• Rajendra Dawadi's swift actions evacuated 900 students from their school before floods struck.
• The floods, triggered by a glacial collapse, resulted in over 900 fatalities across Nepal.
• Many parents credit Dawadi's leadership for saving their children’s lives during the emergency.
• The exact location of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School is now lost to the river.
• Dawadi calls for the rebuilding of schools to resume disrupted education for thousands.

In a harrowing incident in Nepal's Bidur, Headmaster Rajendra Dawadi played a crucial role in evacuating over 900 students from the Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School as devastating floodwaters approached. The evacuation began when his accountant brought an urgent warning, reportedly stating: "The flood is coming, the flood is coming!" With just 14 minutes to spare, Dawadi ordered an immediate evacuation as the waters began to sweep through the region, carrying away homes and lives. This decisive action is credited with saving many lives amid a natural disaster that has resulted in over 900 confirmed deaths and thousands missing, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and Channel News Asia.

As chaos unfolded, the response included ringing the school bell to signal an emergency evacuation. Dawadi's order prompted thrilling scenes of parents and students rushing to safety, with many arriving on motorbikes or in buses. Remarkably, one bus that was already en route to pick up students had to turn back just before crossing a newly constructed bridge; moments later, the old bridge collapsed under the rage of the floods. Dawadi, who had himself once been a student at the school, expressed the emotional weight of witnessing the location of his professional life vanish. "I have no words. I got an education from that school. And I gave education at that school," he reflected, according to Reuters and Los Angeles Times.

Dawadi has since been hailed as a hero by many parents, with one mother stating, "He was like a God. He gave life to my daughter and to many other children. Only God can do this." However, the tragedy also left some community members mourning their lost loved ones, as several school staff and family members of the accountant are currently unaccounted for. This bifurcation of hope and despair illustrates the grim reality faced by the community in light of the floods, which have also inflicted significant damage on educational infrastructure, threatening the schooling of nearly 19,000 children, according to Los Angeles Times and Channel News Asia.

As the situation unfolds, Dawadi's call for swift action from authorities emphasizes the urgency of rebuilding schools and addressing the psychological needs of affected students. He advocates for immediate measures to restart education, as countless students await guidance on their learning paths, underscoring the continuing effects of this disaster on Nepal's youth, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and Channel News Asia.