A Memorable Day!

"Thanks to my father's students from the ITI batch of the 1970s and 1980s, I came to know my father was one of the most prominent teachers in building the initial workforce (in electronics) of Indian Space Research Organization ISRO". Let me tell you how.

Yesterday (26th September 2021) my father's students from 1972 to 1986 organized a lovely felicitation function, as part of Teachers Day Celebration, (which is generally celebrated on September 5th in India) to him and two of his then colleagues Ramdas uncle and Narayan Setty Sir - who were considered as Trimurti at Government ITI - Industrial Training Institute (Hosur road).

The students came from places across the city and some outside the city to meet their beloved teachers, who are now in their 70s. Most of the students were in their 60s and the remaining of them were in their late 50s. I was rather surprised to even think how could people of their age even remember their teacher's names. As I sat through the function I was completely amazed about their ability to recollect their entire student days at ITI. Each of them came to the stage and shared stories after stories on how the three teachers guided them to become successful professionals. Though the three teachers said that they were just doing their duties within their capacity, however in the students' opinion they did it beyond the call of duty - The felicitation function was the testament.

As a son, I was completely in awe about what the students talked about my father Shankar HS. I couldn't believe that I lived a life not knowing exactly what his contribution was to the country. I knew he had taught for 50+ years and wrote textbooks that were read by many. But I didn't know the details - as they say, God is in the details. Yesterday I came to know that he was one of the first in the country to get selected for training in Electronics (Radio and Television) by CTI Bombay (Now called Advanced Training Institute) in the 1960s. He returned back to Bangalore after the training to impart training in Electronics to the ITI students for the first time in the country and Bangalore was the first city to offer such a course. No wonder it is called the silicon valley of India. Some of the students said how passionately my father taught Electronics circuits and the way they remember it even today. I was rather mind-blown when one of the students said that he had kept the notes even today and referred it throughout his career, and still preserves it like people keep Quaran or Geetha at home.

Nearly half the students who came yesterday were working in ISRO or had retired from there. Some of the students who had worked in ISRO mentioned that at one point in time there were no rockets launched without my father's students involved in designing or manufacturing the electronic circuits. Some of the students who came yesterday had even reached the level of group Director (Scientist F). Apart from ISRO, the students after doing his course had job offers from BEL, DRDO, LRDE, BHEL, and many others, while some had multiple job offers. All the students said one thing in common - my father had put the perfect foundation for them to pursue any job or any degree under the sun.

I heard equally great things about Ramdas uncle and Narayan Setty Sir from the students. In fact, when my father got a chance to speak, he mainly spoke about them and how they were an important influence in his life, especially Ramdas uncle.

I should definitely thank Ra Su Venkatesh sir, one of my father's students from the 1980s, who took the initiative to organize the event with some of his classmates. I fondly remember him visiting my father all throughout my childhood, and his sincere gratitude for my father even after graduating four decades back.

What I saw yesterday was that extraordinary joy in my father's eyes and a supreme sense of satisfaction. This event has further reinforced the important life lesson, that it is about how one makes himself or herself useful to the people and society at large - that's what matters towards the end.