Inside Sujeet’s Classroom: How One Teacher is Changing Health in Bihar, India

As a teacher in rural Bihar, Sujeet saw that many students struggled to talk openly about reproductive health. With guidance and training from EngenderHealth’s TARUNYA project, he found his voice and became a trusted mentor—helping his students navigate health, well-being, and gender equality both inside and outside the classroom. 

Sujeet Kumar Verma, walking outside the Government Higher Secondary School, Pura, Wazirganj, Gaya, Bihar.

Transforming Health Education in the Classroom

In the village of Pura in Bihar, India, Sujeet had always been a teacher who cared deeply about his students’ futures. But everything changed in 2020 when, under the Ayushman Bharat–School Health and Wellness Program, he received specialized adolescent health training through EngenderHealth’s TARUNYA project. The experience reshaped how he taught and redefined how his students learned about health, confidence, and equality.

When he began the five-day training to become a Health & Wellness Ambassador, he initially felt intimidated. Expressing ideas in front of others was difficult, and the topics—especially those related to sexuality, mental health, and gender—were new and uncomfortable.

But as the sessions continued, Sujeet began to see how important these conversations were. He found his confidence and a new calling: to make health education accessible, relatable, and empowering for his students.

Today, through regular classroom sessions, Sujeet uses real-life stories and local examples to make lessons about sexual and reproductive health, hygiene, and gender equality engaging and easy to understand. His teaching has helped students open up about issues that once felt off-limits, and has made health and well-being a normal part of school life.

A group of Sujeet’s young students.

Extending Impact Beyond the Classroom 

Sujeet’s influence now extends far beyond his school. He actively involves parents in health and education discussions, helping families see how well-being supports learning and opportunity.

“It feels nice to make a difference in my student’s lives by ensuring they are healthy and happy.” 

Working with fellow Health & Wellness Ambassadors and community leaders, he also organizes awareness sessions, school health activities, and community workshops. His example has encouraged other teachers to take on similar roles, creating a growing network of educators who see health and education as deeply connected.

Sujeet (center) with a classroom full of students.

A Role Model for Health & Wellness Ambassadors 

Across Bihar, EngenderHealth’s TARUNYA project and the School Health and Wellness Program have trained 5,835 Health & Wellness Ambassadors—teachers who are bringing health, confidence, and open conversation into their classrooms. Among them, Sujeet stands out as a shining example of what happens when educators are supported to lead with compassion and purpose.

Sujeet’s classroom has become a space where students feel safe to talk, learn, and grow, and where health and equality are part of everyday learning. And, because of the the TARUNYA project, there are thousands of trained teachers like Sujeet across Bihar, reaching new generations of students with the knowledge and confidence to build healthier, more equitable futures.

Sujeet’s story shows that one teacher’s passion can transform a classroom, but together, thousands like him are leading a movement that is shaping a healthier, more equitable future for generations to come.

Learn more about other inspiring youth leaders in Tarunya’s Legacy: 14 Portraits of Health, Hope and Change for Bihar’s Adolescents.