Gratitude!
Dear Swapna Trailokya teacher,
There are certain events in the life of an individual which define him / her and which create a lasting impact on one’s personality. In my life as an individual, that has been my schooling and the values that I have imbibed as a part of my school life. I was blessed to have studied in Parle Tilak Vidyalaya English medium school. The school was unique in the way that it not only provided students formal education but more importantly provided them values (more aptly called ‘Sanskaar’ in Sanskrit) which really helped them grow and sustain the growth in later years.
Any school / educational institution is defined by not physical infrastructure but by the softer infrastructure (i.e. the quality of teachers). In that way, I was blessed to have you as my teacher in the primary section. You were my class teacher in the second standard. I still vividly remember the warmth with which you used to teach us.
I can share now that in school, we used to call teachers by 2 categories – one category was teachers who used to be disciplinarians and the second category was teachers who were very warm towards students. While you always fit in the second category, what set you apart was your ability to also ensure that students learn the importance of discipline and values. I understood the importance of this approach as I grew up in life. This also ensured that you were always approachable for any problem faced by students and parents. On the background of things that I read in newspapers, what I find truly amazing is that you were on excellent terms with parents of almost all students!
After passing out from school, I went to commerce college and am today a chartered accountant and a cost accountant. While I practice as a chartered accountant, I am also an elected member to the Western India Regional Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (the election takes place once in every 3 years where approximately 80,000 chartered accountants in the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa elect 22 members).
I find that even today you have the same warmth towards students and an active interest in developing extra-curricular skill sets amongst them. That is highlighted from your interest in alumni activities as well as innovative programmes like those where you invited grandparents of primary school students to see the school.
Dear teacher – I am blessed that you have been a teacher to me and I feel that it is only apt that today you are in a position to guide the destiny of a whole lot of primary school students.
I am indebted to you for all the values that you have imbibed in me and I feel that the minimum thing that I can do is to express my gratitude to you and try to follow the path of values that you have set out for us!
Truly & respectfully,
Sushrut Chitale
Passed 10th standard in 1996
