Yesterday was Teachers' Day, which we celebrate with great pomp in India for showing our gratitude, love, respect and affection to teachers for their special contribution in various fields. However, India has been traditionally celebrating "Guru Purnima" as a day of worshiping teachers even before Teachers' Day on 5 September. It is an inexhaustible part of our culture that we have always been able to directly reveal the hidden love in every relationship through a particular festival. Talk about Teacher's Day and we should not miss Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birthday we celebrate as Teacher's Day, how can this happen?
If I look back in my student life, I remember that we used to go and give good wishes to our teacher on tuition on Teachers Day and they used to feed us samosa in return. How strange it is that in listening, those who should have got a party from us used to give us the party. On the occasion of Teacher's Day yesterday, I remembered my English tuition teacher late Shri Satish Kumar Gupta whole day. He died last year. He was 80 when I was his student. And let me tell you an interesting thing, my father was also an intermediate student of Satish Sir. Thus Satish Sir was the teacher of both me and my father. I still remember that first day when I met him for the first time. I went with my father in the evening to request him to teach me. We knocked on his door, his wife opened the door from the front. He made us sit in the house very respectfully and came to know the reason for coming from us. Satish sir came out of his room just then. When I first saw him, I was shocked. At the very first time I was so impressed by his personality that his personality stayed inside me forever. I saw an elderly 80 year old sitting in front of me. Even today, I cannot forget how much earliness and glow was on the white face of 80-year-old Satish sir. His length was also quite good and due to age in his waist there was not even a slight tilt. He made me ask some questions which were like a test. I was admitted to their tuition where 4 girls and the fifth boy I studied alone. Within a few days I had realized that I am at the very bottom of English in which I could not even spell most of the English words. But after 1 year, when I left from there, my English level had touched a different height.
I am often surprised that that 80-year-old man used to do all his work himself, without anyone's help. He had no difficulty in walking and working. One day Sir told me that I had two collections of English poets printed. He gave me a book offering form with his autograph. Even today I have that book safe, and I have decided that I will publish the poems of that book on my blog. This will also be their tribute to me.
When I finished my engineering studies, I went to meet him one day, informing him that my job was done. The simple nature of the Sir still fascinates me. He told me that I am looking for you Vasu son for a long time. Then he said, son, there is no age to learn. He further said that for the last few days, I have a lot of desire to learn Hermanomanium. He pointed to the harmonium and said that I have also arranged for the harmonium but I am not able to progress beyond Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. I have also arranged some books but the talk is not being made. He said that Vasu I have heard from many people, your father plays very good harmonium! Will you ask your father to teach me harmonium? I was surprised to hear this. I started thinking that how can an 84 year old person have so much excitement for learning? I could see the hunger to learn harmonium in their eyes. I assured Sir and took leave from Sir.
That was my last meeting with him. Till date, the first and last meeting with him has dominated my heart and mind.
I will be eternally grateful to him and all my teachers.
Thank you!
WHAT THOUGH?
What though I suffer defeat?
A soldier is first a soldier;
His records of valor are seen,
Mine are also not all base.
I ever make earnest efforts;
I essay to do things apt
I cause no harm to anyone;
Success in not my claim.
Industry is my sacred creed
To look back is lowly;
I ever look ahead
Hope never lets me bow.
To aspire for eminence is good;
To be content is still better.
From: Juvenile Poems
By : Satish Kumar Gupta
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