Bekkal: A collective of high school Biology teachers came together to take part in the Natti (sowing) agricultural festival by "Aravathu Pulari and personally planted seeds in the Palathukara paddy fields here. While teachers have participated in the festival in previous years as well, often accompanying students, this time they took it a step further by independently cultivating 20 cents of land.

Teachers from schools across the district planted the traditional rice variety Kasargodan, a local heirloom seed. Recognising the value of the initiative, Raveendran Kodakkadu, recipient of the Panchayat’s Genome Saviour Award, prepared the seedbed for them.

The planting took place in the Palathukara field, part of the Muthiyakkal paddy lands under Uduma Panchayat. Around 20 Biology teachers participated, sowing seeds in a plot owned by farmer Ramachandran Pattali.

The initiative was led by Sajitha, headmistress and former Biology teacher of Thachangad School. The collective was led by D V Shaji, trainer of Biology teachers in Kasaragod and Jayaprakash Bekkal, Biology teacher at Bekkal GFHSS and convener of the Natti Agri Fest.

Teachers who participated included Ambili (GHSS, Periya), A V Bindu (NHS, Perdala), Rajitha (Sheni HSS), Rajasree (AVSGHSS, Karivelloor), P V Inda (GVHSS, Madikkai), Ajitha (GHSS, Kundamkuzhi), Krishnapriya (BARHSS, Bovikkanam), Rajani (GHS, Munnadu), and Shaija (GHS, Thachangad).