Today September 5th, is Teachers day in India. As every body knows it is dedicated to Dr. Sarvapalli Radha Krishnan who was a staunch believer of education and was one of the greatest scholars and teachers of all times, apart from being the President of India. During his tenure as President he was approached by students to celebrate his birthday, September 5th. He rather told them to celebrate it as Teacher’s Day and since then this day is celebrated as Teacher’s Day.
On this occasion I want to remember and pay my heart felt tributes to my teachers who have influenced and helped me to shape my life. I think what ever I am today I owe a lot to my teachers and in this context the first name that pops to my mind is that of Sri Krishana Rao master, The Head master of T.D High school Kochi. He was tall and had a commanding personality. My hands used get folded automatically in Namaste when ever I met him as I revered him a lot. He was a good disciplinarian and during his tenure as head master, the school achieved an excellent name in the district as the district toppers were always from his school. The teachers under him followed the leader and were dedicated to the core. The sincerity and dedication of the teaching staff helped to instill good values in the students.
Krishna Rao Master, I came to know him closely when he taught English to me. He had simple, fantastic techniques to teach Grammar and I use the same today to teach my students and every time my students excel well and start to speak English I send a silent prayer to him who is no more in this world. He used to make us go through Grammar exercises again and again till every one understood and got it right. When my students do not understand I go to any length to make them understand patiently what my Master taught me. This quality I learned from him. I think all teachers must be like Sri.Krishana Rao. I know I am no where near him as he was a highly knowledgeable person. My Pranams to you, Sir.
I was fortunate to have many teachers who were kind and understanding. Those days people who were passionate about teaching only entered the profession. They were affectionate and loved us like their own children. I also remember my class teacher Smt. Puthali Bai who treated me like her daughter. She treated every student equally but every student felt she was treating them like her children. Puthali in Konkani means money equivalent in gold and her heart was really made of gold. She was very much concerned about my studies , health etc. This is the beautiful quality a teacher should have, that is considering all students as her own children. It makes a whole lot of difference when teacher’s attitude is like that. I am saluting all my teachers on the occasion of Teacher’s Day.
I wonder how many of the present generation students will be able to remember their teachers with the same respect like we had and have for our teachers.
Happy Teacher’s Day.
My Memoirs 
Beautiful post. Its amazing how good teachers can really have a lasting, meaningful influence in our lives. There are lots of good teachers in my family. They say their best moment is when the students they taught remember them, say ten or fifteen years down the lane and speak of them with great respect. That, they say, is what makes everything in their life worthwhile.
Its wonderful that you’ve mentioned the teachers who’ve made a lasting impression in your life and inspired you to do the same with your students. My best wishes.
Thank you Swapna.
Nice to know that there are many teachers who work hard to bring the best out of their students. I think after parents its the teachers who play a great role in a student’s life.
Your folks are right , the greatest moment for a teacher is when the student remembers her or him.
Dear Chitra
I endorse your views on teachers, I also offer my humble pranams to them.
Some time ago I went to Kayamkulam to attend a wedding of a relative of mine. After the ritual a few of us were sitting whiling away the time. Then seeing me the brides father, the head master of the school there at that time, who was not knowing me, enquired about me . I told him who I was and added that my father ( late) Sri .ADNayak was also a headmaster in one of the schools in Kayamkulam some years ago .Suddenly he rose with folded arms and said with utmost respect that he was a student of his and he literally saw him in me. I had all my hair stand erect in excilleration at his deep respect for his teacher. I am sure my father must have showered blessings on him from his heavenly abode.
One of virtues I possess is punctuality and I owe it to one of my teachers Miss Aleyama T John who was my class teacher for the last 3 years of school.SRVHS., Ernakulam.Those days teachers salary was very meagre (even now) and to stick to the time she will engage a rickshaw paying substantial part of her income on occasions when she may get delayed. She used to drive the point that by becoming late not only we waste our time,but we also waste others’ precious time .
Most of the teachers were devoted to teaching those days ,no wonder it used to be called a noble profession.Now it is diluted by many uninterested people taking up , not alone in teaching ,many other fields also .And the values ,as we thing , are eroding and hence we don’t see the sentiments
I have not mentioned many of my teachers who have helped me shape up my career and personality,it does not mean that they are less important , there are scores of them whom I always remember and salute them frequently.
Incidently , if my memory is correct Teachers Day was celebrated from the days,when Dr S Radhakrishnan’s became Vice President of India.
PRANAMS TO ALL TEACHERS PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE
i owe my life to my teachers. they kind of mould us into the best possible people. the kind of effort that they put into our making, the kind of trouble they take for seeing us through in the right path, only they will know. thanks manchitrakka for putting up this one. i really do not know how i will ever pay back my teachers. i always remain indebted to them.
School is our second home and teachers are like mother/father to us. So this is the only best way i thought i can re pay them by offering my salute.
well said narayan
Never knew that late AD Nayak was a head master. You would have certainly felt proud to be your father’s son. After ages somebody is able to recollect a person your father would have been definitely a great teacher. I too feel proud. My husband used to tell of your father talking about his head master, one Mr. Dharmarajan and about his discipline and his English prowess but he never mentioned he was a head master may be he was not aware of that..Thanks for this new input.
I have also heard of your teacher Ms. Aleyama John. teachers can really create a lasting impact on students and you have cited a good example.
Manchitra ..excellent post…
You are so humble Manchitra..
Your tribute to teacher’s day is really wonderful.
God bless you…
Preetha dear
We can express our love and gratitude to our mentors by paying our obeisance to them. Can we in any way repay them for what they have done to us. We have received so much from them we have to transfer it to our next generation.That way we would be doing something good to the society.
dear Chitra.
Yes my father was a head master for a couple of years , though and that too the first one .Decades later that “the Humble Student ” requested me for a photo of my father to be included in the jubilee magazine (75 years) of the school Which I did and it was published, though I did not get the promised copy.
Well, the question may also be, how many teachers really command such respect? I sure have had some very inspiring teachers in life, but then again, I’ve had my share of some not so inspiring ones too. I didn’t seem to know the history of teacher’s day. Thanks for sharing it 🙂
Shivya
what you have said is absolutely true .I have heard that many of the present teachers have entered the profession as they didn’t get any other job. Was wondering what would their commitment would be .
Yes, Shivya’s point is very valid to the times that we live in because its so hard to find such dedicated teachers who are passionate about cultivating good values in their students. Also, its even more difficult to find students who respect their teachers. With movies influencing the way kids perceive women, it is a sad situation.
In Delhi, a friend of mine who teaches Std IX and X was crying saying that the students misbehave with lady teachers and the management tells the teachers to not take it up as an issue because the kids are from rich families. She was telling me that nearly every school in Delhi follows this policy though they would never admit it outright. Of course, following many such disgusting episodes, my friend resigned her job. The question is what can parents do to bring up their kids to respect their teachers and what can schools do to ensure that their teachers command respect.
I wish more readers would share thoughts about this on this blog. Thanks Manchitra for sharing your invaluable thoughts and paying tribute to your teachers. Thats really admirable, and you are setting a fine example for us all.
Dear Swapna
I didnt want to to write the negative aspects on a fine day like Teachers day. i totally agree with you and Shivya that dedication is very much desired in many teachers. I would be certainly writing a different post on that.
Misbehaviour of students with teachers is really shocking. I would blame parents for the same and the school must also look into such matters seriously. Many parents do not have time for their for their children they feel putting them in schools of repute absolves them of their responsibility ( or at least they believe so).
I am looking from another angle. If you ask any college student who is just out of the college to speak about his teachers they have many negatives to say. But after 20 years or so the same person will speak with admiration about the same teachers. Its because as children the views are different and as they grow and become mature have kids of their own they feel that the same teachers who they found were un attractive at the time of leaving college only have helped them in building good values in them.
I think time also plays a great role.
Teachers truly have a deep impact on our life…am still greatful to my chemistry master…who changed the way life was for me!! thanks for bringing back memories…cya around..tc
Thank you Hary. Nice my post made you remember your Chemistry teacher. See you too.
Hello Mam, I chanced upon this page when I was searching for TD high school infor before visiting Kochi.
It seems to be an obvious refernce to My grandfather ( Krishna Rao ) that you have written about. But we always knew him as a Maths teacher, and not as an English Teacher.
It is also possible that there was Another Krishna Rao who was a head master at the same school :o) But the qualities and details definitely match with my Ajja, who taught us in childhood.
Regards,
Santosh Rao.
Dear Santosh
You are right when you said your Ajjo was a maths teacher. He never taught me in school but i used to go his house for learning maths and along with that he did teach me English . I remember his fantastic techniques for teaching grammar than my maths lessons and no wonder i am imparting the same to many students now..There was never any other Krishna Rao as a Head master of his calibre of T.D High school. They were staying near Dr. BD Mallaya’s house. That is the land mark I know and I think his youngest son (is sudhakar his name, Dont remember properly.) was my cousin’s class mate and I remember sir speaking one of his son’s working as aeronautical engg.. All those details I dont remember now. I also knew your aaji very well.
strange are the ways of God, I write something and his grand son is able to read this.really feeling good about the whole thing. . I also know his son Ajith who is in EKM at present.I know and i am very sure about whom I am speaking about. May be it would have clarified your doubts too.
Dear Manchitra,
This is Sudhakar. Youngest son of Krishna Rao. Santosh is my elder brother Rajkumar’s son. I am presently teaching in Mumbai. I can be reached at sudhakar@aero.iitb.ac.in.
Dear sudhakar
So i was right remembering your name , the doubt arose in the mind of Santosh when i said Sir taught me English. He taught me Maths also I think I should say it the other way round as he was a maths teacher and loved attending his classes My post itself is a proof is it not?
Dear Manchitra
I am the middle one (son) of krishna rao.
I visited Sudhakar’s house on the last week end and he told me about you and the exchange of few emails he had with you .
I have 2 sons Shankar and santosh both are in Bangalore.
i live in Mumbai with my wife Kasturi.
My mother who at present is with Sudhakar remembered your family well.
One thing I agree with you My father was an exceleent teacher in Maths followed by English.
He knew the “Wren & Martin”backwards.
He taught me and sudhakar maths one class ahead, means when I was in 6th Std I knew fully the maths of 7th Std.
You are obviously very junior to me .Hence I do not remember you.
I completed my SSLC from TDHS in March 1962.
It was nostalgic to read what you wrote about my father.
A big thank you to you
regards
Rajkumar
my email ID
rajkumar@opticsluma.com
Mr. Raj kumar
very nice to see your comment. In fact I did not see the comment as it was in spam.
I think I would have seen only Sudhakar amongst all of you. I remember your mother, a very pleasing and cheerful person. I came to know about your elder brother Ajit through my cousin Vatsala and she informed your brother about my blog. I am happy you could come across a blog on your father thanks to the network. Your son Santosh happen to Google search TD High school and bumped in to my blog.Through him also I learnt about your whole family.
Dear Manchitra,
I happened to hit this blog when i was googling the name “PUTHALI BAI”, who is my grand mother. Its sad to say, but she is no more in this world. It is almost 6 months now. Im sure whe wud have been happy if she had ever come across this post.
Coming back to your post. Good post. It makes me happy to know that you have great respect for your teachers especially my grandmother, which makes you remember them even now.
keep writing…
Sreenesh,
Thank you for the comment. Nice to know you are the grandson of Smt. Puthali Bai. I know her children quite well. A similar thing happened in case of Sri Krishna Rao master when his grandson google searched for TD high school and landed on my post. I am happy to note that you found my post interesting. Keep coming back.
A small correction… its been 3 years since she passed away.. and not 6months as i mentioned… TY
Sreenesh, I was actually wondering about that… what you have mentioned. When teacher passed away, I had heard the news and in fact I asked my sister about the same. Any way, thanks for the clarification.
Dear Sreenish
If I recollect correctly Smt Puthali Bai had just about joined TDHS Cochin when I was in High School. She was maths teacher for us in 9th STD during 1960.It is nice to contact her grand son through the efforts of Chitra.
I pray God for the eternal peace of the depatrted soul of my teacher Puthali Bai
Rajkumar
rajkumar@opticsluma.com
I am so happy Mr. Raj Kumar, could also comment on Smt. Puthali Bai. Teachers were selfless and they treated students as their own children that is why they are still in their hearts.
I read it a bit late but it was really worth reading my dear teacher.
SK
You really made my day. I am too happy.You said all you wanted in that one sentence.Thanks.
Dear All
Mata, Pitha, Guru Deivam
Guru stands before the GOD, though GOD is supreme.
Immediately our parents GURU is the one who leads us from Darkness to Brightness. Let us salute the Gurus/Acharyas
Pranams
TS Iyer- Pullepady
Thanks TS Iyer,
I am happy you liked my post. Loved your words.very true.
yes sir I liked your posting
Pullepady Iyer