Physics might be a scary subject for most, but not for the students of Dinesh Kumar — a teacher at a government school in Punjab’s Patiala.The 52-year-old Kumar, who has created his own “Virtual Physics Lab” for his students, is the only teacher from Punjab who was selected for the National Award. He will be honoured by the President of India in Delhi on Teacher’s Day (September 5).Kumar, who has a PhD in Physics, has been teaching at the 120-year-old British-era Government Victoria Girls Senior Secondary School in Patiala for more than ten years now. He said that he has always tried to ensure that his students do not fear physics.He told The Indian Express: “I have been in the teaching profession for 25 years now. I have created my virtual physics lab for students via computer programming so that even if there’s no apparatus, they can perform practicals on computer systems. I have also created more than a hundred teaching aides to make physics easier for the students.”Despite being UGC-NET qualified, Kumar has continued being a school teacher. “Primarily, that’s because there were no government jobs available for colleges in the past years. But now, I also feel that my soul lies with teaching in school, where I also help underprivileged students whenever they need my guidance.” Kumar was also honoured by the Punjab government with the State Award in 2020.More than 50 of his ex-students are currently attaining higher education in engineering, pharmacy, nursing, etc., at top universities and colleges.Story continues below this ad“I teach physics to my students by correlating topics with their daily lives and using teaching aids. I created the virtual lab using my PhD experience so that lack of lab apparatus doesn’t stop practicals. I have given a demo of my virtual lab in several science seminars and colleges,” says Kumar. He is currently teaching around 80 students from class 11 and 12.“In mornings and evenings, I provide extra coaching to underprivileged children as physics is a tricky subject.”He also remains available for students wanting extra coaching during summer vacations.Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Ludhiana (Punjab). She is widely recognized for her human-interest storytelling and in-depth investigative reporting on social and political issues in the region. Professional Profile Experience: With over 13 years in journalism, she joined The Indian Express in 2012. She previously worked with Hindustan Times. Education: A gold medalist in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Core Beats: She covers a diverse range of subjects, including gender issues, education, the Sikh diaspora, heritage, and the legacy of the Partition. She has also reported on minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Awards and Recognition Divya has earned significant acclaim for her sensitivity toward gender and social disparities: Laadli Media Award (2020): For her investigative report "Punjab: The Invisible Drug Addicts," which exposed the gender disparity in treating women addicts. Laadli Media Award (2023): For a ground report on the struggles of two girls who had to ride a boat to reach their school in a border village of Punjab. Signature Style Divya is known for "humanizing the news." Rather than just reporting on policy, she often focuses on the individuals affected by it—such as students dealing with exam stress, farmers struggling with diversification, or families impacted by crime. Her work often bridges the gap between West (Pakistan) and East (India) Punjab, exploring shared heritage and common struggles. X (Twitter): @DivyaGoyal_ ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:ludhiana