In your debt

Journey to the roots

The morning spring sun stared at the leafless trees, as I looked outside the classroom window. The usually busy corridor was silent.

It was the last day at school, and I had my physics viva voce to go; the written examination for 10th Board were scheduled a week later.

“Do you think World War was good for human society?”

With great surprise, “No, Sir”

“Look at the many inventions, new world order and the opportunity to rebuild our society.”

“Sir, but it resulted in significant loss of human life.”

“I am only stating what followed, after the inevitable.”

“Ok, Sir”

“How are your exam preparations?”

“Still some more revision to do, Sir”

“Let me know if you need any help.”

“Sure, Sir”

There was a long pause, both of us looking outside the window at the empty football field.

“Ok, all the best.”

The heart felt very heavy, the anxiety of the Board exam was nowhere close the incalculable pain of separating from a teacher as I walked out of the physics lab.

The viva voce was merely a moment of respect for an exceptionally dedicated teacher, exceptionally simple and exceptionally wise.

He did not want to test a student, he believed in.

Reset 2 years

“Consider yourself lucky if he teaches physics in 9th and 10th Grade” my school senior had left an initial impression.

On the first physics class in 9th Grade, there was an air of anticipation.

In came a man, five foot three with no books in hand in a worn out leather chappal.

“I am your new physics teacher” he spoke in Odia, with a beaming smile.

He did not teach, it felt like physics is what we do everyday.

A bond was born, that could not confine it to the chapters; a conversation started between a man who could explain anything with uncharacteristic simplicity and a disciple in reverence.

Soon the 45mins class seemed too short.

My seniors had cited instances where he took out time on evenings and weekends to help students who either wanted to clear their concepts or, looked for more challenging problems.

I spoke to him and he consented.

His living quarters was a humble one bedroom flat, with a small living room where he taught.

There was no fixed slot or days, but twice a week sessions from 15 minutes to almost 2 hours; it was fluidic as his approach to the subject and life.

Sometimes the sessions were about stories from life, the development in science; some days he forgot about the session and was working in school late, or travelling to his village.

He did not call it tuition, and did not charge fees.

First-principles thinking

Be it electricity concepts to problems, experiments with lenses to nature and environment, his rolled-up sleeves, humor interlaced and focus on fundamentals made the subject easily digestible.

Much later in life I came across the idea of First-principles thinking, which has been widely referred by Elon Musk.

It involves breaking a problem into basic elements and build understanding from ground up, with new creative output.

Like the wise advices of life, it is easier said than done; it is a reward of practice, patience, frustration and persistence.

As I map back his life and method, he had exceptionally simplified his life and tastes that permitted applying himself to a subject, connect with students and unite for a common understanding.

There was no scope to memorize your way through, but be constantly tested, talked and to go back to starting point to get it right.

One day, I found him up a ladder inspecting some electrical wires as there was some circuit failure and fans were not working in his classroom on a hot afternoon.

That class was spent on discussing electricity.

In the upgraded evolution of our times, we would scream at our maintenance supervisor or, patiently go for coffee with colleagues.

Most conveniently, not our job or, in our job description.

Looking back 26 years

Recently, my wife shared a throwback pic of our teachers in an annual photo taken sometime in early 90s.

I spotted him and over 30 teachers who enriched our lives.

Among my last meetings, I recall visiting him to share my 10th board marks; he already knew and had a smile. My parents were humbled by his and several of my teachers’ contributions.

Perhaps he never left us, pushing us to break problems into parts and figure out solutions in as many diverse cases as life can throw.

There is no guarantee to succeed, many loose ends, reorganizing the learning and progress the enquiry.

I don’t know if the wires he tried to repair truly restored electricity in the fans, but showed it is worth throwing oneself at a problem. 

The world today is in a state of unprecedented challenge affecting life, livelihood across countries at a never before scale.

As he had remarked, after this inevitable reality there is an opportunity to rebuild our society and be wiser from this episode.

Going back 26 years, in that last viva voce, in that long pause looking outside the window at the empty football field…wish time had stopped for few years.

In pursuit of solving for life.

With deepest gratitude to the people who have inspired with their profound simplicity, unbound wisdom and kindness….I am in your debt.

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