A TRIBUTE TO TEACHERS

I do not know at this juncture, whom i should recall from my memories to honour them on this day devoted to Gurus,and i indeed feel guilty that i have not done it all along in the span of last 58years.My son is a guru, to me at this moment and the first heart felt thanks to him , for having reminded me about my omission, by his post, which is a classic tribute to his teachers.

And coming to the word "Guru", is it confined to only teachers(School, college etc0 or does it extend beyond that.To me before broaching on this issue let me place my gratitude to my teachers who made me what i am to day...

It goes back to Sita teacher(SRI DEVI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL), who took care of me during my first years of schooling, and in the same breath i must acknowledge my other teacher(my own sister Jayam)who with out teaching any thing, lives day in and day out as a role model to be pursued .

Then the memory lane takes me to the next important teacher of my life, who taught me the values of life, a strong belief system in God,self confidence by identifying, accepting and making me a leader to lead various debates, classes etc , who taught me mathematics and English and made me to secure state rank and a school first rank in my school.MANY OF THE VALUES IN LIFE WHICH I HOLD EVEN ON DATE , I OWE it to Sri Vijayaraghavachariar(RAMA KRISHNA MISSION HIGH SCHOOL-North branch).

My college days brought me back the passion for English language as well as Tamil langauge, and since then they were my two eyes.The ease and expertise with which i was able to handle the behavoural science classes ,in both languages , simultaneously later in my life as a faculty , the taste that i have developed to authors like Jayakanthan, Thi Janagiraman, NA Parathasarathy , JK, etc all flowed from my two teachers at College Sri Jagannatha Chariar(Tamil) and sri K.Srinivasan
English).I still recall with agony and pleasure at the same time, when my professor of English did the last part of Antony and cleopatra, the death scene of cleopatra.The entire class was moved and in tears at that moment when he acted like cleopatra,and none of us could take lunch on that day. All of us skipped our lunch as no one was in a mood to go to lunch.And that was the day i recognised the greatness of true love.

Then when i moved in to the professional pursuit, Sri Sadagopan, a chartered accountant by profession, taught me the values about the profession and th need to maintain the highest clarity and integrity, backed with practical wisdom in issues of importance.

LATER WHEN I HAVE TAKEN BANKING AS MY CAREER THE ONE PERSON WHOM I SHOULD MAKE A reference to for all the guidance that he gave to me is Sri Ganesan, who made my career graph to ascend the way in which it is presently progressing.

That much about the teachers, i.e the manner in which the term is loosely understood by masses-then there are many more teachers, like a friend in need, a father's untold love, a mother's spoken love, a sweet heart's timely advise, the actions and words of near and dear, a son and a daughter, and even the opposition of an enemy ,events in society which revolve around you all these are great masters of life. And as my son succinctly put it the life itself is the greatest leveller and to that extent a great teacher too.

I dip my banner in acknowlegement to all those who have contributed directly and indirectly in so many ways for shaping my life.

September 6, 2010 1:20 PM