05th Sep - Teacher's day. After college, it's just this one day when we look back at our school days, feel nostalgic and thank our teachers with HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY wall post and tagging friends (For the record, I made this post on my Facebook page this year...just like that). You could have been an ace in academics, a champ in sports, excelled in both or the been good at music and arts. There would have been one teacher or coach who would have pushed you to the limit, made your life a miserable living hell or simply mesmerized you with their actions . One aspect common to all of them - They would have inspired you to believe in yourself, sand papered away your follies and channeled your rebellious energy to help you reach wherever you stand on this day.
I've changed nine schools in 12 years of schooling and had countless teachers. Yet, my FAB 4 made an indelible impression on my life. Interestingly, all of them are men - each in a different field and a unique personality. I would go in a chronological order and talk about each of the FAB 4.
Mr. John Datta
My English teacher during the three of the four years I studied in The Air Force School, Subroto Park. Erudite, witty and totally chilled out man. I was the shortest kid in the class those days and hence sat in the first row of the class. While I was into Tintin, Asterix, Hardy Boys and comics, it was he who ignited my interest in classics. Until then, I found poems banal and dry. "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" an epic in English Lit was mind boggling during 9th standard. We had the first part of the poem in our curriculum. He finished the poem in toto (He got a book with the complete poem and read it to us ). The interest in poetry can be instilled only in that age provided it is read out to you. My word !! I felt as though Mr. Coleridge himself was present in the class during that hot July afternoon in 1998. I performed miserably during my 10th Std. Yet, I owe it to him. As the Class Teacher, he constantly scanned our report cards and wrote fitting comments. PTA meets were a nightmare for me. Yet, when my parents went to meet, he always told that I was a good lad and very good bowler. He often told me that I should take studies seriously just like my cricket. After my 10th, I moved on to Hyderabad and lost touch with him. If you know his phone number or email address, please let me know.
Mr. VSK Chakrapani
On Vijayadashami of 1998, I started learning Violin under the tutelage of Mr. Chakrapani. On that fateful day, over 100 kids along with their parents thronged the Delhi Tamizh Sangam in R.K Purum. On the second floor, kids were hammering away on the Mridangam and our class was in the 1st floor. He motioned us to sit on the dari and wait for my turn. He sat in the centre while the rest of us sat around like the spokes of a wheel around the hub. This is how we sat during all the classes. For the auspicious start, he told us kids how to grip the violin and bow. Demonstrating the left hand technique, he told us the importance of left hand technique. The moment I held my violin, his eyes light up. Might seem filmy like a scene from Mahabharat but it was like I had found the Guru. And thus started my violin classes.
Mr. Chakrapani stands over 6 feet with broad shoulders. A dab of vibhuti on the forehead, Bata leather Chappals and crisp white shirt ( his shirts seemed frozen.. like that crisp) and trousers. A man demonstrating simple living and high thinking, he travelled only by Bus and took the Killer BlueLine from Gole Market to R.K Purum.
My classes progressed and I overtook my fellow students and reached Varnam while they were still playing Alankaaram. The sudden success got into my head and I became over-confident and complacent. He sensed this at once ( I don't know how... Did my dad tell him ? ). Before each class, we had to copy the notation in our notebook. I was all thrilled to start my first Varnam (Mohanam). At the beginning of each class, he would teach us a new lesson. However, we also had to play the previous lesson. I started and stumbled along. Looking back now, with the complacency creeping in, my grip of the bow changed and it affected my playing. What ensued was a verbal blasting -
"You think you are as good as Lalgudi Jayaraman?"
"If this is your attitude, you will fail in life!!"
He asked me to leave and not to come for violin classes ever again. Fighting back tears, I managed to get into the car. My father didn't say a word and drove back. I reached home and cried my heart out to mum. She consoled me and asked me to call him in the evening.
Later in the evening, I called his residence. He picked up the call. I told him I was sorry and requested him to allow me to rejoin the classes. He started laughing. After about 30 seconds (somehow, it seemed forever), he asked me to come for class the following Saturday. Much later, he told my father that he wanted to teach me lesson and meant no ill will. Boy !! He sure did teach me lesson. From that day on, I've never taken life for granted. Along with my family, he is perhaps the only person who taught me the true meaning of humility.
As an A-Grade artist in All India Radio, he has traveled across the globe for countless shows, stayed in five star accommodation. Yet, he used public transport, lived in government quarters in Gole Daakkhana near Connaught Place. In my eyes, he is the epitome of humility and truly preached the mantra of simple living-high thinking.
Mr. Balasubramanian
After entering 9th std, I developed a mortal fear for Mathematics. I simply loathed the subject. Everyday, the maths class seemed never ending. I stopped studying Maths and by God's grace cleared the CBSE examination in 10th. My eyes were set on taking commerce. I loved my physics and didn't seem sense to take science stream since I sucked in Mathematics and Chemistry. Somehow, it got into my head that taking Maths as an elective would be better compared to Geography and Hindi (the other electives offered). After a couple of classes, I made friends with couple of guys in the Science class and they told me join classes at Balu Sir's house in the evening. Thus, began my tryst with Balu Sir's class.
I bonded well with Aakash and Avinash from the science stream and the three of us were inseparable. The teachers called us the Trinity. We were the ultimate recipe for pranks and trouble. These two aces always got busted and somehow I never earned the wrath of the teachers in School.
Balu sir saw right through me in the first class. He told me, "You are good kid but capable of trouble." Pointing in the direction of Aakash and Avinash, he said, "Stay away from those two guys." A short and broad man, he had converted one bedroom of his 2 bedroom house into a classroom with wooden benches and white board. His classes started at 3 in the afternoon and ended at 8 in the night. In all he took classes for five batches from 9th to 12 std six days a week throughout the year.Charging a very nominal fee, we came to know much later about his tactic of charging his students. "Free mein padhaunga to bacche serious nahi honge."
Our first chapter was "Relations and Functions". He had asked us to memorize the definition of a function. Next day was sunday. So I chilled, played cricket from dawn to dusk and forgot about it. Monday evening, we enter the tuition room. He looks at me, "Function ka definition bolenge Siddarth". I had totally forgotten about this and didn't even open my books during the weekend. Honestly, I admitted, "Sir ! I don't know." He smiled and walks out to his garden and comes back with a nice leafy twig from the hedge. Stripping the leaves out, he tells me the definition of a function and asks me to show my left palm, TWAATT !! I had a lot of trouble with my morning ablutions for the next couple of days.
I was livid and told my dad that he caned me and I couldn't take this corporal punishment. Dad's head peeped out of the newspaper," You didn't study and hence you deserved it !! Now go hit your books." And he went back to the Hindu's editorial. The caning sessions got heavier by the day. As we entered 12th Std, the seriousness of exams and marks hit us all. And the caning stopped !
My batch being the only all-boy batch, we were loud and full of mischief. When I started my classes, his younger daughter was 4 months old and by the time, we finished our boards, she could abuse in Hindi ( Yes.. mother and the sisters ones ). Then one last time, he caned us when he realized it was us who did the dirty deed of polluting a baby's brain.
He gave me special attention as I was the only Commerce-Maths student and ensured I score maximum in that section. Despite knowing my weakness, Balu sir never mocked my silly mistakes. He coaxed me to think and look for alternative methods to solve a problem. He gave me faith that I could score high marks when I could only think of scrapping through. I didn't disappoint him and passed 12std and got a commendable 74 on 100 in Maths.
Balu's sir unflinching devotion in taking classes for close to 6 hours for countless years is truly commendable. Today, many of his students are fighter pilots in the IAF, doctors, software geeks and spread far and wide across the globe. He taught me the virtue of hard work, dedication and perseverance.
Mr. Vimal Kurien
My professor for accountancy in Madras Christian College, he was a resident professor in Bishop Heber Hall. He looked younger than most of us despite sporting a beard. After completing his M.Com, he joined MCC as a faculty member. From the very beginning, he stressed on the importance of fundamentals. One particular instance, I clearly remember was when he was teaching us about Balance sheets and I asked a question. He thought about it for a good minute and said,"Sid !! I'll confirm and tell you by tomorrow."
Next day, he entered class and cleared the doubt that was pending. Honestly, I had forgotten about it. However, he had gone back and poured over books and cleared my doubt. I was pleasantly shocked. Here was a professor who accepted that he had a doubt, kept it pending, confirmed with the text book and finally told me the answer. It is very rare when you see your teacher accepting his limitation and ensuring he learns along with me. It just blew me.
Outside class, he was one chilled out person. He told me I was a Kaatan while I reminded him of Barbarian roots. He would often take me out to Sundaram's for chai and tell me to study well and get good grades. You see, it was very easy to digress in the greenery of Madras Christian College. A brilliant Piano player, he was part of MCC's award winning Progressive Rock band. Vimal Sir introduced me to some of the best music - Dream Theater, Al Stewart, Cat Stevens and many more artists.
Today, he is a professor in BMS College, Kottayam and settled with his wife and daughter. He is the only teacher with whom I'm still in touch. With his level of intellect, he could have been a successful person in the management of an MNC, a Chartered Accountant or even a professional musician. Yet, he did what gave me joy - Teaching !!
To all the people I've mentioned above, thank you for shaping me and helping me become a better person. Today, whatever I am, I owe it to you.
