Full Breakdown
Teacher Walks 5 km Through Forest to Teach One Student in Maharashtra
By Drooid · · How we work
Daily Trek to the Remote School
Jivan Mithari, a 55-year-old teacher, begins each school day with a 5 km walk through dense forest to the Zilla Parishad school at Kawaltek Dhangarwada, a hamlet in Gaganbawada taluka of Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. The settlement has no motorable road or electricity, and the nearest road lies 2.5 km away, making the walk the only practical means of reaching the classroom.
Decline of the Hamlet and School Enrollment
When Mithari arrived, the hamlet comprised roughly 70 to 100 families. After 2000, many residents migrated to Kolhapur city for work, sharply reducing the local population. Consequently, the school’s enrolment fell from a modest village cohort to a single officially registered pupil, Class-3 student Swara Bodake. Her younger sister, not yet of formal school-age, also attends informal lessons because the hamlet lacks an anganwadi (government-run child-care centre).
Risks from Wildlife
The forested route is frequented by gaurs, leopards and other wildlife. Mithari recounted encounters with solitary gaurs and herds, noting that villagers taught him how to respond differently depending on the animal’s grouping. On one occasion a leopard killed a young bullock near the settlement; forest officials later installed a trap camera that captured hundreds of images of the predator. Officials advised Mithari not to stop or sit along the path, a precaution he follows despite feeling fear.
Teacher’s Commitment and Perspective
Mithari says the walk has become a daily habit and a form of exercise. He stresses that a compound wall is essential for the safety of the children who do attend, regardless of the school’s low enrolment. Mithari is scheduled to retire in May 2029, marking the end of a 16-year tenure at the remote school.
Data & Statistics
- Commencement of service: July 26 2013 (13 years of daily walks).
- Distance walked: 5 km each way, totaling 10 km per day.
- Current enrolment: one registered student (Swara Bodake, Class 3); one additional younger sister attending informally.
- Alternative schooling: the nearest school at Dhundawade is 5.5 km away, requiring an 11 km round-trip for children—particularly difficult during monsoon months.
- Retirement: scheduled for May 2029.
Official Statements & Responses
Forest officials responded to the leopard incident by deploying a trap camera and issuing safety guidance that teachers should not pause along the forest trail. Mithari has conveyed the same advice to the community, emphasizing that adherence to the guidance reduces the likelihood of dangerous encounters.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I went there on July 26, 2013. Since then, I have continued to work there,” — Jivan Mithari
What’s Next
Mithari plans to continue his daily trek until his retirement in May 2029. He has repeatedly urged local authorities to construct a compound wall around the school to enhance security for the children who rely on the remote institution.