A Tribute to Teachers: An Address Speech during Silver Jubilee Alumni Reunion of 1998 Batch at Bishop's Pune

Pranam!

Respected Principal Mr. Shayne McPherson, Honourable Chief Guest Col. Vivek Latta, Hon. Members of Governing Body of the Bishop's Education Society, Revered Teachers, Parents, Friends and My Dearest Bishopites,

Good Morning!

Let me begin by thanking the Honourable Principal Mr. Shayne McPherson and the Honourable Governing Body of Bishop’s Education Society for organizing this Silver Jubilee reunion for the ICSE Batch of 1998 and inviting us as ‘Guests of Honour’ in the Junior School Sports Meet. Well. I congratulate all the participants and their parents for a thrilling performance. On this rare occasion; I, on behalf of the batch, thank the many thanks that have been expressed timelessly for the teaching faculty . This mention is to emphasize our gratitude towards our school. The school that gave us ‘Wings of Imagination’, ‘Confidence in Societal Standing’ and ‘Values for Life & Beyond’.?

Let me share a wonderful experience about childhood imagination. While Mr. Nobert D'souza was teaching us about EARTH in class VII; My mind was filled with thoughts about ‘EQUATOR’ that divides the earth into two HALVES. I wished to be there; Unknowingly, it became a reality twenty years later. On a marketing tour of East Africa, I visited Maseno, a small town in Kenya.? While I was travelling by car, I stopped by the milestone that read ‘EQUATOR’; I was breathless with emotions flowing. In the physical sense, it was just red soil with patches of green? grass, but to me, it was a dream come true.?

Friends, as I share my experience with joy and confidence, let me tell you that this is the same boy who started his journey from a small town in Madhya Pradesh, and has travelled ALONE, across India, from Guwahati to Gandhidham, and globally from Australia to Africa. BUT, if it was not Mr. Aviet who threatened to fine me Rupees Fifty for speaking in Hindi during my stay in the hostel, I would not have overcome the barriers of communication. Sir, thank you so much. Indeed, our inner strength is a gift of such instances at Bishop’s - TO BE THOROUGH.?

Well, this gratitude does not even match a tiny factor of “GHISA”, about whom we learnt in standard IX in a Hindi lesson by Smt. Mahadevi Verma. I still remember the words of my mate from another section that Mr. Fernandes becomes invariably emotional while teaching this lesson. GHISA, who sold his clothes to give his teacher a watermelon on her farewell. The watermelon with a small triangular cut to ensure the taste was nothing less than the devotion of Shabri and her berries offered to Lord Ram; AND the gift unparalleled, like Eklavya’s thumb to his Guru.?

Respected Teachers, we draw our values of life from your teachings. We may not match the ‘GURU BHAKTI’, and these words may sublimate; But I am sure that as we are charged today with emotions of gratitude towards our alma mater, this effect will passover and would grace another occasion to come. Before time runs out, let me ask my classmate and dear friend Nisarg to recite beautiful lines which are nothing but a small tribute to the entire teaching fraternity…

THANK YOU