Bhubaneswar, Feb. 12 -- In the tribal-dominated Keshipur Panchayat under Nilgiriblock of Balasore district in Odisha, a quiet revolution in education is underway, led by a single dedicated teacher.

Gabapal Upper Primary School, once marked by poor attendance and low interest in studies, has witnessed a remarkable turnaround over the past decade. Until a few years ago, barely 50 percent of students attended classes regularly. Today, attendance has surged to an impressive 90-95 percent, with almost every child in the panchayat actively pursuing education.

The transformation began in 2015 when Sanjay Kumar Nayak, popularly known as Sanjay sir, joined the school as an assistant teacher. At the time, many children from the tribal village sta...