Bhubaneswar, Sept. 4 -- At a time when the role of a teacher is often measured in classrooms, salaries and institutions, 100-year-old Malati Das stands as a reminder of a different era when teaching was driven by affection, dedication and a deep sense of responsibility towards students.

Popularly known as 'Guruma', Das from the Mahanga area of Cuttack district has spent a significant part of her life teaching children at a traditional village chatasali. She taught generations of students, including children, their parents and later their grandchildren.

For decades, children from nearby villages would come to her chatasali to take their first lessons. Many of those who began their educational journey under her guidance have gone on to be...