Dad. His ex-colleague and friend SE James Uncle. And their student Suresh from the good old days.They met at railway station.
Suresh belonged to a generation which considered the teacher-student relationship as a divine one.He was a student at a time when there were no mobile phones,forget facebook.But there was mutual respect,love and depth in relationships.
My school and dad's college were nearby. Right from my nursery school days,I was there in the college campus on every chance possible-on school holidays,half-working days,during exams and so on.NSS camps held in college were a celebration time for us kids for we can play in the entire campus till late night.
I grew up there.His students were my siblings.His colleagues were my Uncles and Aunts,or much more than that.My extended family.My second home.I saw people from different places and different backgrounds.Learned to mingle with people of different types.My first exposure to the world outside.
I have seen dad being a dedicated professor, a good mentor and a wonderful friend to students.Have seen serious academic discussions and silly humorous discussions between them.Have seen him scolding them and then they being friends again.Have seen them handling events together.Have seen them cooking together. I remember a jam making session at home. They did all such things together with so much of passion and pleasure. By the time Amma returned from work the kitchen looked like a place hit by earthquake. I wondered if they could have bought it easily from any shop around.No.They wanted to make it.They made it.Those were my first lessons on teamwork and on happiness in doing things together.Later I became a student in the same college.
Dad's retirement had saddened me because I was losing my second home. And when I meet his old collegues and students I am equally happy as he is.They smile, they laugh, they share memories. I am more than happy to witness that. Those memories are mine too.
Suresh belonged to a generation which considered the teacher-student relationship as a divine one.He was a student at a time when there were no mobile phones,forget facebook.But there was mutual respect,love and depth in relationships.
My school and dad's college were nearby. Right from my nursery school days,I was there in the college campus on every chance possible-on school holidays,half-working days,during exams and so on.NSS camps held in college were a celebration time for us kids for we can play in the entire campus till late night.
I have seen dad being a dedicated professor, a good mentor and a wonderful friend to students.Have seen serious academic discussions and silly humorous discussions between them.Have seen him scolding them and then they being friends again.Have seen them handling events together.Have seen them cooking together. I remember a jam making session at home. They did all such things together with so much of passion and pleasure. By the time Amma returned from work the kitchen looked like a place hit by earthquake. I wondered if they could have bought it easily from any shop around.No.They wanted to make it.They made it.Those were my first lessons on teamwork and on happiness in doing things together.Later I became a student in the same college.
Dad's retirement had saddened me because I was losing my second home. And when I meet his old collegues and students I am equally happy as he is.They smile, they laugh, they share memories. I am more than happy to witness that. Those memories are mine too.
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