To my teachers, with profound regards

My recent visit to Tagore Govt College of Education to attend its “Pearl Jubilee Celebration” had been a store full or surprise. The institution building wore a festive look with decorative sequential lights, colourful flags and the red carpet. I turned up 45 minutes ahead of time, yet found the epitome of education packed to its capacity. Everybody seemed amused and engaged in chit chat with friends whom they had been meeting after a long time. The trainees, alumni, teachers and other staff members of the institution, everybody were on their job making last minute arrangements.

We recalled our days running around in the institution, learning while arranging such programs. Our teachers stood behind us lending support in every sphere of our activity. After a years study we moved on in our career path, a new batch took our place; a cycle that repeats year after year but the teachers, their vigor and enthusiasm remained afresh. They still stand firm behind their students, enabling the students put up a scintillating show much to the delight of the elite gathering.

I had been chosen to be part of the alumni troupe which presented a couple of songs which was lauded by everyone present on the occasion. We received the applause first hand but, we all knew, the performance has been possible because of the insistence and motivation rendered by our teachers.

Teachers play too important a role guiding us in our life, like our parents. They bear on their shoulders the responsibility and the herculean task of shaping our future in the right direction. They put in their best efforts to include the excluded, to satiate the dissatisfied, to motivate the discouraged. They teach us, appreciate us, motivate us and enrich us with the necessary skill sets required to prosper in our life. At the same time they maintain vigil on us so that we do not deviate from the paths of virtue.

It is their selfless service which prepared us to achieve greater heights in our career and win accolades but our teachers remains invisible in the whole process.

It took 40 years of my life to realize the greatness of a teacher who, like our parents and family members, are ever keen to hear about our success and take same pride in celebrating our achievements as our parents do. A teacher is such that one could hardly differentiate them from parents. Therefore while the pearl jubilee celebration was in progress, one question had been haunting me; what could I give my teachers in return for their role in shaping my career? Perhaps “nothing” because whatever I can call “mine” is “their” benevolence.

On the occasion of teachers day, I sincerely acknowledge their contribution and greet them form the core of my heart. I can never return a teacher’s favor, but all my teachers know how much I adorn them. I hope my teachers would continue to shower their blessings upon me because without their guidance and invaluable support, life would be a maze. Kindly accept my gratitude.




This post was carried in The Daily Telegrams dated 18/09/2011