Yashodhar Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 28: Several male and female teachers in Moodbidri town have received letters from an organization, which said that they have been selected for the 'best teacher' award by the organization which has sent these letters.

The letter, purported to have been written on behalf of Dr Radhakrishna Award Foundation, Jhunjhwadi, Hosur, Tamil Nadu – 635126, has conveyed the information that these teachers are among 2015 teachers from Karnataka, who have been selected for the 'best teacher' award.

"These awards, which also carry cash prize of one lac rupees, will be handed over at a function being held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on Teachers Day. We are happy to announce that you are one of the chosen one. We will be arranging for citation and cash prize. We have to spend Rs 20,000 towards travel, food, and lodging arrangement for the awardee teachers. You are requested to remit 50 percent of this cost, ie., Rs 10,000 by way of demand draft made out in the name of Desheee Goushala Trust ® within five days from the date of receipt of the letter," the letter goes on to explain.

The letter also contains instruction to send these demand drafts through ordinary post or certificate of posting. It also communicates to the 'selected' candidates that they have been picked for the award on the basis of feedback from senior officials of the education department and their students. The letter advises the beneficiaries keep the matter a secret till the awards are actually handed over.

Names of selected teachers have been printed on these letters. The names of the officer bearers of the organization have been given in these letterheads as Justice Anand RCJ (chairman), and Raghavan, ex-governor (treasurer). Email Id of the firm has been given as kwfoundations@gmail.com.

There are many teachers who feel they deserve an award for meritorious services, but have been waiting in the wings, watching their colleagues getting picked for the awards. There may be several who get lured by the thought of getting an award before getting retired, and may come forward to spend a small amount to get national recognition. Some of the teachers who feel that other teachers might get deceived by such letters, have come forward to warn the others to stay cautious of these offers. Already several have lost heavy amounts, after trusting the messages of winning lotteries, and seeking payment of taxes towards these prizes. The letter cited above is silent over what relationship the foundation named above shares with Goushala Trust. Those who act in haste are sure to get cheated. Normally, those who get cheated prefer to keep it a secret like the information about winning the award, so as not to become a laughing stock, and as such, this appears to be a clever move by the senders of these letters.