Bhubaneswar, August 5: For most teachers, retirement marks the end of a long professional journey. The classroom is left behind, the school bell no longer dictates the day, and years of service become memories.
But for Chintamani Rout, Balaram Sahu and another retired educator Banamali sir, retirement was never the end. It was simply the beginning of a different chapter—one in which teaching became less a profession and more a personal mission.
Even decades after hanging up their official responsibilities, these teachers continue to walk into classrooms, meet students and share what they know. They receive no salary for it. What keeps them going is something far more enduring—the joy of seeing a child learn.
At 85, Chintamani Rout continues to arrive at Paschimaleswar Government High School in Banito under Kujang block every morning. He reaches school around 9.30 am, joins the students during the morning prayer and then teaches children from Classes I to VII. When school ends at around 4 pm, he walks back home.
Rout lives in Gorada (Kelapada), barely 500 metres from the school. Despite his age, he makes the journey on foot every day and remains active enough to teach without even needing spectacles.
His teaching career began in 1962, when his monthly salary was only Rs 80. He was transferred to Paschimaleswar Primary School in 1965 and later became its headmaster. He retired in August 1999, but teaching never really left him.
For Rout, the classroom remains a familiar and cherished place. Former students, including those who later became teachers themselves, remember him with affection. His dedication has also earned appreciation from colleagues and education officials, although he has never received a government award for his post-retirement contribution.
Then there is 68-year-old Balaram Sahu, whose classroom has no fixed address.
Eight years after retiring as a headmaster, Sahu continues to travel from school to school carrying two bags packed with science equipment. To children, his demonstrations may initially look like magic. But behind every trick is a scientific principle.
Born in Padmavati village of Khandapada block in Nayagarh district, Sahu spent 38 years in teaching before retiring on June 30, 2018. His contribution to education earned him the Governor’s Award in 2012 and the President’s Award in 2017.
During his service, he even established a science laboratory at his home, purchasing equipment at his own expense and conducting experiments to make difficult concepts easier for children. He also helped meritorious students participate in science competitions, accompanying them to Delhi four times and Kolkata three times.
Retirement did not slow him down. He continues to visit schools across Kandhamal, as well as parts of Jajpur and Bhanjanagar, teaching science without accepting any remuneration. For the past seven years, he has also financially supported Class X toppers in different schools.
His philosophy is simple: he will continue teaching for as long as he is physically capable.
Banamali Sir, 83 of Bhogarai in Balasore district represents the same spirit of service. After spending several decades in teaching, he retired from government service but refused to let retirement end his association with children and education. Even at an advanced age, he continues to spend his time teaching and helping students with their studies.
For Banamali, teaching is not about earning money. His motivation comes from the belief that education can transform children's lives and give them the confidence to move forward. His continued association with students has earned him admiration from both teachers and the local community. One of his former students, who later became a teacher, fondly recalls learning under him—an example of how a teacher's influence can travel from one generation to another.
Whether it is Rout walking to the same school every morning or Sahu travelling from one school to another with bags of scientific equipment, their journeys tell the same story.
They may have retired from government service, but they never retired from being teachers.
Their classrooms may be different, their methods may vary, and their years of service may belong to different eras. Yet their purpose remains the same—to put knowledge into young minds and help children discover the possibilities that education can open.
On Teachers’ Day, their stories offer a reminder that a teacher's real retirement does not come with a government order. It comes only when the desire to teach disappears—and for these teachers, that desire is still alive.
