Classmates

Classroom is history for me, today . Group photos of teachers and classmates in album refreshes some memories. Thanks to the digital era we belong. As most of us revived old connections and formed our organic bonding on virtual platform. On teachers' day my gratitude to all teachers who blessed me and my friends as we moved from school, college to university. In school had participated in grand programs - song, dance, drama and what not, in college meet teachers with a smiley face or a bunch of flower..Recall once chasing the guest house guard to help us meet Dr. Triguna Sen who had visited our small township on the occasion of teacher's day. I was weak in GK. Had no knowledge of who I was trying to meet. But I went with two of my of classmates who knew who he was! They were my teachers in the journey to meet the gentleman of great academic stature. Later in life when I stepped into my university I found there was an auditorium in the name of this teacher and he was a founder member of the university I graduated from. Life can be such a meaningful circle.

This teacher's day thought of those who had influenced with a difference!

Jack n’ Jill was taught in the colorful classroom. And you taught me to play between the school bells. How to hang from the swing, fall off on the sandpit and get up once more to run and be in the classroom before the teacher was in. As the school bag slowly became heavy, they taught me subjects to run the basics in future, helped me with facts from past and present to be informed…but your presence made me realize a word called rank. You taught me a hard subject called competition. Yes we grew up side by side in childhood! …And you were my teacher.

Hyperbola was neatly drawn on the blackboard and the teacher explained the complex formulas. It took me some time to get those curves right. But you helped me to get the perfect angle for copying notes when I needed it the most. You taught me how to survive. With intense passion the teacher taught Calculus, but you taught me true infinity with no limit. Your daring acts exposed impossible was also possible. I learnt from your success and more so from your failures. You taught me an important lesson of life, it is fine to fail and still be a part of a peer team who may have qualified with flying colors. You taught me a harder subject called failure. We cycled side by side as teenagers!  … And you were my teacher.

They made me respect the importance of attendance, you ensured I enjoyed the pleasure of bunking. Across semesters they taught me so many subjects…graded me A B C… We jostled in the tunnel of time for graduation. Someone came out first and someone last. But holding on to each other’s hand we ensured no one was in the tunnel when the time was over! Most of it, what was taught in the classroom have washed away but what stayed back were memories of library where we did all but study! Yes, creating memorable moments is a very important art in life. You taught me to balance between the sweet nothings in the library and the absolute somethings on the class tests that mattered. We graduated together!  … And you were my teacher.

You were all different but all of you put together made me realize that all the certificates, I received before I started handing a wallet that I call my own, had an unseen expiry date. They have all expired. What you taught is still with me and pays me back every day.

You were my classmate and a special teacher in my life. On this teacher’s day, thank you for being there!

Dedicated to all my school, college and university classmates.