Longtili

KIPHIRE — Hanrenla K, Coordinator of the Education Block Resource Centre (EBRC), Pungro, Kiphire district, has been conferred the National Award for Innovation and Good Practices in Educational Administration by the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), New Delhi.

Hanrenla was among 84 district- and block-level education officers from 22 states and Union territories recognised for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 awards at a national conference held in New Delhi on September 2 and 3.

The awards seek to recognise education officers who conceive and implement innovative practices in educational administration, with a focus on giving greater visibility to grassroots initiatives that have the potential to improve education delivery.

According to the information shared by the Lihpikihna Foundation, Kiphire, Hanrenla was recognised particularly for her initiative of establishing Hanging Libraries in Pungro Block.

The initiative has already benefited five government schools in Kiphire district. In October 2024, three government schools under Pungro Block and two under the Khongsa aspirational block received books for the hanging libraries.

The beneficiary schools were Government Middle School (GMS) Pungro Town, GMS Pungro Village, GMS Penkim, GMS Zaonger and Government Primary School Fakim.

The hanging libraries were established through a collaboration involving Books For All (BFA), Noida, the Piramal Foundation’s Aspirational Bharat Collaborative and EBRC Pungro, with the aim of encouraging children to develop a reading habit and improve learning outcomes.

With more than 300 nominations received for the national awards, 84 district- and block-level officers were shortlisted and honoured, according to the information released by the foundation.

The Lihpikihna Foundation congratulated Hanrenla on the national recognition, describing it as an acknowledgement of her contribution to education in Kiphire and her efforts to promote innovative learning practices in the district.