TEACHER’S Day – September 5

We in India celebrate, since 1962, September 5 (birthday of President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan) as Teacher’s Day. It is a solemn occasion not only to remember President Radhakrishnan but also to honour and recognize the sterling role of teachers in the development and progress of the society at large. I have been writing on the subject before in this blog with a sense of gratitude to my teachers. Some of my teachers, right from the primary school to the college, left a definite mark in the shaping of my career and personality. I fondly recall Shiela Behanji at the primary school in Bootan Mandi, Master Dwarka Dass at Sain Dass High School in Basti Nau, Prof. K.C. Mahendru and Prof K.K. Ghai and also Prof. B.S. Bahl at D.A.V. College in Jalandhar. Prof. Bahl did not teach me. He was the Principal of D.A.V. College. I found him a great educational administrator and planner. I benefited a lot from my teachers. Somebody has rightly said “a learned man informs, an intellectual man instructs, but a teacher transforms and inspires”. I salute all my teachers on the Teacher’s Day.

This year, Teacher’s Day, is special for me. I have joined the system by launching Jalandhar School of Careers & Opportunities at Jalandhar. After a four decade long diplomatic career, I have decided to repay my debt of gratitude, in a humble way, to the society I belong to. I interact with students and teachers every day. I feel good. It is a rewarding and educative experience. Apart from the routine functioning of Jalandhar School of Careers & Opportunities, my personal contribution is to prepare the young students to become dignified members of the society based on the wisdom imparted by some great teacher “ I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework”.

Sant Baba Malkit Singh and Management of Sant Baba Bhag Singh Educational Complex were kind enough to take me on the Board of Governors of the great educational hub in the rural areas of the Doaba region of Punjab. It is an honour which I would like to acknowledge on the solemn occasion of Teacher’s Day. My greetings to all the teachers and students.