BENGALURU: Several teachers succumbed to Covid-19 ever since the pandemic began. This Teachers’ Day, TOI caught up with a few students who shared fond memories of their gurus, whom they now dearly miss.
For Muskaan Jain, a third-year journalism student at Christ (deemed to be) University (Bannerghatta campus), there can be none like her media studies professor Anil Kumar P. “Anil sir would take four subjects for us. Every day, we used to wake up excited knowing we have his class. No teacher can replicate his approach towards conducting practical classes. He was the best,” reminisces Muskaan.
She remembers him as a passionate film production teacher. “He was extremely compassionate and kind hearted. He was that teacher who’d allow you to complete assignments nearing deadline during his period. And in case you couldn’t finish an assignment, he would take up your cause with another teacher. When he fell ill and needed a lung transplant, which would cost Rs 1 crore, all students stepped up to help. We bombarded social media with requests and got Rs 28 lakh in six hours. But he did not survive that night,” she adds.
Sharan R Kanadam, a grade 9 student of National Public School Indiranagar, calls his former class teacher Monica Salins “as dear as mom”. “She taught me how to be independent. She started off every class with a value. All those will stay with me forever,” says the teenager.
“She was the teacher who I was the most close to. If ever I felt lonely, I would go and talk to her. One day in class, she told us she wasn’t feeling well. I was so scared, I prayed for her health. I really miss her,” he adds.
Sukshitha, a class 10 student at Jawaharlal Nehru Makki Aided High School Shirthady, Moodbidri, says they are back to school but are missing the classes oby Padmakshi N.
“Before lockdown, ma’am taught us only for one year, but her presence left a deep impact,” she says, adding Padmakshi would visit them for Vidyagama. “Four of us would sit with ma’am for our lessons and she would ask us questions and encourage us to ask doubts without hesitation,” recalls Sukshitha.
Padmakshi passed away due to Covid in October 2020, following which teachers pointed out that their community was at a risk because of Vidyagama programme.
When Jyoti Nivas College principal Sr Elizabeth CS died of Covid in June 2021, hundreds of students and alumni mourned the passing away of the compassionate and passionate teacher. Said Bindushree G, a 2021 graduate who was in the students’ union: “When classes switched to online format, she held sessions with every class to find out who were facing internet issues. She listened to everyone, identified those facing trouble and helped them.”
“We could just walk into her room and talk. She would walk around campus, sit with the students, laugh with them, watch every sports activity, comment on the fests and be one among us,” she adds.
Priyanka Chakraborty, a third-year BSc nursing student, says the best thing about P Girijambadevi, former principal of AECS Maruti College of Nursing, was that she never scolded them for mistakes. “She would encourage us to do it again and motivate us. She would say you’ll never learn if you don’t try. She would explain it again and again and never get tired,” remembers Priyanka.
Priyanka recalls the confidence the teacher instilled in her on Day 1. “I could not communicate well in English. She consoled me and said everyone here will help me. She is very special to me.”
