Pradesh’s leading educational institutions. The team included Shubham Dhauria from Adarsh Senior Secondary School, Rahul Kashyap from Rainbow School, Suraj Dagotra from Government Senior Secondary School, Kangra, Sanjeev Sharma from Sunrise School, Basantpur, Sandeep Kumar from Mount Carmel School, Rajneesh Kumar from Partap World School, Dinesh Kumar from GAV Public School, Kangra, Suresh Kumar from Green Land School, Deepak Kaushal from Montessori Cambridge School, VK Yadav from DAV Palampur, Souguny S from Rose Public School, Nurpur, and Jitender Pathania from Shivlik Public School, Ganoh.
Played under the powerful social theme “Chitte par Chot”, the match symbolised a collective stand against drug abuse. Demonstrating discipline, teamwork and strategy, Educator 11 posted a competitive total of 86 runs in 12 overs and went on to win the match, earning not just the trophy but a standing ovation from the audience.
The educators’ victory over celebrities delivered a compelling message — teachers remain the strongest guardians of society, playing a decisive role in steering youth away from drugs, distractions and destructive paths through the power of right education.
