Harikrishna Patcharu, an English teacher at Ilavaram Zilla Parishad High School, garnered global recognition by becoming the first Telugu state teacher to be shortlisted for the Global Teacher Prize, which was revealed by the renowned Varkey Foundation in collaboration with the  United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

According to a report in The New Indian Express, Hariskrishna's children-centric education system has gained recognition and created an environment for school students to interact with international students from over 300 schools in the US, Canada, Mexico, Sweden, Croatia, Denmark, France, Poland, Tunisia, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Chile, and Turkey via the Pen Pal programme.

The teacher was also chosen for the Fulbright exchange programme, which allows him to visit several schools in the United States. Out of 8,000 applications from around the world, Harikrishna was one of 50 finalists who made an extraordinary contribution to their field.

The Global Teacher Prize emphasises the importance of educators and the fact that their work should be appreciated and recognised globally. "I did not expect even in my wildest dreams that I would be shortlisted for the top 50 finalists," Harikrishna remarked. One of these 50 finalists will be chosen for the Global Teacher Prize, with the winner receiving a US $1 million reward.