Today is Teachers' Day and an apt occasion to remember some great teachers that I am privileged to have been tutored by. There are about a dozen teachers, from primary school to high school, college, IIMA, and even post-formal education, whom I consider as influencers on my life and whom I remember fondly, but Rahman Saheb (as we used to call him) tops my list.
He taught me mathematics in the last three years of school (St Paul's School, Ajmer). He was in his mid-thirties then. Undoubtedly, he was a master in his subject but that is true of many other teachers. What is more memorable and remarkable about him is his dedication to making us, the students, master the subject.
He never wasted a minute in the class. He would make us understand the concepts and not just memorise the formulae. He was always willing to help us after the school with additional guidance or clarifications. He was firm but fair in the class. He was (and still is) a simple man, humble, highly principled.
About a month before the board exams, we would have break from school for exam preparation. During that period also, he used to conduct free, optional, two-hour long coaching classes in the school premises, for revision and practice. Such was his sincerity and the benefit to us that almost everybody used to attend those classes.
He would, in fact, run two classes simultaneously in two adjoining classrooms, one for the tenth standard and one for the eleventh (we had eleven years of schooling in those days). He would, in one class, teach us something, give us some problems to solve, then dash to the other class, teach them something, give them some problems, and then come back to our class. That was truly amazing.
His hard work inevitably showed in the board exam results. We all would perform well in maths, even those who did poorly in other subjects.
It felt nice to speak to him early this morning on phone, greet him and receive his blessings. I pray for his health and peace.
He taught me mathematics in the last three years of school (St Paul's School, Ajmer). He was in his mid-thirties then. Undoubtedly, he was a master in his subject but that is true of many other teachers. What is more memorable and remarkable about him is his dedication to making us, the students, master the subject.
He never wasted a minute in the class. He would make us understand the concepts and not just memorise the formulae. He was always willing to help us after the school with additional guidance or clarifications. He was firm but fair in the class. He was (and still is) a simple man, humble, highly principled.
About a month before the board exams, we would have break from school for exam preparation. During that period also, he used to conduct free, optional, two-hour long coaching classes in the school premises, for revision and practice. Such was his sincerity and the benefit to us that almost everybody used to attend those classes.
He would, in fact, run two classes simultaneously in two adjoining classrooms, one for the tenth standard and one for the eleventh (we had eleven years of schooling in those days). He would, in one class, teach us something, give us some problems to solve, then dash to the other class, teach them something, give them some problems, and then come back to our class. That was truly amazing.
His hard work inevitably showed in the board exam results. We all would perform well in maths, even those who did poorly in other subjects.
It felt nice to speak to him early this morning on phone, greet him and receive his blessings. I pray for his health and peace.
