Ravi Speaks:
AN OLD MATHEMATICS TEACHER GAVE ME FREE HOME TUITION.
Math’s Teacher Depiction.
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| Odd Is Always Numero Uno. |
I was studying in the ninth standard that year and the stress in that year Matriculation-preparation had already started. During those years, parents would lay all efforts on their children to give their best in their matriculation exams and ensure that their wards secure the best rankings in that year. Since the matriculation marks would decide for the future course of their wards-whether to go in for the medical or non-medical sciences to be pursued in the higher classes. I was not bad in mathematics but yes wanted a sideway extra-guide who could monitor my progress not only in mathematics but also in other subjects like science and physiology. My mother had requested Kotru-Sir to spare about half an hour and teach me at his residence. Kotru-Sir had agreed and had directed me to come to his residence at 5.30 AM very early in the morning.
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| Home Tuition. |
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| Valuable Quote. |
He was putting up in Panjtirthi -near Bus Stand and I was in Julaka Mohalla-which was around 15 minutes walk from my place. So, I started going to him in the early hours and he would teach me for an hour complete and also give me some homework besides what I used to get as homework from school. It was an enormous problem for me to get up at around 5.00 AM and get ready for home tuition. My mother would wake me up and I was forced to go in the morning hours to my teacher’s residence. Normally it used to be all dark even when I reached his residence, especially in November and the rest of the winters right till early March. I remember on my way to his place invariably dogs’ squad near the Old Secretariate area would bark at me and run after me and I used to get horrified by their joint barking and would try to save myself from their attacks. I had a black belt which I used to keep in my right hand and the moment I could feel the dog squad following me; I used to take out the belt and start moving it in circles, showing them the same. This circular movement of the belt with speed would put some fear into those canines and their following me would stop and even their barking on me would also diminish considerably.
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| Valuable quote |
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Now, look at the irony after facing so many hurdles on my way to my teacher’s residence-I used to get unusual treatment from my dear teacher as well. He was very nice till the time I was proving to be effective in giving a positive response to his teachings. The moment I was not doing the right sum or not understanding what he wanted to convey -he too would either slap my face or put the pencil into my fingers and press them badly which would give me very unbearable pain and tears used to come to my eyes. He seemed to have some satisfaction with that, and I started developing a unique type of hatred for him. On one side, he was kind enough that he did not take any money from my mother, and on the other side; he seemed to be very harsh and strong enough to reprimand me to an extent that I realized I could not continue with him anymore. I started reporting to my mother about his punishing me and even hurting me physically for even a small mistake that he could have avoided. She always would tell me I was wrong and not doing my work properly and if he was punishing me, it was for my good only.
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So, I continued despite all this for around a couple of months till the beginning of February and finally told my mother that I would not be going to him anymore. I had realized that he too was trying to put in all ways to dissuade me from continuing more-perhaps the reason for that was- he could not tell my mother that he would not be teaching me any freer. And why should he be putting such an extra effort at such an age for me that too disturbing his early morning and keeping himself busy with me for a complete hour? I again tried to convince my mother on these lines and she too realized that he would not be teaching me like this free of cost for longer periods.
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Yes-Maths-????? |
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| It Is About Maths |
So finally, it was decided that I would not be going to him in the early morning hours anymore and would study on my own to prepare for my tenth standard course. Let me emphasize one thing that he was such a trained mathematics teacher that I too gained a lot from him and what I realized after I left him was that I had developed a special confidence level for maths especially since he used to give me innumerable sums and I was just busy doing my sums of maths always. This practice made me very confident. Even in matriculation exams because of my lackadaisical approach in the finals, I left 20 marks in trigonometry and 10 marks in Algebra, and still out of 200 maximum marks I could get 160 marks despite not attempting the thirty marks altogether. This was possible only because of his hard teaching efforts and my being lucky to learn from him. Perhaps it was because of his overall monitoring of me for a couple of months during that year- I could secure 75% marks in Matric and that paved my way for the further courses to be pursued at the college and the university levels.
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| Mathematics Depiction. |
Unfortunately, it was immediately after I appeared in the B.Sc final I came to know that Kotru Sir had expired. I used to find him so disciplined that he used to do all his work himself without asking his son or his grandchildren to help him since they were also there with him. He used to wear a Phiren during those cold months and also had a Kangri with him in the early hours under his Phiren-when he used to teach me. He used to prepare his cup of tea early morning himself without bothering his children and get ready by around 7.30 AM early morning for school, which was quite a distance from his residence in Panjtirthi to Residency Road. He used to keep a small bag made of cloth in his hand and also smoked Bidi.
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I remember in 1977, after my results were out; he had especially enquired about my marks and was thrilled after listening to my results and had congratulated my mother. I feel my confidence, especially in maths, was ignited by him and that helped a great deal in my overall personality as well in the later phase of my life. “May God give His best to him wherever he is-Amen!!”
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