Landslides, bad roads and no reliable internet: This teacher from Kerala travels 3000 km to teach in Arunachal village

A 28-year-old teacher from Kerala traveled nearly 3,000 kilometers to teach children in a remote village near the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. Ali Ashqar left Areekode in Malappuram district to accept a teaching position at an NSCBAV school in Karo village of Shi-Yomi district, where difficult terrain, poor road connectivity, frequent landslides and limited access to electricity and internet pose daily challenges.

His efforts have helped bring new attention to the school, which currently has 102 students. Ashqar recently caught the attention of the internet after videos showing children celebrating Onam at school went viral. One of the clips garnered nearly 5 million views, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju shared a video of the celebrations on social media.

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But Ashqar’s contribution to the remote school goes far beyond viral videos. In addition to teaching, he collaborates with other educators, conducts teacher training, organizes after-school programs and encourages parents and local residents to actively participate in the improvement of the school.

From Kerala to a remote village in Arunachal Pradesh

Ashqar’s academic journey took him through several parts of the country. According to Manorama Online, he completed his undergraduate studies in Kerala before moving to Punjab for his master’s degree. He subsequently pursued his Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Puducherry and also worked in Kashmir for some time.

His passion for traveling and teaching in different regions eventually brought him to Arunachal Pradesh. He enrolled in the Master of Education (M.Ed.) program at Shi-Yomi District University from 2022 to 2024. His time in the region helped him understand the local community and sparked his interest in teaching in the Karo.

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He later joined NSCBAV Karo as a language teacher through a non-governmental organization (NGO). At the time, the school was facing several problems, including a decline in student enrollment and a lack of facilities in the hostels. According to The New Indian Express, the institution was facing problems in continuing its operations, leading to government and NGO intervention at the time Ashqar joined.

The school has since seen an improvement, with the number of students reaching 102. Ashqar also took on responsibilities beyond academic teaching, focusing on making school life more interactive and encouraging children to participate in various activities.

Bad roads and landslides make everyday life difficult

Teaching in Karo involves navigating difficulties that are largely unknown to educators working in cities. The village has limited road access and landslides occur frequently. Electricity and internet connections are also unreliable, while access to health care and shops selling basic goods requires several hours of travel.

Even arranging props for school events can require long journeys. During the preparations for the Onam festivities, Ashqar told The New Indian Express that the purchase of necessary materials involved a journey of nearly 200 kilometers.

“The village is very far from the city, so it was difficult to get everything. It is about 200 km, but due to the condition of the roads, the journey can take almost eight hours. There is also limited electricity and internet connectivity,” he said.

Despite these restrictions, teachers continue to organize activities that give students the opportunity to learn and experience different cultures. The village community also played an important role in the implementation of the Onam programme, with residents contributing vegetables and other locally available resources. Several other ingredients and supplies had to be obtained from markets located far away.

Ashqar regularly documents these experiences on his Instagram account @teacher_tales_. His posts offer a glimpse into the children’s daily lives, including their performances, singing, dance activities and boarding school experiences.

Onam celebrations introduce the children of Arunachal to the culture of Kerala

The 2026 school Onam celebrations have become particularly popular on social media. Ashqar and his fellow teachers introduced the students to the Kerala festival traditions through Malayalam music, traditional foods and cultural activities.

One of the main attractions was a dance performance that lasted almost eight minutes. The kids performed a medley of Malayalam folk and film songs, social media hits and Tamil numbers. Teachers wore mundu and saris while students were dressed in gal, the traditional attire of the local community.

As reported by Manorama Online, students and teachers also visited houses across the village to collect flowers for pookkalam, a traditional flower arrangement prepared during Onam. Banana leaves were used to decorate the venue and serve the festive food.

The celebrations included Onam sadya containing rice, sambar, rasam, pappadam, cucumber, banana chips and payasam. Organizing the feast was not easy, as many of the necessary raw materials and supplies had to be transported from markets approximately 200 kilometers away.

Explaining his motivation for introducing the festival to children, Ashqar told The New Indian Express, “Onam is a celebration where people come together regardless of religion or background. I wanted children to understand the spirit of different traditions coming together and the sense of belonging that it brings.”