Karnataka headmaster spends own savings for students first flight, wins internet’s love

Karnataka headmaster spends own savings for students first flight, wins internet’s love

Mangalore Today News Network

Koppal, January 3, 2026: A headmaster in Karnataka has turned a dream into reality for a group of village schoolchildren, spending a significant portion of his own savings to give them their first experience of air travel and broaden their horizons beyond the classroom.

Beerappa Andagi, headmaster of the Government Higher Primary School in the remote Bahadduribandi village of Koppal district, personally funded a special flight from Toranagallu’s Jindal Airport to Bengaluru for 24 selected students. He spent about Rs. 5 lakh from his personal savings to charter the trip, choosing students from Classes 5 to 8 through a merit test designed to reward academic effort in an area where opportunities for experiential learning are rare.

A group of 40 people in total, including the students, teachers, mid‑day meal staff and members of the School Development and Monitoring Committee, embarked on the journey late last month. For many of the children, the flight was their first time setting foot on an aircraft, a moment filled with awe and excitement as parents and villagers gathered at the airport to see them off.

Beyond the flight itself, the trip to Bengaluru included educational visits to museums, parks and landmarks, offering the students a taste of urban life and learning that extended beyond textbooks. Supporters have praised the tour not only for the joy it brought but for its potential to motivate children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to aim higher.

MP Rajashekar Hitnal flagged off the flight and called Andagi’s gesture an example of how a teacher’s commitment can leave a lasting impact on young lives. The initiative has since attracted attention on social media and in the wider community, with many highlighting it as a rare and inspiring act of personal sacrifice in support of children’s aspirations.

Andagi, who is approaching retirement, has said seeing the children’s excitement and sense of possibility was worth every rupee. For the students who once only watched planes soar overhead, the experience has become a symbol of what might be possible with encouragement and opportunity.