STUDENTS' PROFESSOR!!!

Today, second birthday to this Blog. I don’t know how far it is successful as of now. But, I treat this as a medium of extending my gratitude. When it was created, it expressed its gratitude to Leo. In the first year of anniversary, it registered it’s gratitude to Mahesh, (the founder of this Blog.) Now, it has a responsibility to mention about the precious and the special person in my life.

The past few days urged me to pen about me in my Blog, when I had been dealing with some projects, which were sent to me for correction. Sometimes, I do it with interest. Sometimes, I take it as a challenge. Nonetheless, I feel happy for keeping in touch with literature and English language teaching (ELT) even after joining the bank, which is completely a different area where I landed now. Whenever, projects, thesis, dissertations come to me, I am reminded of him. One of my friends sent me his friend’s thesis to correct. The thesis was previously corrected for rupees 4000. No. I am wrong. It was cheated for rupees 4000. I was startled when I started correcting it. None to be blamed in his case. Even guides who earn above 50000 grease their palms to approve their students’ projects. In a college, I heard, a professor didn’t allow the student to complete his project. He couldn’t satisfy the guide with his project was the truth. The student came to a conclusion. A pen-drive with 16 GB memory was the deal. Finally, the student greased the guide’s palm with 32 GB. Student gave, guide received and project was successfully approved. In another case, the students were asked to complete the guide’s PHD project. This post is not about those professors and guides. In every department, we’d face good and bad men/women. This post is about a good man, good professor and good guide whom I had in my life.

Each and every student, according to me, is inspired by a teacher or a professor. Obviously, I am not an exception as I am inspired by many teachers and professors in my academic career. Being a visually challenged person, it is not a miracle to have some inspiring teachers in school days as the initial level education took place in a special school. Hence, I decided to write about my professor who sculpted me when I was in college.

I have no idea of letting his name out till the penultimate line of this post as the last line may be quite significant. In many educational institutions, as I noticed and observed, teachers remember only the names of rank holders and class toppers. Obviously, the others are effaced in their memories. I am not scathing them, as each and every one unique in nature. But, his uniqueness is fascinating. I’ve noticed in the classroom in several occasions that he used to give more importance to average students. Similarly, he also never fails to appreciate them. One of our professors, in our class, used to mention him as a man of inspiration, which is not far from the truth.

It was teacher’s day. We wished him and asked him to share his experience as a teacher. He began his life story. I never expected that he would have had such a tough story in his life. Unlike others, he got educated in vernacular medium till his higher secondary. His initial days in college was very challenging he said. English remained very tough to him he shared. He even failed in some subjects in the first year of under graduation, which was really a jolt to me. He shared of his attempts, fiascos, discouragements, criticisms, appreciations in his life, which finally lead to success. A story of success would help to walk on slithy path. On the other hand, a story of failure would help us creating new path on our own. His motivational words helped us decorating ourselves with positive energy.

I don’t know about others. But, as visually challenged, I must not forget to mention his enormous contribution in my educational career while studying. In my college, very few professors remembered my name. In fact, it may not exceed 5 if was write and he’s one among them. We went to Mangalore for a paper presentation. I was surrounded my friends though in the train he was holding and protecting me while standing. His generosity is worth mentioning here. When one of my close friends lost belongings in Mangalore, he spent a considerable amount from his pocket. Of course, many would do this but, he didn’t brag anything after that. I felt really glee to take my M.Phil course under his coordination and guide ship. He had never been a teacher in the classroom, I have noticed, and students were his priority. Of course, students are the priority to many but, he’s different in his approach. He gives chances, many chances to students to perform in the classroom on their own. Willingness is the only thing he expects from them. I have observed while he addressed us, seldom appreciating the class toppers and often doing it for average and poor students, who made some serious attempts. Each and every debut of mine had been read by him first. My first poem and my first short story are in the list. When I handed over him the hard copies of my first 6 poems, he read and appreciated. He also advised me to work hard on this and he planted the first seed of publicizing. The thought of publishing has occurred in my mind only after his appreciation. Obviously, many have done that. Many have appreciated me to publish which I never deny and will never deny but, he was the first one to dig my mind to plant the thought. It was his birthday. Wishing him is a blessing to me. I wished him and he replied me with a quote,

“One day I’ll come to your homes

If you welcome me, it will hurt me and lead to sorrow

Your security/guard should say to me

‘Sir/ma’am is busy now, so get out and come tomorrow.’”

It sounded familiar to me. I was wondering the author of the quote. I must have been musing about 30 seconds. All of a sudden it occurred that he had read my poem (the letter, to my post graduate classmates) somewhere, most probably on Facebook. Even I didn’t remember those last lines. He had even discussed it with my juniors they came and said.

Lio Joseph, Megha Ramesh and I were the 3 students chose him as our guide. In fact, everybody wanted to be guided by him. I still remember his words while were discussing on our guides in our class, he said, “I have to look after Vinoth, who are the remaining two?” He didn’t even make me roam for guides. Not only had me, even many visually challenged admired him a lot for his guidance. It is not to under estimate other professors who engage in traditional evaluation but, he’s modern and flexible in his evaluation. He never wanted his student to spend for photo copies till the end of their projects. Everything was done on line. We used to send him mail; he corrects it and sends it back to us. We went to the Xerox shop only at the time of printing the whole. I just had a rough calculation. He helped me saving nearly 400 rupees. In our batch we were 3 students under his guidance. I am not sure. He must have guided more than 30 students in his life. 30*400=? 12000!!!

I have a purpose to write about him on this day. When I told him that I was running a Blog on my own for writing, he not only halted with appreciation but also subscribed in to it as a reader. Like many of my close friends, he also wanted me to become a lecturer, which I failed to fulfill. I met him after joining bank. When I called him on his recent birthday, after receiving my wishes, he told me to do something greater. Obviously, I have something to do in my life. My mind urges me to publish a novel. I also have a story to pen but it may disrupt the life of a few. Hence, I am waiting. I promise. When I publish something in my life, the receiver of the first copy will be,

DR. KS ANTONY SAMI, THE STUDENTS’ PROFESSOR!