My teachers

It has been long since I have left school. But every year , this particular day, brings to me a feeling of nostalgia and I miss some of the most beloved persons of my life, my teachers. So today I decided I would be writing about these wonderful people, who have always adored me and have always made me learn something new, who have always influenced my life and have somewhat moulded me into the person I am. So here I am, sharing some of my “crack-jack” moments with my teachers.
Nursery: I don’t remember my nursery teacher’s name. But I still bear in my mind her green eyes, her beautiful face and her giving me sweets from her lunch-box when I would get restless and would start crying to go back home.
Kindergarten: I went to Rourkela after nursery and joined this school named Wonderland. What I remember about this school is my checked shirt and brown skirt uniform, some of my friends (who might have forgotten me), and my principal, Mrs. Sehgal. She was a Punjabi lady, with perfect English, and her grey hair maintained in a boy-cut. Mrs. Sehgal loved me a lot and had gifted me a kitchen set, for getting through all the entrance examinations I had appeared to get admitted to Std. I.
My next school was Ispat English Medium School, Rourkela. I studied there from Std. I to Std. III. I don’t remember all the teachers, but there are some who I can never forget.
Mr. Chauhan: He was my class teacher in Std.I . Taught us Hindi and was our games teacher as well. Mr. Chauhan was very dark and carried a Rajput style thick moustache. He was a good teacher no doubt, and was equally skilled in games, and was able to rotate a football at the tip of his index finger(which I have been trying since then but have never succeeded ).
Mrs. Behera: my Mathematics teacher in Std.II, who had made me kneel ‘coz I had not done my homework. But that’s what has made me remember this strict old lady all these years.
Mrs. Pati: she was our craft teacher. She taught us those lovely wall hangings, and greeting cards. All the “silai-kadhai” I know, have been taught by her.
I joined Stewart School in Std IV. I have spent seven years in this school and have literally grown up here. So there’s a strong sense of attachment to this school and its teachers.
Barren Sir: My Maths teacher in Std. IV. He was a great man who, I guess, had never said a harsh word in his life. Other than his being a good teacher, the reason I liked him was that, he resembled my dad in his looks. But two months back when I got to know about his sudden demise, I felt as if I have lost some precious possession.
Ruma Miss: She used to teach us English in Std. IV. Ruma Miss was everyone’s favorite and I was her favorite. She used to give us gold and silver stars for getting full marks in the tests, which were always won by either Amrita or me.
Mandal Miss: Mandal miss taught us Oriya. My first experience with her was that she had punished me for tying my tie-knot in the class. But eventually I became her “ladli”. She loved me like her own child (she used to say that). She wasn’t liked by a lot of students for her tough attitude, but to me she was one of the best.
Amit Sir had the capability to turn the most boring subject, History into an interesting one. He was more like a friend (with whom we could share our deepest secrets comfortably), than a teacher. It had been around 7years since his death, but even today a shudder passes through me when I am reminded of his painful and untimely death(he was in his thirties). But he always possessed a special position in my heart and would always continue to do so.
Acharya Miss was my favorite. In spite of her old age, she possessed a lovely voice(she headed the school chorus). She was a very good teacher and used to teach us English in Std.V and History in Std.VI. Once she was asking us puzzles and I had answered them all correctly and quite fast too. She had suggested I should become a lawyer. I can never forget those lunch breaks when she would come to our class and sit with us sharing our lunch, singing “Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya ji”. When Amrita and I visited her two years back, she was elated to see us after so many years and stuffed us with all kinds of delicacies.
Daschoudhry Miss and Daschoudhry Sir: Miss taught us English from Std. VI to Std.VII. She was an absolutely no-nonsense lady who could make the class quiet by just tapping a pencil. Initially she always found problems with me and I used to feel we had some “pichhle janam ka dushmani” (they were always because of some misunderstandings). But she always liked me and wanted me to be a perfect person(I would thank her for her efforts). She was another person, besides my father, who made me fall in love with books. Daschoudhry sir was just the opposite of his wife. Very meek, who wouldn’t say anything even if we created limitless nuisance in the class. I last visited them two years ago and had talked a lot with them, but never felt like visiting their home after Miss passed away the same year.
Ambrose miss was nicknamed terror. She indeed was. But she was very good at heart. A perfect disciplinarian, who would make us tear pages from our Bio practical records and make us write the same thing again, if we ever made the slightest mistake. I was her favorite amongst the girls and even I liked her a lot.
Tripathy sir and TB Biswal Sir taught us Computers. I was their favorite as I was very good at that subject. Tripathy sir used to call me “the shining star” of his class. TB Biswal sir, who used to punish everyone at the smallest of disturbances, never even raised his voice on me, though I used to disturb a lot in his class making noise and perpetually turning back and talking.
Well, this blog had already extended to 3 pages of a Word document and I guess would never end if I don’t force myself to stop. But I would like to say one thing… Teachers you would always be in my heart and I, at your feet.