From teaching me how to dress up to holding my hands and schooling me on table manners, from running morning marathons to endless basketball practice sessions, from lining up for meals to attending prep sessions, from endless gossiping sessions to being fed the most delicious plum 'chutney' and choco walnut cakes, from 'ragda' sessions to being taken for dinner at the 'gyani's', from teaching me patience to guiding me towards the right path....from being teachers to being my parents. I only wish I could thank you enough for what you have done for me.
I still remember appearing for the written admission test and not clearing it. And I also remember that I was hell bent on getting admitted to Pinegrove School. What I did next even surprised me. A 13 year old teenager who could not even speak english and who used to shiver at the very thought of facing strangers called up the headmaster of the school. And Heady the best part is you remember it. An Army person, strict to the core, personality to die for, command that could put anyone to shame, what was I thinking?
My parents were out of town and that was an opportunity enough for me to sneak out of my room and give this dictator a call. How can he not admit me? He admitted my sister and I am better than my sister in all the aspects or so I was told. It is said that each one of us comes across a life changing moment in our life and for me this was it and I still did not know of it. No one in her sane mind would have done what I did. After introducing myself, and asking him with a straight face as to why I was denied admission to his school, I asked him to cancel my sister's admission and admit me in her place. After all, it was just a matter of an year. If she was that brilliant, she could appear next year and still get admitted. After talking to him for about 20-25 minutes, I kept the phone and went back to my room and slept. My parents called me to their room in the night when they returned. Hell!! They surely got a call from the headmaster and I am so dead.
My boarding number is 94 and I had to join on the 28th of March and my sister was going with me. What??? Whoa!!! I was the happiest person. I mean I convinced him to admit me. Really???
My first day at school was no dream. As I had joined a little late, the results for the first units had been declared and there were some students who had failed. So what?? It happens all the time in day schools. But not here !!!
It was your b'day Naveen and I still remember you walking upto me and offering me that dairy milk chocolate with that coy and dimpled smile of yours. However, what I did not know was that you were about to become my friend for life.
Anyways, the students who failed got a treatment which I would not disclose here which made my dreams of living in a boarding school shatter. Untrue!! This was just the beginning of a wonderful life, My Wonderful Life!!!
Convincing Heady for trips and activities, endless gossiping sessions at Mrs Samiksha's office post dinner, Mr Patial's teachings on spirituality, guys hitting on Miss Babita, Mr Richard's English sessions, Mrs Bhatt's care, Mrs Batta's guavas and apples at her place, Mr Sandeep's IQ and his ability to talk on any topic, Mr Solomon's meetings for the Deodar House and his never ending motivation, Mrs Solomon's english lessons in the evenings, Mrs Dewan's hugging me tight when I was homesick, Mrs Deepika's overnight stays to make us feel comfortable, Mr Ranjan's pulling my ears to teach me Maths, Mr Chauhan's science lectures, everything here had a meaning to it.
From shivering and stammering while speaking in english to attaining first position in debate competitions, from not knowing how to tie my hair to guiding people on hairstyling, from not being able to write my parents a letter on saturdays to writing for papers, from being discouraged most of the time to encouraging my own students, from being incompetent to being told by people that this female can take on any person present in the room, you certainly did wonders to this girl from a small town.
Though my entire life would not be enough to thank you people for making me who I am and standing by my side whenever I have needed you, it feels good to have a day where I can thank you with all my heart and tell you that you are not only the best teachers of the world but are the angels who were sent to me by God to make me realise the importance of people in my life and my life itself.
HAPPY TEACHER's DAY !!!
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