1. Have an Interesting Snippet to Share : Click Here
    Dismiss Notice

Shri Gurubhyo Namah!

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Srama, Sep 23, 2020.

  1. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,577
    Likes Received:
    12,423
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
  2. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,577
    Likes Received:
    12,423
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male

    Salutations to all gurus
    And
     
    Srama likes this.
  3. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,577
    Likes Received:
    12,423
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    @Srama
    Back bencher Entrepreneur & Dilemma of a class teacher.
    The teacher looking at the ceiling fan at the corona treatment facility run by the state government was about to pick up a book to read , then the phone rang . It was an unregistered number , usually she avoids such calls.
    However alone at the hospital with nothing else to do , she decided to pick it up.
    The firm male voice introduced himself , Good day Madam I am Souji Gopal Krishna calling from Dubai . Am I speaking to Ms Seema Kanakambaran ?
    The teacher was curious about who would that be . She said , Yes you are talking to Seema . After a pause , he continued - Madam few years ago , You were my class teacher when I was in class 10 . The teacher couldn’t place him . She said I am admitted at the hospital with Covid 19 . Is it any thing important or can you call me later ? .
    Souji said , Madam I came to know about your illness from Subbu , the class topper of batch 1995 . The teacher said , well I know subbu quite well , but I am unable to place you . Madam , Souji interrupted ; hope you would recollect the tall dark boy who was your biggest headache . I was at the back bench. The teacher thought of those back benchers.

    The conversation was getting interesting and she kept the book down on to the side table and pulled up the pillow against the head board and made herself comfortable and asked , how come you remember me now all of a sudden ?
    "Madam" Souji said , "when I came to know that you are hospitalised , I thought of organising a conference call with all the available friends of the class of 1995".
    He continued , "I managed to get 7 of us on line . They are listening to our conversation madam . We just called to wish you a speedy recovery". .

    The teacher was suddenly fumbling for words, after a long pause she asked, now tell me about you . "Where are you? "
    Souji continued .
    "Madam , I am at Dubai , I run my own business of logistics . I came here in search of a job and finally ended up as a successful entrepreneur . There are about 2000 people at my establishment .
    when we were in class 10 , you were a terror when it came to discipline. But at the same time you generously extended support and instilled confidence to the most noisy and unruly fellows at the back bench . I was their leader at the back bench . Madam , I got the maximum amount of impositions from you , quite often you made me stand outside the class and sometimes inside the class , up on the bench . All those experiences standing outside the class and sometimes towering over every one in the class, standing on the bench etc, helped me later in life . The standup exercise up on the bench has actually helped me to get a bird’s eye view over the entire class. I am applying those lessons in my life and business. Madam , Whatever I am today - I owe it to you ".
    The teacher was finding it difficult to speak . As Souji went on with his story , the teacher went back few decades to the class of 1995.

    The class of 1995 . Yes the tall dark fellow in the class , he was the leader of nuisance. Always late in class. The guy who play truant to classes and go for movies. The one who never used to do home work . The guy who repeatedly came to the teachers' room to negotiate on the quantum of impositions . The nightmare of teachers and the darling of the class. Yes he was well accepted by his friends. Oh How come ?
    Her thoughts were interrupted by "HELLO TEACHER" from the other end. Teacher are you there ? She said "Yes I am" .
    She continued , "Souji … . I never heard of you after school . I am so surprised and happy that you called , that too on a conference call with your friends. Tell me about each of you".

    Of the other six in the group call , there were three engineers from three continents . One doctor from Delhi , A priest who is at Shillong and finally Subbu the class topper . Subbu said , "Madam I am a chartered accountant . I am the CFO of Souji".
    Teacher couldn’t believe , she exclaimed "you are". He said , "yes madam , before joining with Souji I was with KPMG. But , Working with Souji, I am a satisfied professional and a happy family man ".
    By the time each of them had narrated their stories , it was almost 40 minutes , Souji apologised for the long call and wished his beloved teacher a speedy recovery and a promise to meet her during his next trip to Kerala.
    Alone at the Covid 19 isolation ward , the teacher was in tears . Happiness swelled her heart and tears were streaming down her cheeks . She thought , here is a boy who applied all his out of syllabus and out of class lessons in real life. By standing on the last bench , he developed a bird's eye view . By standing outside the class , he had a larger vision than all the others who were limited within the 4 walls . By getting caught for bunking class , at a very young age, he learned to mitigate and overcome risks . He acquired the art of negotiation coming to the teachers' room during lunch hours to reduce the number of impositions . The marks I thought he had lost for Maths was actually saved by him for real life application & subbu who got 100% for maths seems to be working with the numbers saved by Souji . Amazing! She thought , two years of pandemic induced closure is taking a heavy toll on the character moulding of children. Sitting at home & learning digitally they may score marks.
    What about life application? You need Soujis and subbus . Only then, the society would evolve.
    This story is inspired by a real life episode of Ms.Seema Kanakambaran , a high school Principal .
    I dedicate this fable to the innumerable entrepreneurs out there who believes that 10 % learning is from school . 20 % from peers and 70 % on the road .
    Dedicated to all last benchers.
    I was in last bench in school. The class was seated by names in alphabetical order.
     
    Srama likes this.
  4. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,577
    Likes Received:
    12,423
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    It is strange that my previous post here as FB not caught view of a single soul. I wish few teachers by profession read it now.
     
  5. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    5,504
    Likes Received:
    4,481
    Trophy Points:
    338
    Gender:
    Male
    Such an attachment to a teacher! My vibes with my sanskrit teachers was very bad unbfortunately. That is ONE language I could never crack. Otherwise all my life I have had great vibes with my language teachers, Indian or foreign. Poetry in prose as usual. A loving, sensitive thread..
     
    Viswamitra, Srama and Thyagarajan like this.
  6. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,577
    Likes Received:
    12,423
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    Thanks. Succinctly summed up view. I like it.
     
    Srama likes this.
  7. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

    Messages:
    10,061
    Likes Received:
    11,536
    Trophy Points:
    538
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear Balajee,

    imagine my surprise to see your response to this old thread especially when I am logging on after such a long time! You made me smile. Thank you!
    Thank you for your words of appreciation Balajee! I just came back from India and guess what I met my Sanskrit teacher from school and it was so wonderful! Teachers, as you know, can make a difference and I surprised myself when I reached out to my school social studies teacher - this late in life I realized that thanks to her and the way she wove lessons as stories in history that I am loving learning as we travel around.
     
  8. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    2,471
    Likes Received:
    3,118
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear Sabita,
    So , you met your Sanskrit teacher . Must be a happy meeting to both you and your Guru. He must be very happy to see his student who came to meet him after many years!
    Syamala
     
    Srama likes this.
  9. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,577
    Likes Received:
    12,423
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    Sharing from a teacher Japan returned.
    *********​
    In Japan , there is no Teacher's Day .
    One day, I asked my Japanese colleague, teacher Yamamota:
    - How do you celebrate Teacher's Day in Japan?
    Surprised by my question , he replied :
    - We don't have Teacher's Day .
    When I heard his reply , I was not sure whether I should believe him or not.
    A thought passed through my mind : " Why a country , which is so advanced in economy, sciences and technology, so disrespectful towards teachers and their work ? "
    ***
    Once, after work, Yamamota invited me to his house . We took the metro since it was far away . It was the evening peak hour, and the wagons in the metro train wire overcrowded . I managed to find a space to stand, holding tightly the overhead rail. Suddenly, the elderly man who was seated beside me offered me his seat. Not understanding this respectful behaviour of an elderly man , I declined, but he was persistent, and I was forced to sit . Once we were out of the metro , I inquired Yamamota to explain what exactly the whitebeard did . Yamamota smiled and pointed towards the tag of teacher I was wearing and said :
    - This old mine has seen the tag of a teacher on you and as a sign of respect towards your status , offered you his seat .
    Since I was visiting Yamamota for the first time , I felt uncomfortable going there with empty hands so o decided to buy a gift . I shared my thoughts with Yamamota, he supported the idea and said that little further, there is a shop for teachers , where one can purchase goods at reduced prices. Once again , I couldn't hold my emotions :
    - Privileges are offered only to teachers ? I asked .
    Confirming my words , Yamamota said:
    - In Japan, teaching is the most respected profession and the teacher is the most respected person. The Japanese entrepreneurs are very happy when teachers come to their shops, they consider it an honour .
    ***
    During my stay in Japan, I've observed multiple times the utmost respect of the Japanese towards teachers. They have special seats allocated for them in metro , there are special shops for them , teachers there dint line up in queue for tickets for whatever type of transport. That's why the Japanese teachers don't need a special day , when every day in their live is a celebration.
    Spread this story to everyone. Let the society grow to appreciate the teachers to this level . Retell this story to your colleagues so that their chests swell with pride .
    My teacher, I bow down to your name .
    * Rustam Bisenov
     
    Srama likes this.

Share This Page