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R. K. Sharma

Leadership at Mithapur

Since June 2016 R. K. Sharma has been Principal of Tatachem D.A.V. Public School, a school of more than 1,500 students in the Tata Chemicals township at Mithapur, Gujarat, managed by the DAV College Managing Committee.

Official website of Tatachem D.A.V. Public School (opens in a new tab)
Addressing the morning assembly in front of Tatachem D.A.V. Public School
Morning assembly in front of the school building

A school that sets records

Record attempts have become part of the school's calendar. The first, in December 2016, brought 1,316 students and staff together to hug trees for a minute, carrying a conservation message. Most later attempts were by individual students, from Class 4 to Class 9.

The total stands at nine Guinness World Records, two India Book of Records entries and one Limca Book of Records entry.

  • Largest tree hug, 3 December 2016

    Guinness World Records, 2016

    Largest tree hug

    1,316 students and staff

  • Save Birds slogan campaign, 28 August 2017

    Limca Book of Records, 2017

    Save Birds slogan campaign

    1,157 students and 58 teachers

  • Fastest time to build a cup pyramid (Under 16s), 11 October 2025

    Guinness World Records, 2025

    Fastest time to build a cup pyramid (Under 16s)

    Aditi Hathal, Class 8

See all twelve records

Science and innovation

A biology teacher by training, he has kept science at the centre of school life — through the Atal Tinkering Lab and through the National Children's Science Congress, which his student teams have reached in three states.

The Atal Tinkering Lab

In January 2018 the school secured a ₹20 lakh grant under NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission to set up an Atal Tinkering Lab for robotics, electronics and making. In September 2023 the Mission featured it as ATL School of the Month.

A student assembling a robot car
AI and robotics session in the Atal Tinkering LabStudents coding on tablets

National Children's Science Congress

  1. 2009National Award, 17th NCSC, AhmedabadCambridge School, Rewari. Student team guided by him.
  2. 2013State-level host, NCSC 2013GRD World School, Dehradun. Child scientists from 14 districts of Uttarakhand; the school represented the state at the national congress in Bhopal.
  3. 2016National level, 24th NCSC, BaramatiTatachem D.A.V. Public School. School team reached the national congress.
  4. 2017Felicitation for representing GujaratGujarat Council on Science and Technology. Honours the child scientists who represented the state at the 24th National Children's Science Congress (Baramati, 2016), among them a student of the school; presented at Gandhinagar in July 2017.
  5. 202028th Gujarat state-level NCSCGUJCOST. Certificate of appreciation; project selected at state level.
  6. 202129th Gujarat state-level NCSCGUJCOST. Certificate of appreciation; project selected at state level.
  7. 202230th National Children's Science Congress, AhmedabadNCSTC, Department of Science & Technology. Two students of the school presented at the national congress (January 2023).
  8. 202331st Gujarat state-level NCSCGUJCOST. Certificate of appreciation; selected for the national congress.

Three students of the school received the Governor's Award in 2016–17.

Environmental education

The tree hug, the Save Birds campaign and the World Soil Day plantation by the school's White Elephant Eco-Club all carried environmental messages. The school's eco-club work has been recognised by the Government of India and by environmental organisations.
  • 2024–25Certificate of Excellence, Handprint AwardEco-Schools India, Centre for Environment Education. For excellence in the field of environment and sustainability.
  • 2019National award, Eco-Club programmeMinistry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. Consolation position at national level for outstanding performance in environment awareness and education activities under the Eco-Club programme, December 2019.
  • 2019Best Eco Club Award (consolation), ₹10,0001st Annual Meet of State Nodal Agencies for the Ecoclub Programme, Kevadiya, Gujarat. Presented 20–21 December 2019.
  • —Wipro earthian — Paryavaran Mitra appreciationWipro Foundation and Centre for Environment Education. A regional-level winning entry on the theme of sustainability and waste.

In 2024 the school was also rated AAA among India's Best Schools (day school category) by Careers360.

Certificates

Certificates received by the school and its students under his leadership. Select one to read it.

School life

Classrooms, labs, assemblies and outings at Mithapur.
More photographs in the gallery

Before Mithapur

Principal, GRD World School, Dehradun, Uttarakhand — February 2013 – May 2016.
  • 100% results in ICSE and ISC board examinations in 2014 and 2015, commended by the Chairman of the GRD Educational Trust.
  • Hosted the state-level National Children's Science Congress 2013 for child scientists from 14 districts of Uttarakhand; the school represented the state at the national congress in Bhopal.
  • Students won four gold medals at the International Mathematics Olympiad (2014) and five gold and four silver medals at the National Martial Arts Championship, Mumbai (2015).
  • National and state awards for students in painting competitions of the Ministry of Power (2013, 2014).