Palash Mondal with the painting he restored in Holy Child Institute. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

(Above) Kishore Roy and Bikash Bhowmick. Pictures by Pabitra Das

Palash Mondal is a Class IV staff member at Holy Child Institute Girls Higher Secondary School, on Beadon Street, but is famous for much more than just cleaning classrooms.

In his younger days, Palash was a club-level footballer and an avid cricketer. He is an accomplished tabla player, singer and artist.

A cheery disposition and a pair of helpful hands were just two of the reasons for Palash being crowned a Shining Star Employee at The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence on Wednesday morning, at the Science City auditorium.

Geography wasn?t a bar at the awards, neither was age or social standing. In a fitting tribute to the spirit of the ceremony, the most overwhelming response from schools ? with reams written in by students ? was reserved for the Shining Star Employee category.

Palash was one of nine to be felicitated. He is a much-loved employee in the north Calcutta school, not just because of his dedication to the job, be it cleaning laboratory equipment or airing the classrooms every morning before the students arrive. His ?trustworthiness? and ?good character? have endeared him to staff and students in two years.

The multi-talented man from Entally utilises his musical talents by performing at school and para functions. The amateur artist recently restored an old painting of Mary and Jesus, hanging on the wall in the biology lab, patiently working on it with gentle brushstrokes.

Despite facing financial hardship, he offered a month?s salary during fundraising for an ailing student. ?The sisters were very reluctant to let me pay,? recounts Palash.

His father, who passed away last year, was unemployed for many years due to a factory lockout. Palash now supports his mother and one of his sisters. The other sister has kidney failure, and is soon to undergo a transplant. His voice still chokes when talking about the tragic incident that killed his younger brother.

?My younger brother used to learn the tabla. After he died, I started training,? he says, with tears in his eyes. ?I passed the Sarba Bharatiya Sangeet O Sanskriti Parishad exam recently. I have a diploma now,? he proudly declares.

Singing is a hobby that became a passion when he began singing in the church youth choir. His favourites are hymns, but the Christian man is a favourite at para Puja musical programmes.

?I like working here because people like me,? Palash says. So, the smile rarely leaves his countenance. And it has seldom been as broad as it was on Wednesday, when he and two other Shining Star Employees took the stage (the remaining six will be saluted with small tokens on campus).

The award was instituted last year, to recognise people like Raju Hela, the sweeper in St James School who entertained the students with his singing skills and made it to the Indian Idol TV show.

The other two men receiving certificates on Wednesday were Kishore Roy of Springdale High School and Bikash Bhowmick of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy.

Kishore kaku, as he is popularly known, has been with Springdale since the start, when the school began with just 20 students in 1985. He was the driver, durwan, caretaker, manager, et al. Multi-tasking is a skill he has learnt to perfect over the years.

Twenty years later, he continues to do his job with the same dedication. There was a time when he would reach every individual child home. Today, there are 2,000 students, but Kishore kaku still ensures that each one reaches home safe and sound, stepping in if something goes wrong.

Twenty-six-year-old Bikash, too, is a multi-faceted young man. The school durwan is a B.Com graduate, as well as an ace artist with sketches, particularly portraits, that mesmerise the students and teachers of Lakshmipat Singhania.

He speaks Hindi, English and Bengali, and is also a physical trainer, yoga instructor, therapist, masseur? The unassuming all-rounder goes about his job with a quiet pride.