Who Taught You?

This question made me relive my past and think of those people who shaped my life. It mad me realise that this way teachers will be remembered, and I myself am a teacher.

My Mom and Dad were my first Teachers. Both had a profound influence on me, in spite of our living in a large joint family. My Mom taught me to love, to care and to be patient. My Dad taught me the need for discipline, good habits, moral courage and perseverance.

Out of my Teachers at the School: I vividly recall Mr. Kotha, who taught us English at Class V. He made me Read from Books, Text and Story Books to the whole class and even made me speak extempore at the School Assembly. The other was Mr.N.J.Miya; a gem of a person, loved and feared by all. He was multifaceted and multi-skilled. He was my Social Science Teacher at the High School. He taught me how to swim, how to row a boat, how to face difficult situations, how to tie knots as a Boy Scout. He played Hockey with us and made me represent my school, when I was only 12. He was instrumental in developing my Map Reading Skills and Spatial concepts. His Lessons have been my lessons for life.

My memories of College fade into the mist and hazy recollections of my adolescence; when I played Cricket and watched movies. But I must make mention of our Principal, Mr.Madan, who sometimes taught us English Literature. His recitation of Poetry, his subtle ways of romanticising minor details and his dramatic delivery of the dialogues of each character in Shakespearean plays... My God! How I wished I could imitate him and be a teacher like him. He left all of us spell bound and time seemed to flee. We wished he could have taught us more often. He was instrumental in creating in me a burning desire to be a teacher and my love for English Literature.

At the University, we had great luminaries and scholarly Professors. I can not forget Prof. Woodrou Wilson and the way he taught us American Literature. He was a realist, a pragmatic person and had lived and taught at Tagore's “Shanti Niketan University”, for six years. He taught me how nature could be used to teach us and he built my strength of character and conviction. In every situation, he wanted my views, my opinion and not of the critics. He was the one who taught me to think and think critically. Prof Apurab Soomnath was the one who taught us the Growth and History of Novels in English Literature. He was a man who loved his glass of wine and playing contract Bridge. He would speak for hours on end. He built in me whatever little of creative thinking there is.

I salute these and other teachers who made a difference in my life and whatever I am today is purely because of their efforts.
May God bless them all? For those who are no longer on this earth. May God grant them peace in Heaven?