Teaching Her During A Flight

We  meet   different kind  of people when we  travel in trains ,ferries ,busses or planes  .I always make sure to connect with them by talking .I realize that these are special relationships because they   generated because  people  are on the move,and basically accidental by nature  .And nine times out of ten  they  die once we reach our respective  destinations .We may never meet them ever again .They come into your life for  1 hour ,3 hrs ,12 hrs ,18hrs or 22 hrs !!And  then they  disappear.

 It is rare to be seated next to someone who is travelling for the first time –be it in a train ,bus, ,ferry  or a plane ( have I left out some other modes of transportation?) When I boarded my  Spicejet  Flight from Ahmedabad to Dubai yesterday ,I did the normal things .I sat down  at  my window seat and started to read the travel magazine .Then I started to surf my facebook on my blackberry .I checked to make sure that my camera and  passport is safe . (I am paranoid about it).After  a short while the crew announced that the flight was about to take off and that we should all fasten our seat belts .I had hardly noticed  that a middle aged lady had occupied the seat next to me .I fastened my seat belt , but  I saw she was struggling with hers .I smiled at her and volunteered to  fasten  it for her 

“Pehle baar ur rahi hoon(I am flying for the first time )” she said  .Before she could thank me ,I reopened  the seat belt and asked her to fasten it on her own .She was slightly slow ,but she managed it .I asked her to open the seat belt and she looked at me with amusement and confusion .

“Madam ,aap  uthrengi  bhi toh(you will get down also).Aur phir wapas bhi to Ahmedabad lautain gee.(and you will return to Ahmedabad also).Ab seekh lo, aur bhoolna nahi”.!!

The teacher in me was asserting  himself .She smiled in a childish way -and we had become friends .She was  short in height but appeared tall in commonsense  .She did not know a word of English .My purpose was to teach her and make her  aware  about the procedures of a first time traveler  .I remembered how I had made a fool of myself when I had flown for the first time and how a insensitive Englishmen had laughed derisively at me when I had wanted to go to the bathroom and could not unlock the belt .And even though the airhostesses show it by way of practical demonstration, and on some flights on a screen ,it does not help because it is just a small part of a long monologue of emergency procedures .After having flown so many times  ,I am sure I will still not be able to pull down a oxygen mask  or a life jacket  in a emergency -though I have seen it being demonstrated a million times .!!

I entered into a conversation with her .She was smart women –very sharp and very shrewd .But she was very afraid of flying .She closed her eyes and kept mumbling “ram,ram” as the aircraft  gathered speed before its take off .She kept telling me that she was getting “chakkers”(feeling dizzy).And after only about twenty minutes of flying she asked me “Kitnaa samay rahtaa hai Dubai ke liye”.!!I told her to relax and  to divert her mind , told her “See we are flying over the Rann of Kutch”   -a wide expanse of mud and water surrounded by green .She refused .She said she might vomit .I told her that a waste envelope was provided in the jacket of the seat ,so she could empty out into it .I was firm and added –“muj par mut karna” .The lady was quiet and luckily did not bring up .Later on, I  convinced her to look out through my window .We were flying over Pakistan and I could see the Indus meander through it like a snake .She was eager and said ,

“Pakistan ? We migrated from Pakistan .My grandparents were from Sindh”!.She was excited that she was was flying over Pakistan .She looked out .She was quiet .There must be many a connect through tales between her family and Pakistan .Just like it is for me .She had a sense of humour too .As luck would have it ,we  got caught in a slight turbulence over Pakistan .The plane rocked a little and dropped height .The experienced traveler knows all about it ,but for a first timer it could be frightening   .“Yeh kya hua?”,she asked looking visibly frightened  .“Kuch nahi”I said .I explained that these are routine things that happen during flights .She was quick to respond (I am translating in English)

“This Pakistan also tries to create fear among Indians .They try to unsettle us .But they are like clouds that thunder ,but don’t rain .But they sure shake you up”.I had a good laugh .I told her that air turbulence has got nothing to do with Pakistans ill intentions towards India  .I felt like telling her “Please don’t be like Arnab Goswami and see everything   Pakistani   in every misfortune that befalls our nation!!And our planes !!

I was able to convince her to see the Arabian sea and the Persian Gulf as we flew over it .She noticed a number of dots –ships –that were sailing .And then the landscape changed .I brought out my camera to take photographs of the vast expanse of sand .I told her to look at the hillocks of sand .By now ,her fear of looking down  had disappeared .She was enjoying the view of  the earth from the air .She even spotted a highway that cut across the sandy terrain –like a grey snake .And then we started to lose height .We were descending on Dubai .I told her to watch out for the thousands of the fabulous buildings that that form the skyline of  Dubai and the islands of water  around  which they have built colonies for people to stay .She said she was frightened –but I told her not to miss the experience .In between she had asked how much does  a ticket cost (return).I asked her as to how she did not know –had she not bought it ?She had informed me that a friend had sent her the ticket .She also told me that she was a JBT Teacher in a school in Manicknagar ,Ahmedabad .And that she had lost her husband about 10 years back in a road accident .I did not ask her, her name .And neither did she ask me who I was and what was I going to Dubai for .

The plane touched down .Bumpy and noisy !I told her to follow me to the immigrations and promised to help her get through it and take her to the conveyer belt (no .5).She was obedient .And she followed me .But she refused to take the escalator or the moving walkways(or a travellator as the Brits call them).She said she would get “chakkers”.I told her to keep pace with me in that case becoz ,I wanted to be the first to get the clearance at the immigrations .It can save you 20 minutes or so .!And I usually walk fast on the travellators –so if one is on a travellator and one is walking fast ,then someone simply  walking would have to run to keep pace .And she was huffing and puffing ,but managed to keep pace .

We went through the immigrations and since I had only my hand baggage I said goodbye to her after telling her from where to pick up her checked in baggage .She thanked me profusely .And we parted our ways .No cell numbers were exchanged .We did not even know what the others name was .And we may never meet each other again .But by reaching out to her ,I made sure that I would not forget her for a long time .And maybe even she may be able to remember me because I interfered so much in her travel .My attempt was to teach her .I don’t know whether she was a good student or not .But that does not mean that we stop being interested in people we may never meet again and whose names we  don’t even  know .Or whether they pass or fail .!!

The Stabbing Of Of Muzzafarnagar .

The gory and bloody riots in Muzzafarnagar has shaken up the whole country .It partly reflects the deep divide in our society as well as the complete failure of the administrative machinery .It also reflects how the social media can be used with such devastating effect .And it also frightens one to the bones -Muzzafarnagar is only 135 kms from the Capital of India .It is not a town in far away Bihar or Eastern U.P.,or some other state.It lies near the heart of the power centre of India -Delhi.

Muzzafarnagar is a bustling town mid way between Delhi and Dehradun .I know it well because when I used to study at the Delhi University ,I would pass through it at least 10 times in a year .Add to it ,the number of times we drove with our parents to visit our relatives in Delhi and friends in Meerut –and you will imagine that it is one city I have travelled through more than probably any other city .As one  descended from the Sivalik hills in Dehradun , we would hit Biharigarh where we would gorge into the small marble sized pakoras , and  minutes further onwards  we would  cross over the Ganga Canal and the Army Cantonment  in Roorkee ,pass through the  rather crowded mandi town of Manglaur,then reach Purkazi which was special for me because my cousins (the Joshis),managed a 100 acre farm there .I remember that once they got a huge chunk of wild boar meat which they had shot and which  we cooked and ate at our place in a winter month .Purkazi also had a Animal Husbandry Farm hoarding displayed on the main road .Whether it is still there (the farm I mean ),I don’t know .But for all of us ,it was a important landmark as we meandered through the town ..After Purkazi –we entered Muzzafarnagar .This is a large Municipality Town and sits right in the middle of the sugar belt .It was founded by Shahjahan in 1633,and has 11 sugar mills –making it one of the worlds largest sugar producing town .It also has a steel plant and plenty of factories producing iron stuff –“saryaas” and angle iron.A road forks off from Muzzafarnagar to Shamli a short distance away and brings you into a town that is famous for its brick kilns and “Shamli eent”(Shamli bricks ).It has also been immortalized in a short story by Ruskin Bond “Time Stops At Shamli”.If you haven’t read the short story –you have not read any short story .Muzzafarnagar is only 135 kms away from Delhi .Just about 20 kms away further from Muzzafarnagar is Khatuali .This is  a stopping point for everyone .Buses ,private cars ,taxis ,and even youngsters coming from Meerut and Muzzafarnagar on two wheelers  .Why ?Because it has one of the best motel /hotel/fast food/restaurant /aviary/deer park etc complexes in India  .(We once bumped into film star Navin Nischol with his entourage here ).It is a great place to stop by and have some great snacks .The bathrooms are spotlessly clean and service topclass .Once one left  Khatuali ,one always got caught in the traffic congestion of Meerut and Modinagar before one hit Delhi .

When I read about the riots in Muzzafarnagar ,I was more than just concerned or interested in a casual way .After all I know the place inside out and we had never heard of a rioting of this type ever .And frighteningly –it is only 135 kms from the power centre of Delhi .What happened ?

Trouble started when a young  Muslim man  was killed on August 27 allegedly triggered by comments passed at two Jat girls in Kawal village .The retaliation was swift and brutal .Two of the girls cousins attacked the young man leading to his death .The counter retaliation was not long in coming .The dead mans relatives caught hold of the two who had attacked the dead man and and beat them to death .The Jat Community demanded punishment for the killing of the two youth .It called for a Panchayat on the 31^st and demanded the removal of the SP for his “partisan” behavior.They also demanded a compensation of 25 lakhs for each of the deceased and called for a “bandh” in Muzzafarnagar  on Teachers Day -5^th September !!.They also threatened that if no action was taken ,then they would call a “MAHAPANCHAYAT” on September 7^th at Nagla Mandaur.

Curfew was imposed .Tens and thousands of Jats gathered defying the prohibitory orders on 7^th at Nagla Mandaur  for what the Jats called “BAHU BETI SAMMAN BACHAO MAHAPANCHAYAT” .Inflamtory speeches were delivered .Anger was fuelled even further when some of the participants were attacked .Incidents of stone pelting ,and firing took place where a IBN 7 reporter was killed .Muzzafarnagar was on a pile of gunpowder .Someone had to just light it .

This is where the old 2010 Pakistani video entered the picture .A MLA is said to uploaded it on his facebook page asking people to “see what is going on in Muzzafarnagar”.It was a video showing two men being brutally lynched by a mob in Sialkot in 2010 .This was projected as the killing of the two boys on the 27^th August .!!It just showed how fragile peace is in India at the grassroot level .No one is bothered there about the food security bill or coalgate or railgate .No one has heard about the RTE OR NREGA.There are no Delhi Public Schools ,Shriram Schools or Doon Schools there .Those issues are meant to be discussed by people who inhabit “India”.But “Bharat’’ is different .Here people are  bothered about their survival .This is a land which is called the wild west of India .Here more than 15000 people  have licensed weapons and many times more than that illegal arms .It is estimated that every second household has a weapon .Here law and order and being fair is all that is required .Here the national anthem should be

"tu hindu banega na musalamaan banega 

Insaan ki aulaad hai, insaan banega."

 And when the state tries to do the exact opposite to get votes –the people  take law into their own hands

The mayhem has continued .Why did the police not step in when the first killing took place ?Why did it not step in when the second killings  take  place ?Can the police  hide behind the fact that FIR s had been lodged ?Why did they allow people to gather for the Mahpanchayat when section 144(curfew ),was imposed ?Why did the police not go house to house and confiscate the firearms ?Is it a game plan orchestrated by political parties to polarize the communities to get votes for election 2014 ?Isnt  the CM responsible for the incident and accountable for it rather than passing  the buck on to the opposition and blame them for the “mischief”?.Why was no action  taken when the Home Minister had warned the CM that there was trouble brewing up and he should be vigilant ?Is minority politics going to create a scenario that led to horrible riots in 1946/1947 ?There are hundreds of questions that need to answered .

For me –Muzzafarnagar will always be a town through which we drove and had our breakfast or lunch at Cheetal .For me Shamli will always be a place where Sangeeta and me stopped as we drove from Rai to Dehradun to have the wonderful puri ,aloo and pumpkin vegetable.

There were no rioters then .From where ,and why have they come to haunt this lovely area ? And Ruskin Bond –why has “Time NOT stopped at Shamli”. ?

The Birth of A Principal-Part 2.

G.D .Mishra spoke,slowly deliberately “Principal Sahib” he began “Aapko pataa hai h kal raat kya hua”.?I looked at him with fixed eyes .I did not answer his question(ooh its such a eerie feeling as I write –it seems just like today ,now !).Sajjad took over “Doctor Aggarwal ki acchi pitaai hui.Aap toh yahah se wapas laut jayaye .Kyoh hamare yudh meih bali ka bakra bananaa chahte ho” he said .He continued (I am writing in English though the entire conversation was in Hindi). “We will not let you work peacefully .We will gherao you ,we will trouble you .We are not against you –but we are against privatization .Dont waste your time .You are a smart man and you will do well in Delhi where there are hundreds of private schools .Why the hell do you want to come into the government sector and disturb the balance here .Dont act like a stooge (“chamcha”,he called me ).”.The others were lookin  at me and sizing me up .I now realize that they were gauging my mental toughness.And I now realize how important it is to be a good communicator My turn to speak had come .I began slowly .My voice was modulated and my ideas were thought out carefully .Gokuls words were ringing in my mind .He had asked me not to speak anything that these fellows could twist to their advantage.The wily,ambitious Brahmin was upto the task .He had not been a Secretary of the Teachers Federation of Rai for nothing .

“I don’t know your internal politics,and I don’t want to know it ” I began.Viresh tried to make a point but I told him not to interrupt me .He would get his chance after I spoke . “Tiwariji (Vireshs surname)aap isse vaad vivadh pratiyogta maniyeh .Aaap ko  prash poochne ke liye samay baad me milegaa”,I said .I continued “I have nothing to do with your ambitions and strategies .I have come here to try and make a difference to the lives of hundreds of children .If you give me a chance to do that maybe you might see a great mind at work .You might be able to see the inherent passion,the knowledge and the vision .Who knows maybe you might be seeing perhaps the greatest educationist at work.But for that I have to be given a chance.You don’t even know me and my work.I don’t know about my future ,but I know what I have come to do .You will find me dead honest ,because money does not interest me to the extent that I will go about making it by illegal means .I know my job .I come from a very respectable and successful family.I like politics ,but I love poetry ,literature and music more ”By now I was in full flow .My passion had been ignited and when that happens –nothing can stop me .I was swinging my arms and moving around .Remember I was standing .They were sitting .It was as if I were taking a class .I needed to be in control .And believe me –I was bloody well in control !.

“And finally remember”,and I looked at Sajjad “Don’t ever threaten me .I am not frightened of anyone of you.What is it that  you can do ?Beat me up ?So what –can you break my spirit ?Kill me ?What will happen –another principal will replace me .And where is the guarantee that he will be better than me .?Do what you want –I will not Quit.!”There was a huge emphasis on the words “Not quit”.I consider it to be among my greatest fightbacks(the one involving my recovery from the jaws of death in a hospital being the greatest) .!! I looked at Viresh and told him “Haan Tiwariji ,ab boliye –kuch kahenaa chahahte thae aap?”.There was stunned silence .And some of you who think I speak well ,should have heard me on that day)Viresh  got up from his seat came towards me and put my chair to where it belonged ,shook my hands and said “Guruji,aap apni seat par bathiyeh .Hum aapko yahaan se kahin nahi jaane denge”.Bal Bharati Public School was finally born .!!In the evening ,I hit the bar of Ranjeet Hotel(on Hamidia Road ,the one on lake road had not been started then) ,ordered a pint of beer and their famous “Chicken Sizzler”.It is no coincidence that our last meal was also to be at Ranjeet Hotel and it was after a felicitation programme (farewell),in which Viresh Tiwari garlanded me and waxed eloquently about my contribution to the school .He had said that he hoped that one day I would return .To that extent he had not understood me well enough .I am never the one to return .But for the moment I had won my battle and war at Bhopal .!

It is tough building up schools .Even if the founder is a devil he must be given his due .I sometimes envy people who are lucky to walk into schools that have buses ,staff,children,furniture ,labs ,infirmaries ,affiliations,fire safety mechanisms ,safe drinking water ,buses ,drivers –the list can go on and on .Its a tough job –its easy for people to change things and point out deficiencies .But spare a thought for people who had nothing to change !People who came to set up structures and systems .!But then some people do it And at the end of the day I feel immensely proud that I was able to do it .But one has to be lucky to have a sensible management to work through .Mr Baveja was a workaholic and a perfectionist .I did not love him –but admired him(that’s why I prefer people who love me rather than people who admire me !) .I had a fabulous staff .Mrs Jagjit Kaur brought a touch of class to the staff –very elegant and always smiling .Abha Goel was the pusher –a bit of showperson ,but I could always rely on her when something needed to be done .Abha Sinha was a conscientious worker who did wonders with the Mont Deptt where she was ably supported by Debjani Sarkar .Then there was the round eyed Debjani Sen who loved to play the fool .One day I saw her dancing in the staff room all the time singing “yeh kaali kaali aankhen,yeh gorey gorey gaal”.I can never forget the expression on her face when she realized that I had been watching her all the while .She left subsequently and became a Central School teacher at Balaghat .There was also Poonam Krishnani-very petite was very strong willed ,who was not afraid to speak her mind .There was the sports teacher who also directed plays –Mr Shailendra Paliwal .Very talented and can you imagine I allowed him to direct a play called “Mera Gadhaa Banaa Collector”.!Why imagine ?Because our chief guest was the Collector .!!There were many more –the very sophisticated Nandini Trivedi,Vijaya Choudry ,Sunita Sharma (Maths)Mehroo Naqvi who migrated to NewZealand and with whom I had a telephonic conversation just a few weeks back .What a wonderful Commerce teacher .!There was also Johnson Verghese ,Kuldip Sagre(Music)who later joined the Indian Railways and Ram Asrey Dohare the librarian .There was also the mild and mellow Shamim Akhtar from Faizabad .A wonderful lady who taught Hindi and brought me my kababs and seewien on Id.!Very nice kebabs Mrs Akhtar –I still remember them every Id .Lily Saluja the lady with short hair (a la Princess Diana type)was also among the pioneers.I remember her husband who was a very interesting man,but sadly passed away in a road accident in Chandigarh .But leading the pack was the smart and attractive Dr Usha Ajay Singh from Lucknow .When we were interviewing her one of the experts (I think it was Dr Rajguru),got her bogged down on some concept of Chemistry.(she was a Phd in Chemistry) .I was more interested in her achievements in archery in which she had won medals .After the interview ,the panel thought she was overqualified for teaching in the school .And that she would quit .I held the opinion that Usha was a prize we could not afford not to win .She was selected .And what a contribution she made to the school .She stayed on till I was in Bhopal .Later she quit ,got selected in the Administrative Services and the last message I got from her were Diwali Greetings .She signed off by writing “Usha Ajay Singh.Collector ,Seoni”.You have travelled very far away Usha ,but you will never travel so far away that I will not be able to see you and remember you in my mind .And thank you for putting my dream into place in Bhopal .! There were the administrative staff also –Mr B.L.Aggarwal who was well into his seventies but still worked harder than all of us .He handled the accounts .Tariq ,along with Kalpana Bhatt supported him in his office work .Gokul ,Jagdish,Kamlesh and Guddi Bia were the peons .They worked laboriously and without complaining .Two housekeepers –Sunil and Mukesh made sure that the bathrooms and rooms never got dirty enough to catch my eye .I paced the corridors regularly and met all the parents .

The students were very keen to learn .We were a small school –only 900 kids when I left.I remember some students very vividly –Yashika Ahluwalia ,Biplop Sen,Sumit Dhaliwal ,Suman Kapoor(Kapoor Tent House),Raja Khullar(please some of you –could you provide me information of his whereabouts )Roli Saxena ,Srutika and Geetika Aggarwal (from Delhi-what a wonderful father they had)Pranav Seal(what a sportsman),Amisha Arora(what happened to her?)Mubina and Shireen Khan(am still in regular touch with Mubina ,though not with Shireen),Vineet Nair(now in London),the Correa brothers,Ahbhilash Sasi ,Bhavana Antrewala,the Richarayias,Vaibhav Khandekar and may more .It was a great school .We participated in many activities and we sent teams outside –to Lucknow for a international programme once .!!

Its not that the school did not have problems .I found myself under siege when a boy –Anil Neelkanth(maybe his first name could be wrong)committed suicide because he had failed in the exams .Everyone blamed it on the school and they wanted me to stay away from his funeral.But there was no way I was going to do that .It was like losing a son .I went for his funeral .I prayed for him .I offloaded what would have otherwise remained forever in my heart .I was also hounded for unfurling the national flag on the 14^th of August .The Unions took over and interpreted it as if I was celebrating Pakistans Independence Day.(Incidentally Inderjit Gupta the then Home Minister of India had done the same thing in the Bengali School ,Raisina Road ,Delhi!!)There was a huge gheroa,the press played it up by printing it in “reverse”(writing it in white against a black backdrop!)calling it a “bizarre act by a overenthusiastic Principal”!!It was torturous and I even applied for anticipatory bail.!But I was able to tide over all that with what I had learnt from life( the saying  “the worst of your fears and the best of your hopes seldom come true” became my favourite during those stormy days!) and and help from my friends and wellwishers.But one thing it did to me –it pitchforked me from oblivion to centrestage .Did I like that ?Maybe some of you who know me well can answer the question .!!

(Last part of the blog –friends ,places ,incidents .)

      

The Birth Of A Principal -Me !!

I stepped out of the Malwa Express at the Nishatpura Railway Station .I carried a single bag  .In it were 3 pairs of jeans ,7 shirts and my shaving kit and toiletries .Sangeeta had packed me aloo paranthas with acchaar(she was a young bride then –sorry she is still young,perhaps the word I should have used should be “a younger bride”!).I had protested when she put it into my bag “No need Sangeeta ,I am not going to Timbuktu.I will get something to eat there .After all ,I am going to Bhopal .Its the capital of Madhya Pradesh.”!But when Sangeeta wants to do something –she does it .Quietly ,firmly and unobtrusively .My marriage with her is a product of her determination .I respect it .

There was no one to receive the young Principal .I had been promised  that Mr Giri and Mr Vikas Srivastava would be there to receive me with a placard .I looked around ,could not find them ,and started looking at ways and means to reach Bal Bharati Public School .Immediately  at  the mention of the name of the school ,a gentleman named Karan Singh approached me . “Aap nayeh Principal Sir haih?”he asked .

“Nahin,maih pehla Principal huah .Ek nayeh school ka”,I said ,trying to give off my best smile .He was mighty pleased as he eyed me from head to toe .What must he have seen ?Well a clean shaven man (I had shaved in the train itself ),with longish jet black hair and slim.With eyes that never rested because they were always looking for new visuals .And emanating a whiff of a after shave .He must have also seen eyes that carried not a trace of bags under them .And eyes that did not need a pair of spectacles to read the “Times of India”,which I had bought at the Ganjbasoda railway platform .Yes ,I was just a few months short of my 34^th birthday .I was  among the select band of young school Principals who was asked to take over the helm of what at time appeared to have the makings of a good school .I was married ,and had a young son who had just started to crawl .Pratique was to take his first steps in the house of Dr Tandon our neighbor in Bhopal .Yes ,I had finally graduated from a teacher to a Principal .

Looking back now  with the advantage of hindsight,I often analyse why I went to Bhopal ?.Was I ambitious ?Or was it destiny that drove me there ?I think it was a mixture of both .I was fiercely ambitious .The Principals in the schools I studied and worked in always made me feel that I should be a Principal –taking Assembly and sharing ideas with teachers from a position where I would be ensured a audience .I was also inclined towards sports ,and one particular Principal Mr Bharadwaj always fascinated me with his sporting abilities .And his looks .I wanted to be like him.I wanted to be as charming ,as kind and as dashing as him .I wanted a grey beard .I wanted to meet dignitaries like he did .I wanted to have staff meetings which would reflect the gap between knowledge and wisdom .Sadly ,I never became like him .But ,I came to Bhopal with him as a role model .Maybe ,I should have concentrated being more like myself than him . That transition was to come in Jagdishpur .At Jagdishpur ,I finally became KULBHUSHAN KAIN.And in Jaipur I continued to look and project all that was locked up of what was left .When I could not open all the locks I came to Ahmedabad .But the journey started in Bhopal . Why it had to be Bhopal –well that is what I would term destiny .

The dream nearly turned sour before it began .Bal Bharati School was among the first private initiatives in the educational sector of the Indian Railways .Remember ,India was not what is today .It was heavily dominated by  government involvement in every sector –from making spacecrafts ,to television,to industry and schools were prerorgative of the govt .So when the Indian Railways signed a memorandum with the Child Education Society of Delhi to start two schools in their townships at Bhopal and Visakapatman ,it met with strong resistance from the Unions .!The Unions saw it as a backdoor entry of the private sector into the Railways .There was grafiiti all over the walls of the Railway Colony adjoining the school .One of them read “Private Pillaoh ko bahar karo”(ask the private puppies to get out).I could feel the tension and the ill feeling towards the concept .There was of course nothing personal about it .But to a upper middle class man who was educated in Delhi University and who had travelled abroad those days ,the question always begged the answer “Am I in the right place”.Sangeeta was to join me after I had got a house (I was staying in the Railways Officers Guest House for the first two months all alone )and the separation from her (whether newly married or married for 25 yrs now )for even a day seemed unjustified .But ,I kept my head level and luckily for me I had studied the history of the trade union movement in Europe as a paper in my M.A.and knew a bit about the why and how of it .As also the effect it could have in the short and long run.

But then one day something happened .It was May .It was hot .I sat in my incomplete office in the school with a teachers desk.Jaswant Singh the contracter from Delhi worked furiously in the school with his labour force to meet the deadline to supply the furniture to start the school by June end .I was busy trying to arrange a advertisement for recruitment of teachers .Gokul and Jagdish loitered around outside my office .They rushed in .They informed me that the Union leaders were coming to meet me .They warned me that I be careful how I dealt with them .Gokul my peon hardly used to speak .But when he spoke –one could not ignore him .He warned me that I should not say anything which they could twist and turn to their advantage .Perhaps ,he did not know what lay behind the smiling young Principals mind .He had not reckoned ,that though I was young for such a responsible job ,I was battle scarred from a number incidents and wars I had fought in my personal and professional life .

There were 5 of them –I still remember their names ,Viresh Tiwari,Sajjad Hussain,G.D.Mishra(sadly stabbed to death on Holi Day while I was in Bhopal),Mr Seal,and “takla” Saxena.They looked frightening –if I may be allowed to be honest .Saxena ,walked in first and without asking me and without even looking at me ,called  the others in .I was not used to this kind of  behavior .But I waited .In a crisis I am patient .I have the ability to think through a problem .It is my strength .I handle pressure well –very well .He shouted at Gokul . “Saale kursi lao.Dikh nahi raha hai ki hum paanch haih and sirf chaar kursi haih?”

The tragedy was that there weren’t 5 chairs .!!There were only 4 chairs –the furniture was being fabricated .They kept standing and then G.D.Mishra spoke “Pataa nahi ,kahan se bikhari pakar kar ley aaye”.!He was a welder from Bhadohi ,who subsequently became a great friend of mine .But on that hot May Day he was restless –like a cat on a hot tin roof .The tempers rose –or it was orchestrated to make me feel they were rising as they refused to sit unless the 5^th chair be produced .It was the turn of the young Principal to take over now .I got up from my seat ,and picked up my chair ,put it where they were standing and told them “Baithyeh-ab paanch ho gayi haih”.And then moved to where I used to sit ,but because I had offered my chair to them I had to stand ,and asked them

“Aap kaun hai ?Aur aap kya Chahateh hai?”.There was a pregnant silence .And the one of them spoke .And what he spoke was something which still sends shivers down my back .For not the first time in my life ,I felt vulnerable .But at other times I was never alone .I stood as lonely as a young tree in a storm .Nothing frightens me more than loneliness .Physical pain ,lack of sleep ,lack of food ,long hours of work –nothing frightens me more than loneliness .That day the storm of loneliness  lashed at me .What had I done wrong ?I had not even started anything ?Why were they saying what they were saying ?The previous night while I paced up and down my room in the rest house ,I had seen a strong mob outside the guest house .They had brought a dead body and had beaten doctor Aggarwal and his wife in front of my eyes .!!I had phoned up Sangeeta and asked her to withdraw my resignation .But Mr Baveja (my boss at the Child Education Society) had convinced me to stay on.

And stayed on I had .The battlelines had been drawn .I either quit –or stay on .I decided to fight .And when I do that –I am willing to stake everything on it .Including my life .A young Principal had been born .Was he a healthy child ?

G.D .Mishra spoke,slowly deliberately “Principal Sahib” he began “Aapko pataa haih………

(More of that  and the teachers and friends in Bhopal.)

Teaching -Then and Now .!!

We are on the eve of another teachers day .I am convinced that I am  aging and that is because I don’t seem to remember my first teachers day as a teacher !! .Its a tough ask if you have been in the profession for 35 years  .But at a macro level ,Teachers Day brings back a collective picture that has not changed –and that is of children taking over as teachers on Teachers Day !!The Headboy /Headgirl takes over as the Principal and gets to sit on the chair which most look up  at with awe .Then there is a small cultural show put up by the kids and one of my favourites was when some students tried imitating their teachers .I remember the very talented mimic Padamjeet Sehrawat (now a celebrity cricket commentator)bringing the house down with laughter and deafening applause as he imitated teacher after teacher .And of course the titles that the kids gave to their teacher .Amazingly appropriate .!!I simply loved each moment of it as I sat in the students gallery !!It was normally topped up with a sumptuous meal .

Much has changed in these 35 years .I think the quality of teaching has deteriorated .And  there are some reasons  for it.There is too much of legislation about what to do and what not to do .There is a amazing amount of paperwork -the CCE system has converted a teacher to a lower divisional clerk who has to maintain a plethora of complicated files which come under the scrutiny of a "inspector".!!.Business people and industrialists control schools who have never worked at ground zero level .If you are independent in your thinking you are termed "frustrated ". You cant use harsh words (psychological damage),and you are taught too much by phoney experts as to how to teach .I remember I did not have a Bed Degree till after having taught for 10 years and I did my Bed so that I became eligible to become a Principal !!Till now  I don’t understand the complex and high sounding words –ex pedagogy ,cognitive skills ,Pavlov Theory ,Maslow Theory etc -,and yet I think I was a reasonably good teacher .I still feel that a teacher must be allowed a free hand to teach in his/her own way  and spill out his/her  passion .The only thing one needs to observe in a interview when recruiting a teacher is whether a person  will be committed to his/her  job or not ,and whether he/she has a presence in class .Teachers are after all role models for the kids .One can mould ones personality in a particular way only when one is in school .Once you grow up then you cant have role models of your age because you will always consider them as your contemporaries .And once you go past lets say beyond 40 –you are too old to change .The real models must be your classmates who do extraordinary things in class or your teachers .When I sit in interviews ,I don’t look at the knowledge that someone is displaying.I look out whether the person will be able to influence a child with his/her  passion and personality .Unfortunately ,passion can never be found in persons who are constantly straight jacketed and who are overfed with instructions .It just kills the originality .Good teachers will seldom be “yes” persons .You will find them a bit eccentric because they do things differently .I knew  a  contemporary who gave negative marks in English !!For example you could get -35 in English !!And we had a damn good Principal who allowed him to do that .Bottom line –recognize what good teachers are all about ,don’t interfere in their work ,and please don’t treat them like babus .Unfortunately all the above seem to be missing these days .

Of course much has changed .The challenge to the teachers is from the internet .Kids are better prepared bcoz they now have access to knowledge at the click of a button  .Previously the repository of all knowledge was the teacher .The centre of gravity of learning was the teacher .If you wanted any information –it had to be via the teacher .The teacher was much sought after .But all that has now changed .And because children are quicker in grasping facts and retaining them (just like they can run and jump more than a aging teacher ),they tend not to rely too much on the teacher .Even we google to find out what a particular disease is all about and what is the cure for it –we sometimes don’t go to a doctor!!What the teacher must do is to constantly keep updating themselves about their knowledge base and also adapt to and adopt technology .Otherwise their image will continue to get a beating .

But all said and done –if you are a good  human being and you have a presence and you have a sufficient knowledge base –you will always be a valuable teacher .You cant beat the internet in knowledge .But you can beat it in the way you talk ,the way you smile ,the way you respond to a tragedy,the way you respond to success ,the way you stand up for a cause .The internet can never beat you to it .And that is what makes the teaching profession such a durable profession .And here is a lovely little poem about why a teacher is so valuable .You all must have read it somewhere .But it is worth reading it again especially since tommorow is Teachers Day .I quote from what a child wrote to his teacher

“When you thought I wasn't looking, you displayed my first report, and I wanted to do another.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you fed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you gave me a sticker, and I knew that little things were special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you put your arm around me, and I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt--but that it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you smiled, and it made me want to look that pretty too.

When you thought I wasn't looking, you cared, and I wanted to be everything I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking--I looked...and

Wanted to say Thanks for all those things you did when you thought I wasn't looking.”

Yes teaching is not about teaching Maths ,History ,Science or other subjects .Its also about teaching how to live life .In todays world teachers tend to teach subjects  .But  sometimes the uneducated are the greatest of teachers .My maternal grandmother was one of them .Happy Teachers Day .!!God bless .