Baramulla teacher Reyaz Ahmad Ganai selected for Prestigious IISF 2025 in Chandigarh

Bringing laurels to the valley, a government school teacher from Baramulla district has been selected for the nationally competitive India International Science Festival (IISF).

Reyaz Ahmad Ganai, posted at Government Boys Middle School Sheeri Payeen in the Fathegarh zone of Baramulla, has achieved a rare double selection.

Following his participation in the IISF 2023 and National Technology Week 2024 cohort, Ganai has now been formally selected as a featured delegate for the IISF 2025.

In 2023, Ganai’s selection for IISF placed him within the exclusive "Aspiring India National Science Teachers’ Workshop," a capacity-building initiative focused on enhancing scientific pedagogy and fostering innovative instructional methodologies at the grassroots level.

Reyaz Ganai has been designated as an Innovative Educator under the festival’s "Science Safari" track.

His nomination emerged from a pool of over 1000 national applicants, earning him a position among the top 200 participants selected for the flagship event.

IISF 2025 will be convened at IITM-Pune under the thematic banner “Vigyan Se Samruddhi – For Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

The "Science Safari" module is a strategic outreach initiative designed to deploy gamified and experiential learning frameworks.

It aims to cultivate core competencies in problem-solving, collaborative project design, and the applied integration of STEM principles with national developmental goals, aligning with the broader Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

"This consecutive recognition validates a pedagogical model, but its execution is a collaborative effort. I am highly grateful to my Zonal Education Officer, my HoI, my colleagues, and officers at he district level for their support and encouragement," Ganai said.

He also said the Chief Education Office Baramulla, Director School Education Kashmir, JKSCERT provided the critical opportunity and platform to exhibit and hone his professional skills as a mentor.

"The collective support enabled me to guide innovative students across the board," he added.

He said the selection provides a national platform to advocate for sustained institutional investment in professional development, particularly for educators in remote regions.

The IISF is a premier annual event organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministery of Earth Sciences and the Ministry of Education, Government of India, in partnership with Vijnana Bharati.