Dear All,
I had my schooling in a not so posh school in a sleepy little town in Gujarat called Baroda ( Vadodara in Gujarati & Badauda in Hindi ). We had our share of fun n frolic but also great learning experience from Teacher's who had a wealth of information for sharing besides taking personal care of their students. This Blog is from one of my friend - Dwijen who unfortunately passed away in 2010. His wife was kind enough to share this with me....and I thought of sharing the same. My friend had successfully fooled his parents and also our class teacher by taking two school dairy...One he always kept at Home - a clean record and other for Class Room remarks which never got to his parents notice.....read on...
We need teacher like Bhiku Sir [part1]
-by Dwijen Shah Thursday, May 29, 2008
This story has been read 69 times.
Bhikhu sir, I still remember you, even after some 25/30 years. I realize now that how wrong I was during those days and how "good teacher" you were. Believe me, I used to hate you the most and now, with all my heart I love you the most. I want to meet you and tell you how sorry I am and how much I appreciate for what you did. I don't even know your email id, or phone neither I know where you live. Wherever you are, sir, this is my tribute to you.
Bhikhu sir, that's what everybody used to call him in the Vidya Kunj High School , Baroda . At the beginning of the year, school would provide among other things, one "Diary" which every student has to keep and if the homework is not done, the teacher would write it in the 'Diary" and the student has to get it signed by his/her parents. Every year once I get the "Diary", next week I would go to the office and complain that I have lost my "Diary" and would get new one. One diary is kept home for my parents to check it while other one was for teachers. Most of the time I would not do homework and all teachers would sign it and ask me to get it signed by my parents, from very beginning I would sign it in my fathers name and it would be same all the time. This went on for 2/3 years and one day at the end of the year it ended. It was you sir, who brought it to an end. It was in the end of year when you started taking our Hindi class, I don't remember why it was in the end of the year and not at the start of the year but on the very next day when you started signing the diaries of those students who had not done the homework, I distinctively remember you called out my name and asked me why I have not being doing homework, I remember you saying "two pages are full, not only Hindi but almost all subjects, I would like to meet your father, tell him to meet me in PTA" I think it was PTA or PTM -- something like "Parents Teachers Association" or "Parents Teachers Meeting" and I casually said I would do that, knowing very well that my parents have been believing my story that due to some error, school has been sending letter for PTA meeting and would show them the "Clean Diary" and I guess it worked since they "saw" the clean diary while the letter said otherwise. Some teachers would ask for meeting and would soon forget it or maybe thought that since my parents don't give a damn then why should they. No disrespect to any teachers, I know you did your job. You signed the diary and called for Parents meeting, if parents don't show up, what else could you do. I understand now that 50/60 students in a class, plus different standards thereby nearly 150/200 students to take care every year and if one students parent don't show up, why should you care. Please I seriously do not mean any disrespect to any teachers.
We need teacher like Bhikhu Sir [part 2]
-by Dwijen Shah Thursday, May 29, 2008
This story has been read 66 times.
Bhikhu sir, it was only you who followed up relentlessly. This is how it happened, when my parents did not show up you gave me a handwritten note to be handed over to my father which of course was not handed over, after two days when you had your class, the first thing you did was to take me to principal's office and told him everything. I remember our principal at that time was Mr.T.C.Patel, who asked for my home telephone number and I replied that we don't have telephone at our house though we had two of them. During those days it was not uncommon not to have telephone - now even my kids have their cell phones. Principal took my address and said that he would send a letter to my father. No letter came and nothing happened. I don't blame our principal for not sending the letter nor following it up. I guess like other teachers he might have been busy or did not give a damn. But one thing certainly happened no matter what I would finish my Hindi homework thinking that Bhikhu sir would be pleased. But not you sir, I still remember that particular day when you finished signing the diaries; you asked me "how come your diary is not here?" With pride in my eyes I said I have submitted my book since I have done my homework. But Instead of checking my book you still checked my diary and asked me why I had not done the homework of science and geography.
Bhikhu sir, believe me when I say that during those days I hated you so much, I can't even describe it in words. But luckily the school year came to end and thought of relief from you sir. How wrong I was. Every year students have to purchase school uniform from particular store, I remember the store name as "Zankar" and when we went there to purchase my uniform you were there, I don't know whether it was coincidence or you were there for me, but store owner said that finally after one week he caught you. I was so scared that I don't even remember what you said to my father, but I do remember that strange look on your face when my father raised his voice and said that school should inspect their system and remove my name so that wrong letters for PTA don't end up in my house since my child has "Clean Diary". I felt like running away from the store, my father believed me however it was only when he said that why nobody called him. I knew that now my father would know my lies since when you, sir told him that I had said that we don't have telephone. The look on my father's face, I still cannot forget that, I don't know how to describe it, but he knew that I was lying all the way. On that day we did not buy any uniform, went home, my father was so angry, I had to tell him the truth, showed him both the "Diaries", I cried, my mother cried.
Bhikhu sir, oh I hated you so much. My Parents came, met school principal and left. Their attitude towards me changed. your attitude towards me changed and me, of course I never bought another diary. However this is not the end. From thereon as I grew up, I kept remembering you. Later on I had plastic bottle manufacturing unit, I learned that if I add upto 20% of recycled plastic granules to the virgin plastic granules, customers can't tell the difference - this way I would make extra buck or reduce my price if I had more competion. The going was good but one day I remembered you and quit doing that. Now currently I reside in USA and own a c-store, few years back I learned that if I rub "nail polish remover" on expiry date on product it would go away.and I would not have to incur loss, but again sir, I remembered you and never did that.
Bhikhu sir, I still remember you, even after some 25/30 years. I realize now that how wrong I was during those days and how "good teacher" you were. Believe me, I used to hate you the most and now, with all my heart I love you the most. I want to meet you and tell you how sorry I am and how much I appreciate for what you did. Wherever you are, sir, you still keep me in check. For an extra easy buck or two I would not hesitate to take that step and would consider it to be "everything is fair in business", even today I do sometimes stray onto that path but then you sir, would bring me back and put me in line.
Bhikhu sir, where ever you are, may god bless you and I certainly pray that let my kids have teacher like Bhikhu sir, who not only does his/her "JOB" but even goes one extra mile for his students.
Warm Regards,
Stephen Narayanan
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MTC GLOBAL- Educate, Empower, Elevate
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