Tribute to my Teachers !!!

Till my 10th standard I was a dedicated, hard working student and an all rounder and hence, teacher's pet. I hardly got any scoldings from them and surprisingly, even till date they remember me. Whenever I meet them in Manipal they make a point to share few words, if not at least a sweet smile. I can feel that they were proud of me and they believe I am still the same me. But sadly, time changed me so much that I lost who I was. My identity, my morals, my attitude changed slowly and what these teachers taught me in school faded away. 

During my 11th and 12th I was a different person living in a lost world with few friends who were lost like me !!!! Having absolutely no goal in life, I hardly attended my classes and bragged about being in the black list. Yes, I was proud about it and about the fact every teachers detested me. From the first bench to last bench the journey wasn't difficult at all. I enjoyed every time I moved backwards. I enjoyed making rockets and pelting them at hard working students. I enjoyed mimicking my teachers. I enjoyed getting less marks. I enjoyed showing off my new found "cool" attitude. In short from distinction I had swiftly rolled in to being a first class student. I had no repentance, what so ever!!! Less marks crumbled my dream of getting in to a good engineering college. Average colleges were still in line but I had lost my confidence about excelling in engineering anyways. So, just going with the flow of wind and flow of my unstable mind I decided to join n number of courses and finally, ended up joining speech and hearing like picking up a dish for the main course. 

My college provided me a school environment which suffocated me. I couldn't adjust. I had to obey my seniors, lecturers, clerks and even pion. I had to submit leave notes for my absence and had to do home works. I was shattered in my new found shelter. I hated going to college as I felt a free bird was forcefully being caged. Held captive for life. Hence, I performed real bad during my first year of college. I even had attendance shortage (which is considered taboo for localites) and once again, all my lecturers got a golden opportunity to SCREW ME!!! 

My life or my attitude began to change when during my second year we got Naveen sir as our class co-coordinator. He was known for his strict attitude, rude behaviour and arrogance. Everybody was scared of him including me. I couldn't bunk my classes as he would question, I had to read as he would make me revise, I had to score good to prove I was a good student to him. Why would I want to prove anything to him? Because he is one the lecturers whom I feared and admired the most at the same time. So, during my second year of college my alignment towards studies and life began. Today, he might not know what he was to me but if not for him, I would have quit my college without any doubt due to lack of oxygen in those stifling rooms . 

My life was totally changed during my third year when our new lecturer Dr. Santosh started teaching us Fluency and its disorders. From the very first day I respected him, admired him and was totally influenced by him.  He was like a new found god to me. I couldn't believe a man of his knowledge could be so down to earth yet so inspiring. I studied his subject really hard. And surprisingly I was in the first bench. He normally spoke at a very low volume so I made a point to sit close, listen carefully and pen down every single word he spoke. He taught me how we should be a perfectionist in life. He made me go through every single point during any research activity and I am sure he knew I was lazy as a pig but without pushing me hard, he pushed me enough to make me finish my work on time. Today even if few students of mine remember me as a good lecturer then it is all because of him. 

During my post graduation, I can never forget the innumerable support rendered to me by Dr. Veena. She was like my mother and not only a lecturer. I as a person get tensed and sulk for every small things and during my post graduation the pressure in college was unbearable. She was the only person in college who supported me, who was concerned about my health and who genuinely believed in me. Once again, I had to perform well to prove her I was worth it. I worked hard and finished my assignments on time. Being honest here, if I had not received her warmth and caring, I would have definitely visited a psychiatrist during my masters. During my thesis I even pestered her to come to college on Sundays and she came willingly skipping that one day of being with her family. 

Today I may not be a great speech therapist or much knowledgeable person like my lecturers and professors but definitely a good human being. I was going through a phase in life where my own parents couldn't inspire me or guide me. These three people entered my life at the right time and unknowingly have changed my life so much, that wherever I am today I owe it to them. I am writing this post today so that I can actually tell them how much they mean to me and how strongly they play a role in where I am today. They knew all my lazy attitudes, cunning nature but still they guided me. I have come across lots of lecturers during my college life but these three were not only my lecturers but true teachers. 

"Just don't teach your students but inspire them. Try to understand them. It might be very easy to hate or humiliate them but that won't bring them back on track when they are lost. That will only make them hate you in return. Don't be a lecturer but a teacher to your every student."

Happy Teacher's Day and Thank you !!!!