Teachers Day

A day to pay homage to teachers, a day to remember some great people and more importantly their teachings. I was watching one of the first interviews Mr. Kalam was giving after his presidential term. It was an open house with young students from over a dozen of colleges pitching questions to their idol with Pranoy Roy mediating. One young girl asked who was his inspiration, the person who made him see his vision, and Mr. Kalam answered, it was Shiva Subramanian Iyer. His teacher when he was just in 7th class and the defining moment was when he was explaining how birds fly. Remarkable indeed for a man 70 years of age, still remembering his teacher who taught him in class 7. I guess it is also true for so many of us.

Remarkable people crossed our path in several time points and left behind deep imprints that define us the way we are. These remarkable people are teachers who have taught us valuable lessons of life.

There are so many that I would like to pay my tribute to and the few listed here are the ones that immediately comes into my mind. Mr. Sabu Verghese who made history lessons fun for me and ignited an interest in people, societies and their evolution. My Maths teacher in class 11 and 12 who gave a full form for the word maths in the first session. He used to say the most important letter in the word is ‘S’ and that is supposed to stand for “SMILE”. Learn to smile each time you solve a problem, whether it’s maths or one in your life. The simple lesson of celebrating each success however small has kept me going. Col. S.S. Mohanty who in addition to so many insider tips n tricks of SSB also gave me the funda of a gentleman handles his drink.

As time moved on and I went on to do my post graduation in Management studies, my path was crossed by even more remarkable men. Some of their off hand advices given in the course of drab lectures made me ready for life. “Stretch yourself”, a loveable PRG would say, “and you would be surprised at your abilities.” “Volunteer, take responsibilities, for you are here to lead.” he used to say. Valuable lessons not just for someone stepping into the corporate world but also for life.

But the most remarkable has of course been Dr. Chopra. A man of 70, so generously giving away the learning of his life to a bunch of dreamy eyed youngsters in his class. “Reliability my dear friend is everything”, he would say. Some of us took his word as a commandment; at least I have tried to. To be Reliable is such an aim he has put for me, I would probable spend rest of my life practicing it. Small tit bits of his conversation and rest from observing him, they would always be treasure maps I can hope to follow.

However, it is not always in classrooms that you meet teachers. I was probably 18 when I first came across the line, “The Teacher arrives when the student is ready.” (The autobiography of a Yogi) For a long long time I did not understand the true meaning. But the truth is that, teachers come in many different forms and most often it is in hindsight that one realizes and feels grateful to these individuals. Several of them are close friends, relatives, colleagues or just a passerby or even your sworn enemy. Many who have cared for you, many who have hurt you and left behind scars but nevertheless given you lessons of life. Today I wish to pay a tribute all those people. I may hate you but I would always respect the lessons I have learnt.

As a last thought, I just wonder if I have been a teacher in some way to someone. I think everyone is, and everyone should take on this role some time or other.

There is a nice angle to this subject of how a teacher teaches is put forth by Paulo Coelho in his book “The witch of Portobello”. Here are a few lines to ponder.

An old friend of mine says:’People learn twenty five percent from their teacher, twenty five percent from listening to themselves, twenty five percent from their friends and twenty five percent from time.’

‘Are you a teacher?’
‘What is a teacher? I’ll tell you: it isn’t someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give her best in order to discover what she already knows.’

And here are a few more complicated lines, but I am sure you will get the essence of my putting them up here.

The real tradition is this: the teacher never tells the disciple what he or she should do. They are traveling companions, sharing the same uncomfortable feeling of ‘estrangement’ when confronted by ever changing perceptions, broadening horizons, closing doors, rivers that sometimes seem to block their path and which, in fact, should never be crossed but followed.

The true teacher gives the disciple the courage to throw his or her world off balance, even though the disciple is afraid of things already encountered and more afraid still of what might be around the next corner.

Hope this make us understand better the teachers in our life and in some sense give direction to what it would mean to be a teacher.