CHENNAI: Rotary International District 3233 honoured as many as 113 teachers at the third edition of the Aasaan – Vocational Excellence Awards to Teachers 2026, held at Guru Nanak College in Velachery on Tuesday.

The awards ceremony, held on Vijayadashami, recognised educators from government and private schools associated with Rotary Clubs across the district for their contributions to education and student development.

The Vocational Service Team screened more than 300 nominations before a distinguished jury shortlisted 113 teachers for the honours. The selection criteria included professional qualifications, a minimum of 20 years of teaching experience, positive contributions to students’ academic and personal growth, ethical standards and commitment to professional development.

Rotary District Governor Shriram Duvvuri led the initiative, with the support from Aasaan Awards 2026 chairman Arulkanth Jayakanthan and district director for vocational service R Balasubramanian. State Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Digital Services, R Kumar, was the chief guest, while Anna Nagar MLA V K Ramkumar was the guest of honour.

More than 750 guests, including education officials, school principals, educationists, Rotarians and the awardees’ families attended the event. The initiative aimed to promote public appreciation of the teaching profession and recognise educators’ contributions to shaping future generations.