“Morning walk and regular exercises help me a lot and they have become an integral part of my life. To keep my mind fresh, I spend about over an hour on meditation,” says the principal.

A quick breakfast is followed by some sound reading. “A teacher should always update his knowledge. Teaching means to learn twice.”

Sharma, a gazetted officer, keeps his life simple and disciplined. “I start an hour before the school begins. I do not believe in giving orders to my subordinates and students for being punctual and disciplined. I believe in

setting an example.”

With over three decades in the field, Sharma takes teaching as a passion.

“I had been the paper setter for the annual examinations conducted by the Punjab School Education Board, Mohali, for nearly 12 years. I, therefore, want to share these acquired skills with my students even outside class.”

The principal believes in keeping his teachers on the toes.

“To motivate them, I organise school-level seminars and never allow them to miss any departmental seminar related to teaching.”

As the District Science Supervisor (DSS), Ludhiana, Sharma has many state and national-level awards to his credit.

For Sharma, his work is not bound by school hours. “I visit various offices for conducting departmental inquiries. And sometimes, I plan for the next day in school.”

Back home by 5.30 pm, the disciplined principal lends a helping hand to wife Raj Kumari, a Hindi teacher, in her household chores as she is a patient of arthritis. Sharma also has two sons who are well-settled in their respective fields.

The evening stroll to the market is not limited to grocery shopping alone as he chats up with people from various walks of life.