Revisiting memories of life, with the 'guru' who reformed my life...

My heart is at the confluence of gratitude and bliss! It is brimming with golden nostalgia, and a huge surge of excitement and happiness. Why? It was the 27th of May ?-?an otherwise ordinary-busy day for me, but this one incident filled it with limitless joy!

I met my ?‘Guru’ – my teacher – Mr. N.D. Mane, or like we called him in school –‘ Mane Sir’. He was my math teacher for grade 9 and 10.

I grew up in a very small village, and going back 24 years – survival was the only aim for many living here. Education was just a part of growing up, and held very little importance in those times. But, this one man – my teacher, changed my vision. He is the one who taught me to dream; to think big. He engraved ambition in my mind; he fueled the hunger for success in my heart.

I could always count on him – he treated me like family. I still remember, he took me and my classmates to get an IQ test done in Kolhapur city. Career counselling, guidance seminars were really alien concepts for us that time. So, he suggested we get an IQ test, to define which stream of education is best for us. I still remember that day vividly – me after the test, holding my first ever glass of ‘Lassi’! Yes, it was my first ever ‘lassi’ in life! All this was arranged and paid for by Mane Sir.

He did his best to help me in which ever way he could. Because back home we were struggling with finances. I remember he had given me ‘Navneet’ or digests we can say for 9th and 10th grade. It was not only me that was blessed with his kindness, effort and generosity. There were many underprivileged children, whom he supported like a guardian angel sent by the Almighty. For us he was ‘God’.

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Meeting him after decades was like finding a fresh water spring in the middle of a desert! We met, revisited memories, exchanged current updates and had a really long and fruitful talk. I found out he was retiring on the 31st of May. My heart sank to know he wouldn’t be teaching in school anymore. But I am sure his role as an educator will not retire. He will continue teaching and helping kids with his social work.

As I sat there listening to his achievements. I felt proud. He had retired not only as a teacher, but after 8 years of being promoted as the principal of Sagar Highschool and Junior College. During his tenure – he reformed the school in more ways than one. I was sharing my thoughts on how it can be better, and not surprisingly, being the visionary that he is, Sir had already implemented those ideas in school.

I was so proud listening to all achievements, infrastructure and facilities in his school. He had propelled the standard of a rural school to one of the best schools in Maharashtra. So much so, that many teachers and staff from other schools come to visit him, for his guidance and ideas for improving their schools.

He mentioned his father wanted him to be an Engineer, and how this dream was never fulfilled. I replied with a smile, that his engineering dream is now fulfilled through not one but thousands engineers like me, who he nurtured with his kindness, support and guidance.

I have a sea of emotions and memories to share with you today about Mane Sir, but I know it will be never ending. I sign off with these for now. ?

I bow down in gratitude to him. I cannot thank him enough for making me the man I am today. No matter where I am and how far reaching my achievements may be, Mane Sir will always be the inspiration where it all began!