Garhwa, May 18: A government school teacher from Garhwa district in Jharkhand has gone viral for an unusual yet practical decision by using his family’s horse instead of a motorcycle to carry out official Census fieldwork amid local fuel shortages.

Munna Prasad Gupta, 43, an assistant teacher at Utkramit Uchha Vidyalaya in Tatidiri village under Dhurki block, has been seen travelling on horseback through remote villages while performing Census-related duties, drawing widespread attention on social media.

With petrol becoming difficult to access due to shortages and long queues at fuel stations, Gupta relied on a traditional mode of transport rooted in his family heritage. The choice also proved effective in navigating narrow, unpaved village paths that are often inaccessible to motor vehicles.

Wearing a white uniform and official Census cap, he was seen moving from house to house with survey documents, as videos of his journey quickly went viral online, earning both praise and curiosity.

Gupta said horse riding is part of his family tradition and something he learned from his father during his early years. This familiarity made it easier for him to adapt to horseback travel for official fieldwork.

Serving as a teacher since November 25, 2003, Gupta said this is his first involvement in Census operations. Despite the assignment falling on a school holiday, he began fieldwork immediately, calling it an important government responsibility.

His duties include house listing and preparing “nazri naksha” sketch maps of local settlements and households. The work, expected to continue for about a month, involves visiting 5 to 20 homes daily.

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According to Gupta, his use of a horse for official duty has been well received, with villagers appreciating his dedication and resourcefulness rather than questioning his approach.

The first phase of Census 2027 (House Listing and Housing Census) began in Jharkhand on May 16 and will continue until June 14. Thousands of enumerators and supervisors have been deployed across the state, with data collection being conducted digitally for the first time through mobile applications.