Teachers who made a difference

Samurai · 17th July 2007, 20:05

When we look back and think, most of us can recall a teacher or two who made a major difference during our academic life. Makes you think where they are now. I thought let's take some time to think of them and thank them.

For me it was a lecturer in my engineering college (BIT), Bangalore. I wouldn't say he was a great teacher, but he made a major difference to me by encouraging analytical thinking. In an environment that enforced notes cramming, stifled creativity and expected total conformance to dull & archaic syllabus, he forced us all to think, and gave me a long rope whenever I took uncharted path. While this didn't help me in university exams, it later worked wonders in my career.

His name is Satya Prasad Lanka, the google search places him somewhere in Andhra Pradesh now. I have noticed that he regularly publishes in International Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics. I haven't been able to track him any further than that. Thank you Mr.Lanka wherever you are...

theMAG · 17th July 2007, 21:44

ST Ramaswamy, a.k.a STR Sir. Our Sri Aurobindo Memorial School's high school mathematics teacher - and the only male teacher (apart from PE). A wizened old gentleman at that day. Extremely sharp, encouragement personified and egged us to get 100/100 in all internal and CBSE exams . I developed a love for mathematics primarily due to him.

He passed away recently, after spending a lonely life when his wife of 48 years passed away 3 years back. RIP, STR Sir.

His famous words to refer to us kids then: "Double distilled duffers "

keshari · 17th July 2007, 22:45

I would say getting nostalgic sometimes really helps, it calms your warm nerves and put you back in business.
Well thinking of a teacher "Who made a difference" is not meant for me I guess, I never had good repo./relationship(s) in school/college with teachers

I was like "Rohan if you sit beside Mayank your career will get ruined".

Anyways no bad memories for teachers, I enjoyed my days to each extremities and love those memorable days.

Cheers
Mayank

typeOnegative · 18th July 2007, 00:26

Ahhh. I have a list.

Prof. TV Iyer - taught me the beauty in engineering drawing
Prof. Sally George - taught me that humility is a great virtue
Prof. Ravi C - A teacher can be strict and still a friend (Strategy always seemed best with him)
Prof. Seb Morris - Economics can be fun, and you don't need to raise your voice to be respected
Brij Kothari - You need not look different to be different, its what you do that counts

Centro-P · 18th July 2007, 03:56

Ms Uma Maheshwari: My 11,12th maths teacher. I hated maths till then, but the way she taught I started loving it. She was like a mother to all of us.

Bhagirathi Madam: 10th science teacher. I became somewhat disciplined thanks to her.

Sabri Abou Ward: My 1st year university calc prof. Funny guy, used to tell a joke almost daily.

Adrian Nachman: 2nd year calc proffessor, funny guy awesome teacher. Drilled home the idea that doing questions was not important, understanding the concept was.

akroy · 18th July 2007, 07:39

Here is the list:

1) Mrs Fernandez from Auxilium Convent, Kolkata, who made sure that I empty my tiffin box during lunch...this happened for good 2 years...i used to be unwell most of the time...
2) Mr. Ramachander Rao from KV Uppal, Hyderabad, I learnt a bit of perfection from him...
3) Ramaiah Sir, from Ramaiah Institute, hyd, who insisted the killer instinct to excel in adverse conditions...
4) Madhusudhan Sir from Ramaiah Institute, hyd, I learnt discipline from him and he was the one who made chemistry so easy that I could crack the IITJEE Chem paper with ease.
5) Dr. M.R.Madhav from IIT Kanpur, I learnt humility from him after being one of the world renounwed prof. (he is the one who touched/worked on IBM1620, the first computer which came to india in the 60s) - I have never seen such a humble person after reaching that stature..

finally last but not the least my dad for scolding me at every point of time till date...

Abhi

Godfather · 18th July 2007, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by theMAG

. I developed a love for mathematics primarily due to him.

You went to School

????

***********
School - Bishop cottons Bangalore
Teacher's -- Iqbal Ahmed(Hindi), Asha Balaji(Physics), James aka.KK( Chemistry).

Godfather

ajmat · 18th July 2007, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godfather

***********
School - Bishop cottons Bangalore
Teacher's -- Iqbal Ahmed(Hindi),
Godfather

One of the most abusive crude teachers I have ever met.

theMAG · 18th July 2007, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godfather

You went to School

????

Yes- and I also graduated when you were the oldest kid in any class.

ported_head · 18th July 2007, 18:09

All school teachers made a difference. All college professors did nothing for me.

hrag · 18th July 2007, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by akroy

2) Mr. Ramachander Rao from KV Uppal, Hyderabad, I learnt a bit of perfection from him...

Slight short gentleman who taught Biology?

arunphilip · 18th July 2007, 19:23

Mr. Aldridge, in St. Josephs, Coonoor.

He taught me English in 9th and 10th. But more than that, he was one who greatly influenced the positive attitude I have towards life.

Thank you, sir.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ported_head

All school teachers made a difference. All college professors did nothing for me.

Agree with you on this - a good college professor was the exception, rather than the rule!

akroy · 18th July 2007, 19:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrag

Slight short gentleman who taught Biology?

No, he was not short and he had nothing to do with Biology, He was TGT Mathematics...and taught only that...

Abhi

Nitin · 18th July 2007, 21:53

A few that I recollect:

1) Mr KR Rao- Biology; FAPS,B'lore. A simple person,more of a friend than a teacher.

2) Mrs Geeta Vishwanathan,Mr Denny John, Mr Cherian Alexander- St.Joseph's college of Arts & Science,B'lore. Wonderful people who made a big difference to the way I look at life.

And to the best teachers ever- my parents !!

karlosdeville · 19th July 2007, 00:14

Anybody from Pune would surely have heard of Prof Hoshang Moogat. A legend in his own right, he's been teaching maths in the most amusing fashion for donkeys years. Infact my batch had 3 second generation students, plus I recently was tutored by one of his students, who's a grandmother! One of the finest gentlemen I have ever come across to date, this is one person where you can truly say, "there IS method to his madness!"

Anybody else here know him?

17th July 2007, 20:05	#1
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,828 Thanked: 45,555 Times View My Garage	Teachers who made a difference When we look back and think, most of us can recall a teacher or two who made a major difference during our academic life. Makes you think where they are now. I thought let's take some time to think of them and thank them. For me it was a lecturer in my engineering college (BIT), Bangalore. I wouldn't say he was a great teacher, but he made a major difference to me by encouraging analytical thinking. In an environment that enforced notes cramming, stifled creativity and expected total conformance to dull & archaic syllabus, he forced us all to think, and gave me a long rope whenever I took uncharted path. While this didn't help me in university exams, it later worked wonders in my career. His name is Satya Prasad Lanka, the google search places him somewhere in Andhra Pradesh now. I have noticed that he regularly publishes in International Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics. I haven't been able to track him any further than that. Thank you Mr.Lanka wherever you are...
	(1) Thanks

17th July 2007, 21:44	#2
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,217 Thanked: 1,807 Times View My Garage	ST Ramaswamy, a.k.a STR Sir. Our Sri Aurobindo Memorial School's high school mathematics teacher - and the only male teacher (apart from PE). A wizened old gentleman at that day. Extremely sharp, encouragement personified and egged us to get 100/100 in all internal and CBSE exams . I developed a love for mathematics primarily due to him. He passed away recently, after spending a lonely life when his wife of 48 years passed away 3 years back. RIP, STR Sir. His famous words to refer to us kids then: "Double distilled duffers "
	(1) Thanks

17th July 2007, 22:45	#3
keshari Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4 Thanked: Once	College days will never come again. I would say getting nostalgic sometimes really helps, it calms your warm nerves and put you back in business. Well thinking of a teacher "Who made a difference" is not meant for me I guess, I never had good repo./relationship(s) in school/college with teachers I was like "Rohan if you sit beside Mayank your career will get ruined". Anyways no bad memories for teachers, I enjoyed my days to each extremities and love those memorable days. Cheers Mayank
	(1) Thanks

18th July 2007, 00:26	#4
typeOnegative Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vikhroli, Mumbai, India Posts: 1,503 Thanked: 27 Times	Ahhh. I have a list. Prof. TV Iyer - taught me the beauty in engineering drawing Prof. Sally George - taught me that humility is a great virtue Prof. Ravi C - A teacher can be strict and still a friend (Strategy always seemed best with him) Prof. Seb Morris - Economics can be fun, and you don't need to raise your voice to be respected Brij Kothari - You need not look different to be different, its what you do that counts
	(1) Thanks

18th July 2007, 03:56	#5
Centro-P BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 66 Thanked: 2 Times	Ms Uma Maheshwari: My 11,12th maths teacher. I hated maths till then, but the way she taught I started loving it. She was like a mother to all of us. Bhagirathi Madam: 10th science teacher. I became somewhat disciplined thanks to her. Sabri Abou Ward: My 1st year university calc prof. Funny guy, used to tell a joke almost daily. Adrian Nachman: 2nd year calc proffessor, funny guy awesome teacher. Drilled home the idea that doing questions was not important, understanding the concept was.
	(1) Thanks

18th July 2007, 07:39	#6
akroy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Posts: 2,423 Thanked: 85 Times View My Garage	Here is the list: 1) Mrs Fernandez from Auxilium Convent, Kolkata, who made sure that I empty my tiffin box during lunch...this happened for good 2 years...i used to be unwell most of the time... 2) Mr. Ramachander Rao from KV Uppal, Hyderabad, I learnt a bit of perfection from him... 3) Ramaiah Sir, from Ramaiah Institute, hyd, who insisted the killer instinct to excel in adverse conditions... 4) Madhusudhan Sir from Ramaiah Institute, hyd, I learnt discipline from him and he was the one who made chemistry so easy that I could crack the IITJEE Chem paper with ease. 5) Dr. M.R.Madhav from IIT Kanpur, I learnt humility from him after being one of the world renounwed prof. (he is the one who touched/worked on IBM1620, the first computer which came to india in the 60s) - I have never seen such a humble person after reaching that stature.. finally last but not the least my dad for scolding me at every point of time till date... Abhi
	(1) Thanks

18th July 2007, 18:09	#10
ported_head Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 2,387 Thanked: 20 Times	All school teachers made a difference. All college professors did nothing for me.
	(1) Thanks

18th July 2007, 21:53	#14
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	A few that I recollect: 1) Mr KR Rao- Biology; FAPS,B'lore. A simple person,more of a friend than a teacher. 2) Mrs Geeta Vishwanathan,Mr Denny John, Mr Cherian Alexander- St.Joseph's college of Arts & Science,B'lore. Wonderful people who made a big difference to the way I look at life. And to the best teachers ever- my parents !!
	(1) Thanks

19th July 2007, 00:14	#15
karlosdeville Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 11,976 Thanked: 18,277 Times View My Garage	Anybody from Pune would surely have heard of Prof Hoshang Moogat. A legend in his own right, he's been teaching maths in the most amusing fashion for donkeys years. Infact my batch had 3 second generation students, plus I recently was tutored by one of his students, who's a grandmother! One of the finest gentlemen I have ever come across to date, this is one person where you can truly say, "there IS method to his madness!" Anybody else here know him?
	(1) Thanks