To The Teachers Who Made Me

Every year on Teacher’s Day, I call up one school teacher to wish her. I may not call any body else, but I have to call her. This year, when that did not happen, I couldn’t sit still. I kept fiddling with my cellphone, trying her number many times. I wondered, when she did not pick up on any of the calls, whether she had shifted; and whether I would ever be able to wish her a Happy Teacher’s Day again.

This is my class teacher and Maths Teacher of Class 9 and 10, Mrs. Siraj. She was new to our school and was given the responsibility of our class. She was brilliant. There is no other word to describe her. Maths teachers are always intelligent, but she had a way about her. She was strict and, at the same, sweet too. She treated us all equally, a quality so needed but so unfrequently found in our school. She was partial to our class, obviously. The number of times she scolded us for making too much noise (and our class was above the Principal’s Office) are too many to count. She said that since we were her children, it reflected upon her ability as a mother, when we were unruly and noisy. She scolded a lot of girls for being unlady-like, but you could always see that she really cared.

Did she pick me out to be her special one? No. But, she always supported us when it came to sharpening our talent. When our school had to send the 8 brightest students for a ‘Catch ‘Em Young Programme’ by Infosys, she chose me. When I got selected amongst the top 30 in the city to attend this program, she told me that she knew I had it in me to be the only one selected from our school. When I did bad in Maths, she was always there to guide me (in the process criticise me for my silly mistakes). I remember that we had Practice Exams before our ICSE boards. She gave me a 92/100 in Maths, despite my having solved all the sums correctly. She told me that she had cut my marks for the steps I hadn’t written. Nobody was going to look at my Practice Exam marks, but I was not to make the mistake of skipping steps in the Boards. When I got that 99/100 in my boards, I was disappointed because somehow, I had still managed to skip a step or two. She let me solve so many different papers during my Preparation Leave. My mother used to go to school to meet her so that she could correct those papers. And she did it. Without a word about the extra work she had to do.

I still remember that last day of school…we were all so emotional. Our days in school had been cut short by our Principal. We were to sit at home a week earlier now. It was a Friday and we had a double Maths lesson at the end of the day. Usually, this lesson was reserved for tests. This Friday was no different. We complained to all our other teachers that it was our last day at school, and Mrs. Siraj was giving us a Maths test to end school life with. The other teachers must have talked to her, because she came into class and said she wouldn’t want to disappoint us so much. She cancelled that test. Instead, she spoke to us for an entire hour…talked to us about life, about how whatever happens, we stood stand strong and confident about ourselves…how our parents are the foundation that we should never let go of…friends may come and go, but parents always remain there…so even when they become old and tired, we should stand by them, because they are the ones who made us…there were so many other nice things she said…there wasn’t one person in class that wasn’t crying when she ended when the bell rang. She had made cards for each and every one of us. Individual cards with different messages for each of us. She made us realize how much we had loved school, how much we had loved her and how much we were going to miss when we got out of that school.

I say I owe everything I am, to that great school, St. Mary’s School, Pune. I also owe the same amount to Mrs. Siraj. She managed to keep me grounded despite my school values that inculcated a somewhat different idea. She made me a more focused person with the will to do something with my life…to make her proud that I am her student.

The year we got out of school, I called her up first to wish her on 5^th September. I called up other teachers too. But, as the years passed the calls reduced, the contacts were lost, and I probably became a long-gone memory in my teachers’ minds. With Mrs. Siraj, that was never the case. I make it a point to call her up every year. It makes my Teachers’ Day complete. It is magical to hear her voice when she says, “Thank you so much!”, in her typical accent J It’s been 6 years now…and 6 phone calls down the line, when I couldn’t wish her on Teacher’s Day, I couldn’t rest. The idea of not wishing her for the rest of my life, in case she had changed her number, was too huge to digest. I sent out messages to all other teachers that I had numbers of, to tell myself that I hadn’t wasted my Teacher’s Day. It wasn’t enough though. I tried the next day too. When she didn’t pick up then too, I had to believe that I had finally lost contact. I’d lost contact with another favourite teacher of mine 2 years after leaving school. This had at least lasted 6 years. A little disappointed, I turned back to studying when I got a phone call from her!! She wanted to know who’s number it was. When I told her it was me, she was delighted. She actually told me that she had been waiting for my call the previous day, because I call her every year J That made me feel so happy!! I could finally wish my favourite teacher on a day that is made for this very reason. Now, I have her cellphone number. She said, “Now you can call me any time and I’ll pick up.” Thank God. Now I won’t lose contact.

A lot of students in BJ gave our HoDs and HoUs roses and bouquets on 5^th. I wondered whether I should have done the same for them too. After all, they are going to take our Vivas in the Univ Exams. It’s always nice to know that you’ve done your bit too. But, then I thought, “Do I really respect all of them?” And my answer was no. Yes, I respect them as teachers. But its not real respect that I feel. It is more the respect that you’re supposed to give people in power. Mrs. Siraj, now that is what respect feels like. No matter what, I know I want to wish her on Teacher’s Day. When that is the kind of respect I have for a teacher, I shall wish them or gift them too.

There is one teacher in college that I respect. That’s Dr. Khadse, the HoD of the Dept. of Paediatrics. That woman is one hell of a person. She is intelligent, loves her work, manages the Department really well, takes an active interest in us UG students and is a disciplinarian too. That is a woman to respect. And, that is a teacher I took blessings from. Whether she remembers me in the future or not, is a different matter. The point is that such people are rare. There was another teacher I really really liked, but she got transferred to another college a few months back. That was my Guide for the Hospital-Acquired Infections seminar – Dr. Mrs. Dube. A very sweet, soft-spoken person who naturally emanated a radiance of joy and freshness wherever she goes. I missed her on 5^th and made sure I got through to her. Lucky for me, she still uses her Pune cellphone number J

Lastly, that teacher I lost contact with. She was my Hindi teacher in school. Mrs. Joshi.  And the very best Hindi Teacher I’ve ever had. My Hindi literally flourished under her guidance. I even got an all-time record marks of 87.5 and 88 out of 100 each in my papers Hindi grammar and Hindi Literature. There was something about her and the way she taught us the subject. There was so much enthusiasm and love for the subject! It just made you want to do well in that subject! I loved her and her personality. I wish she hadn’t moved to Nagpur and from there elsewhere….maybe someday, I shall meet her…till then, its through this blog that I say, Happy Teacher’s Day, Mrs. Joshi. Thank you for making sure that my love for Hindi only grew J

FREAKS

My wish for a smooth journey regarding the Ethics Committee certificate has been anything but heard. This journey actually has put into perspective every single notion I had about "for every good that happens, there is equal amount of bad". Because here, there has been bad, worse and worst.
As you already know, it started 3 days before my exams. I had to present my topic in front of an Ethics Committee, and they had a lot to say about it. Particularly, it was on gentleman from PSM, whom I took an instant dislike to. He wanted newly diagnosed cases. He felt there was nothing that could come out my project. Yet another gentleman wanted me to decide the severity of the disease using Glycosylated haemoglobin. I had enough trouble getting a simple Lipid Profile done. Where could I manage the Glycosylated Haemoglobin? Another issue was that I had already taken my cases. And I was NOT going to take new ones. A nagging thought during all this process was, "Why have they asked me to present my project any way? They never do it for the ICMR!" At that time I decided that I'd just listen to whatever they said and go back and study.
Part 2 of this saga began on Friday (30th June) when I was told that I needed to make the changes or I wouldn't get the certificate. I talked to a teacher on the Committee, told her that my project had been selected as it was, and I had already done most of the work. She told me to meet the HoD (although I wasn't aware that this guy had become the HoD. The previous HoD had been transferred which I did not know). This new HoD was on Medical Leave. I decided to go and try on Tuesday. When I found out that even on Tuesday, he was still on Medical Leave, I decided to go and let my Guide know what all had happened. He told me to give him a copy of my proposal and told me he'd talk to the concerned people and let me know. I felt that things would get into motion now.
Part 3 of the saga occurred today. I got a call from the Pharmac Department office. On going there, I was told that I had been asked to call the new HoD. The lady told me that he and my Guide had talked to each other, and now I was supposed to talk to him. When I did talk to him, I was shocked and shattered. With anger, frustration, depression and unhappiness. He had the following things to say:
1. Why did you present your topic if it was an ICMR one?
Sir, I was told by the lady in your office that I had to. I told her that I hadn't heard of this happening to anybody before. She told me she had been told to ask me to, and she was just passing on the message.
2. You should've objected then.
How could I, Sir? You are all Professors. I thought the whole Committee had looked into my project and decided that I needed to present it. How I refuse or even object to it? Wouldn't that have been rude?
3. You have already started your work, it seems.
Yes Sir, I got a Provisional Certificate before. So I started.
4. You got a certificate before the meeting? That is not right. It is illegal to get a certificate before the meeting gets through.
Sir, I had missed the previous date of your meeting. So I asked my Guide and even in the office here, and they said I could get such a certificate. And the previous HoD went through my proposal and then issued a certificate.
5. How can one person issue such a certificate on behalf of the whole committee without even talking to them?
I do not know that, Sir. Since he said that there was no problem with getting such a certificate, I started with the work as soon as I got it.
He laughs...."This is not right. I don't understand what lengths you people go to. Look I don't have a problem with your project, but Dr. R--- does. I just don't like that provisional certificate."
What should I do then, Sir? What should I do with the project and my cases?
He laughs again...I'll talk to your Guide and let you know.

I just can't understand how unlucky this project is. Every single step that I've taken has been wrought with trouble and complications. It is so amazing that a person like me can get involved in so many issues. This HoD knows my parents, has taught them in fact. In my second year, I went to him to get some advice on how to study for the PG Entrance exams....at that time he talked as if I had already started classes with him. I didn't go back again. Is that why he's creating these problems? Did I hurt his ego? And seriously, if the previous Head gave me a certificate, big deal!! Why can't he just not let this newfound 'I'm-the HoD' ego not create problems for students? And for heavens sake, the ICMR selected this project. The INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH. A body that controls and encourages research from all over the COUNTRY. If they did not have a problem, what problem do these people have? May be this HoD was right. I shouldn't have presented my project only. I'd have invited their anger at the beginning only and not had to go through all this drama.
FREAKS. All of them. FREAKS. 

FNAC, An Unexpected Meeting, Badminton, Vedant

So as the title would prove it, I have a LOT of things to talk about. Lets get started then.
Firstly, today, the wards weren't bad. We were given a case of pseudopancreatic cyst, for history-taking. I am dead sure we made quite a mess out of it. And, the patient was irritated too. So, umm, can I please call upon somebody to help us out? Just a brief idea about how exactly we go about talking to a patient. It definitely looked weird and terribly layman, what we were doing. We hardly looked doctors. Especially the haphazard way in which we were going about doing the history.
But, we did manage to get some idea of it all, and sat in a side-room to write it all down properly, where the JR ( Junior Resident ), Dr. Sharad, asked us whether we wanted to watch an FNAC ( Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology ) being taken. Before that, he gave me some forms to fill. Obviously, clerk-work. But, its nice to feel important and helps in making a good impression in the long run. FNAC is a procedure carried out to investigate any lump for a malignant tumour ( cancer ). A very fine needle is pierced into the lump and then the lump is aspirated, onto two slides. This is then taken to the Laboratory for primary investigations. Actually speaking, I'm not very disturbed by the needles now. I am, but not as much as I was about two months back. And thats an improvement. The patient in question had a lump in the neck. We did something worth mentioning today. So, I'm quite happy.
Plus, tomorrow, we're going to the Operation Theatre, and hopefully, will get a chance to watch some good surgeries. Of course, the greatness depends upon the skill of the doctor involved. I'm praying that there is no doubt on that part.
Moving on, we were to have a meeting for the Vedant that we have organise this year, later today. So we had some time on our hands. I and another friend decided we'd accompany Shreya and Lubhna to the badminton court where they wanted to play. I managed a few shots myself. Of course, I'm not tournament material, never was. However, I haven't held a racquet in almost 5 years. So giving that push to each shot I played was invigorating. At least, I know I can get better if I want to give it a try. Felt great. Add on the eraser-throwing session we had before playing the game to get some shuttle-cocks down, was fun too!!
The meeting for Vedant was okay. We have a core committee now, and maybe that will help us a bit. As I have mentioned last year, the Vedant is an inter-collegiate event organised by the II/I batch of students of BJ. Because it is held around Ganesh-Chaturthi, is is named after one of the names given to Lord Ganesha : Vedant. We want to make this event better than it was last year, so it will require maximum efforts and dedication from our side, especially the localites, because we are supposed to know this city better than anybody else in college. Ah, well, we'll see about it. I'm going to enjoy it, I guess.
And finally, it isn't every day that you meet one of your ex-teachers and well, just have two words. I met my 8th Std Maths teacher today. She was the one who made me love Maths like crazy after a dreadful experience with the subject in Std 7. In fact, whatever small amount of love I still feel for the subject, I owe it to her. I'd never have started liking it if she hadn't been there in the first place. I thank God for two amazing Maths teachers in my last three years of school. That's the only thing that prevented me from positively loathing the subject in the 12th, when everything decided to go wrong.
Mrs. Chandy ( my teacher ) didn't exactly remember me. But, she did recognise me as a Maryite, and when I told her my name, she did vaguely remember me. Thats all I need. Just enough to know that somewhere deep down, I am remembered as one of her students. I felt blessed today. I really did. Going face-to-face with the people who created the person that stands in my shoes today, is always humbling. Not to mention, feeling like a small girl again, when they look into your eyes with the same loving and forbearing care. Needless to say, I love the feeling.
Well, today was eventful. And nicely so. Awaiting tomorrow, here's where I sign off.....Good Night!!!

A Different Friday

As the picture suggests, watched Monalisa Smile today. I just love the movie. Not just because it has my favourite actress in it or because of the role she plays, but also because of the strong message that it gives out.

Having been brought up in the 21st century and in a family where my mother is also a professional, I refuse to believe that I could just leave it all to be a housewife, to raise a family, to be there for them. It just sounds crazy and very selfish on the part of the other partner. And thats what Katherine stands for in the movie. The way she trains the young women to make their choice and then the choices they make ( I still wish Joan had gone to Yale, but thats the choice she makes). And lastly, but definitely not the least, the student-teacher relationship between the girls and Katherine. I've always wanted those kind of teachers, teachers who teach by example, who we can look up to and say " Thats my inspiration."

Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, I haven't got one teacher who had all those qualities bundled up together, but a group of teachers who've stood together as that one teacher that every student looks for. Its amazing, but when I look at any one of them, its impossible to see them as THE one, but together, they stand for everything that I've always looked for in a teacher. And films like Monalisa Smile really make all that come alive again. And I'm glad that Katherine decides to leave and not give up her principles, just for a good college to teach in. As Betty says in her last editorial, Katherine Watson was a person who walked on her own principles and did not let go of them even when every one else had left her. And thats what makes her the strong person that she is; the strong people that we all are today and will always stay.

Submission II

And it finally happened. To turn out to be the worst I could expect it to be. I wasn't exactly nervous like last time, with a blanched white face and cold palms; may be thats what was the matter. But then I thought I was more prepared than last time, so I thought it was natural not to get all that worried. Any way, I didn't recognise the Median nerve and totally lost it on action of Brachialis which I said was flexion at shoulder joint instead of elbow joint. I got a 12 and well, I've failed. I'm not too worried about it, 'coz the marks are wrong. I mean, I definitely deserved a 15 at least, so I blame the teacher. Don't have to mention it, but I hate him. Can't stand him at all, thank God our batch teacher changes from tomorrow.
After coming back from college, we went to order the Bathroom tiles and by the time we came back, Mom and I were dead tired. And Mom had to go and see 5 more patients. I really admire the stamina these people have, Mom and Dad. Cudos!
Gotta sleep. One main job done, two to go......and then USA!!!