The Teacher Who Walked Miles for Her Students And Transformed a Forgotten Village in Rajasthan

Every morning in the small village of Katailpura, Rajasthan, when the rising sun catches the golden dust on the narrow lanes, Darshna Chaudhary, a 42-year-old government school teacher, walks to her classroom. 

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It is a walk she has made for nearly a decade, five kilometres from Basedi to the Government Upper Primary School where she teaches children from Classes 1 to 8.

“When I first came here, there was no proper road. It was raining heavily, and the streets were filled with mud. I had to put stones on the ground to step on, just to reach the school. Still, I remember that day clearly, because it was the first step in a journey that changed my life,” she says.

The path she walks each morning is symbolic of the path she has travelled in life, long, uneven, and at times exhausting, but guided by purpose and belief.

Where roots took hold: A village girl’s dream

Darshna was born in Bhuthan Kalan, a small farming village in the Fatehabad district of Haryana. The eldest of three sisters, she grew up in a family where education for girls was often considered unnecessary. 

“My father is a farmer,” she tells The Better India. “In our village, people believed that if a girl studied too much, it would be difficult to find her a husband. Most girls stopped studying after Class 10 or 12.”

She had a determination that could not be subdued. After finishing Class 10 in her village school, she wished to study further. The nearest college, however, was 18 kilometres away, and her parents would not allow her to travel alone. 

“I decided to study from home. There was an option for private study. We used to fill forms, prepare by ourselves, and go to the university only for the examinations,” she explains.

Her uncle’s daughter helped her complete the formalities each year, and Darshna, along with her sisters, studied late into the night at home. “There were no teachers, no classrooms, and no one to guide us,” she says.

Over the years, she earned two master’s degrees, one in political science and another in philosophy, and later a bachelor of education from Kurukshetra University. 

“It was not easy, but I wanted to prove that a girl from a small village could achieve anything through learning,” she adds.

A new chapter: Marriage and the city classroom

In 2008, after completing her B Ed, Darshna married and moved to the village of Ber in Rajasthan. Her husband ran a small business in Sikar, where she soon began teaching at Tagore International School, an English-medium institution. 

“It was my first formal job,” she says. “I taught English and social studies for three years, since 2011. That experience gave me confidence and shaped my way of teaching.”

While she enjoyed the classroom, her heart remained drawn to the countryside. “In cities, children already had opportunities. But in the villages, many still worked in fields or stayed home to help their families. I wanted to go where teachers were needed the most,” she says.

Finding her calling in the fields of Dholpur

Her chance came in 2015, when she was appointed as a government teacher in the Dholpur district of Rajasthan. She was posted to the Government Upper Primary School, Katailpura, a small, remote school surrounded by farmland.

“When I first arrived, I could not even find the school,” she recalls with a smile. “The lanes were narrow and full of mud. When I finally reached, I saw a small building with a handful of children.”

There were only 17 students, most of whom attended irregularly. “They used to come only when the mid-day meal was served,” she says. “They would eat and leave. No one thought school was important.”

Becoming one with the village

In the initial years, she decided to live in the village itself, renting a modest room nearby so she could understand the community better. 

“I wanted the parents to know that I was one of them. In the evenings, I visited homes, spoke to families, and convinced them that their children needed education. Many of them had never heard such a thing from a teacher before,” she says.

Winning the villagers’ trust was not easy. “Sometimes, parents told me there was no point in sending girls to school,” she says. “I used to tell them that education will not take your daughters away; it will give them the strength to stand on their own feet. Slowly, they began to listen.”

Her days were long and demanding. “I worked from seven in the morning till seven in the evening. In the mornings, I taught children who did not know the alphabet; in the afternoons, those who could read a little. There were few teachers, so I had to teach every subject,” she explains.

Gradually, she introduced small but substantial changes like morning prayers, uniforms, and discipline. “When a child did something well, I gave them a toffee,” she smiles. “Small rewards helped build habits. Slowly, they began to love school.”

Teaching through heat, rain, and darkness

The challenges never disappeared. “Last year, the village had no electricity for four months. The transformer was removed because the bills had not been paid. We studied under the trees, sitting on the ground. When it rained, we squeezed everyone into one room. When it became dark, we used our mobile torches to continue reading. The children never complained; they just wanted to learn,” Darshna recalls.

The school still has only four classrooms for eight classes, but the teachers have learnt to adapt. 
“When I teach geography, I take them outside. We make a small volcano out of soil and pour water to show how lava flows. When we study plants, we go to the fields. Learning becomes real when children can touch and see,” the teacher adds.

From few to many: The classroom that grew

After years of tireless work, her efforts began to bear fruit. More teachers joined, increasing the teacher strength to six, and attendance improved. Today, the school has 122 students — 61 boys and 61 girls. “When I joined, there was not a single girl. Now, the girls lead prayers, answer questions, and win competitions. It makes me proud every single day,” she shares.

The school day begins with a morning assembly at 9 am. “We recite the Preamble to the Constitution,” she says. 

“Even the smallest children take the microphone. It gives them confidence and helps them speak without fear.”

Her subjects include English, social studies, and general knowledge, and she believes in making every lesson interactive. “Each day, I teach them a new word,” she explains. “They go home and tell their parents, and when the parents come back smiling, I know we are succeeding.”

Among all her students, one name brings particular pride — Shyam, a boy who lived with his aunt in the village. “His family was very poor. His aunt enrolled him because she believed education could change his future,” she says.

Shyam studied with Darshna until Class 8, then continued elsewhere. Years later, he called her for guidance. “He said, ‘Madam, what should I do after Class 12?’ I told him, ‘You are good at mathematics, prepare for the National Defence Academy.’ He followed my advice,” she shares.

The boy achieved what few from such villages dream of; he was selected for the Indian Air Force after completing Class 12. Darshna’s voice trembles slightly as she recalls the moment. “When I heard he had been selected, I cried,” she says softly. “He is the first student from our school to achieve something like that. It made all the struggles worthwhile.”

A teacher’s world beyond the blackboard

Darshna’s role extends far beyond teaching. She calls parents when children are absent, visits homes to encourage regular attendance, and celebrates festivals in school to keep local culture alive. 

After Dussehra, she helps the children play Tesu, a folk game involving clay idols and songs. “It connects them with our traditions. Education should never separate children from their roots,” she says.

She also insists that girls play sports like kabaddi and kho-kho. 

When asked what keeps her motivated after so many years, her answer is humble. “Whenever I see my students standing neatly in line, wearing their uniforms and speaking with confidence, I feel proud,” she says. “When parents tell me their children can now read a bus sign or write their name in english, I know my work has meaning.”

She often remembers her cousin, a lecturer in Haryana, who inspired her to study, “She used to say that if we can study in difficult conditions, other girls will believe they can too. That thought still guides me.”

Sometimes, children lose motivation. They have seen migration, poverty, or other hardships, and it can make them feel that their circumstances are beyond their control. “We tell them, it is not where they are born that defines them, but what they choose to do with their life,” the teacher explains.

Lighting the path ahead

Darshna dreams of better facilities for her school, including digital classrooms, computers, and proper infrastructure. “I wish we had a smart TV or the internet so that my students could see the world beyond the village,” she says. “For now, I show them videos on my phone. But I believe one day we will have everything.”

As the afternoon sun fades behind the mustard fields, the sound of laughter echoes through the schoolyard. Children gather their books, wave goodbye, and head home through the dusty paths. Darshna locks the classroom door, her sari brushed with chalk dust, her eyes calm and content.

“When I see these children smiling as they leave,” she says, “I feel that every hardship was worth it. Teaching in a rural school is a promise to keep learning alive where it is needed the most.”

All pictures courtesy Darshna Chaudhary