Happy Teacher’s Day

Today, September 5th is celebrated India-wide as Teacher’s Day. It is the birthday of the second President of India, Dr. Radhakrishnan, a literary scholar and teacher. It is in his honour, that today is declared as Teachers Day.

Teachers traditionally have held a position of honour and respect all over India, since time immemorial. Sadly in today’s fast paced world, the value of teachers and what they do is fast losing importance.

Teaching is a profession, and as in all professions, some do it merely as that, and some do it with a passion, that changes the lives of the children and teenagers who come into contact with such teachers.

If you ever have come across one teacher in all your student life, who has changed your life and your way of thinking for the better, you have been blessed. Thankfully I have had several such opportunities. Right from pre-primary school right upto architecture college, and then graduate school, I have benifited from teachers who have gone beyond their call of duty, to mould me and my fellow students into better human beings, first and foremost, and then to instill in us a sense of purpose for life, that at a young age seems all too ambiguous.

These teachers went above the regular lectures, exams, viva’s and juries, and made me realize that education is something much more than what is contained in the printed text book.

I consider education to be one of the nobler professions, akin to medicine. Teachers who spend their lives teaching kids, do more than just teach. They help mould the future of our communities, cities and countries.

I shall forever be thankful to all those wonderful teachers, who have enriched my life. To name a few would not be fair, because there are too many to name. And this is a day about all the teachers who have worked silently, under great stress and pressure to produce responsible and capable citizens of this world.

So in your busy schedule this Monday morning, I urge you to take 10 minutes and email, call or write to teachers who have made a difference in your lives. Do it, they deserve it.