Munish Sood
Mandi
Smt. Suman Kashyap, Headmistress of Government High School Kathlag in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, has been honoured with the State Excellence Award 2026 in the Best Green & Sustainable School category for her exceptional leadership in transforming a small rural school into a model institution for environmental sustainability, community participation and holistic education.
The award was presented by Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur during a state-level Excellence Awards ceremony held at Hotel Holiday Home, Shimla, on Thursday. The award recognises the outstanding contributions of schools and educators promoting innovation, environmental stewardship and quality education across the state.
Under Suman Kashyap’s leadership, Government High School Kathlag, with a student strength of just 35, has emerged as a benchmark for sustainable educational practices despite limited resources. The school has earned widespread appreciation for its innovative green initiatives, academic improvement, student welfare programmes and strong community engagement.
One of the school’s most impactful initiatives has been its Anti-Chitta Awareness Campaign, which brought together students, parents and local residents through awareness rallies and community outreach programmes to educate people about the dangers of drug abuse. According to the school, sustained awareness efforts have helped ensure that no case of Chitta abuse has been reported from the immediate school community.
The school has also actively participated in the national ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation campaign and submitted a proposal under the School Nursery Yojana of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to promote environmental education and the conservation of indigenous plant species.
Regular cleanliness drives, waste management practices, water conservation initiatives, and celebrations of World Environment Day, Earth Day and other important national and international observances have helped create a clean, green and plastic-free campus. Health camps, digital learning initiatives, KYAN smart classes, remedial teaching and special enrolment drives have further strengthened the school’s academic environment.
Students are encouraged to excel beyond academics through active participation in sports, debates, quizzes, cultural programmes and environmental campaigns. One girl student from the school has also qualified for the district-level badminton tournament.
Expressing gratitude after receiving the honour, Suman Kashyap dedicated the award to her students, teachers, parents, the School Management Committee and the local community, saying the recognition reflects their collective commitment towards quality education, environmental conservation and sustainable development.
Education officials described Government High School Kathlag as an inspiring example of how visionary leadership, innovation and community participation can transform even a small rural school into a centre of excellence. The recognition is expected to motivate other government schools across Himachal Pradesh to adopt similar environmentally sustainable and community-driven initiatives.
