Missile Man is no more read the headlines today. However, the great man himself preferred to be known as a teacher. The man who had over 30 honorary Doctorates preferred the humble yet noble title of Teacher. Into the ocean of tributes coming in to this exemplary man, I add my small droplet....
After he stepped out of the President protocol, he was a man on a mission - visiting schools and colleges and intermingling with 1000s of children. During one such visit he came to Hyderabad to inaugurate a science exhibition at an NGO run school. I was invited as we were then supporting that NGO as part of our CSR programme. The school children had prepared various science projects and were waiting for the People's President to visit...
Dr. Kalam arrived promptly and he went around the display and the various exhibits of the students. However, the organizers thought it important to escort him to the dais and they whisked him away inside the auditorium. Once inside the auditorium, the ceremonies (yawn...) started with all the VIPs reading out reports and exhorting their virtues..
The time came for introducing Dr, Kalam. The Secretary of the organization went to the podium with a sheaf of papers and started reading out the rightfully lengthy bio-data listing out the achievements of the simple man. Before completing the first page, the Secretary found Dr. Kalam standing next to him on the podium - gently smiling! It took the Secretary a few minutes to realize that Dr. Kalam wanted him to stop reading out...so that he can address the audience.
Dr. Kalam took to the mike and the first words he uttered is, "Please open the doors so that the children waiting outside (with their displays) could come inside" The Secretary, rose to explain that there is no place for the 100s of children to sit inside the auditorium..but Dr. Kalam stood his ground. The organizers soon realized their gaffe in shutting out the very children whom he loved so much...
The children rushed in like water gushing out of the dams...Dr. Kalam gestured them to sit on the floor, on the aisles and even on the steps of the dais. Soon, the auditorium was abuzz with the excitement of the children and the embarrassment of the organizers..
Dr. Kalam stepped out from the podium walked across and sat on the platform swinging both his legs freely like a school boy...This way, he got up close to the children and he started talking to them much like a grandfather would..oblivious to the many "VIPs" gaping at him in astonishment...
Soon, a smart volunteer gave him a roving mike and everyone could hear what he spoke. He asked the Children to recite the oath of Nation Building after him and the next few minutes...he ignited their minds and regaled them with stories and painted a vision of India that every Indian would love to inherit...When he wanted the children to ask him any questions, they were so overwhelmed, excited or both. Perhaps after years of conditioning of not being allowed to ask questions, the children remained animated yet quiet.
Dr. Kalam would have loved to spend more time with the children...and even would have finally managed to elicit questions from the children. But it is mission accomplished for the man who placed India firmly on the space exploration map of the world...
For that day, his message directed at the children was actually a lesson to all of us - adults and teachers who have the great responsibility of moulding the young children - to question, to think and to dream...
The great Teacher that he is, he showed what he wanted ..and did not tell. By his actions, he made his intentions clear. That is a lesson, which only the Teacher who has transcended textbooks could impart..
After he stepped out of the President protocol, he was a man on a mission - visiting schools and colleges and intermingling with 1000s of children. During one such visit he came to Hyderabad to inaugurate a science exhibition at an NGO run school. I was invited as we were then supporting that NGO as part of our CSR programme. The school children had prepared various science projects and were waiting for the People's President to visit...
Dr. Kalam arrived promptly and he went around the display and the various exhibits of the students. However, the organizers thought it important to escort him to the dais and they whisked him away inside the auditorium. Once inside the auditorium, the ceremonies (yawn...) started with all the VIPs reading out reports and exhorting their virtues..
The time came for introducing Dr, Kalam. The Secretary of the organization went to the podium with a sheaf of papers and started reading out the rightfully lengthy bio-data listing out the achievements of the simple man. Before completing the first page, the Secretary found Dr. Kalam standing next to him on the podium - gently smiling! It took the Secretary a few minutes to realize that Dr. Kalam wanted him to stop reading out...so that he can address the audience.
Dr. Kalam took to the mike and the first words he uttered is, "Please open the doors so that the children waiting outside (with their displays) could come inside" The Secretary, rose to explain that there is no place for the 100s of children to sit inside the auditorium..but Dr. Kalam stood his ground. The organizers soon realized their gaffe in shutting out the very children whom he loved so much...
The children rushed in like water gushing out of the dams...Dr. Kalam gestured them to sit on the floor, on the aisles and even on the steps of the dais. Soon, the auditorium was abuzz with the excitement of the children and the embarrassment of the organizers..
Dr. Kalam stepped out from the podium walked across and sat on the platform swinging both his legs freely like a school boy...This way, he got up close to the children and he started talking to them much like a grandfather would..oblivious to the many "VIPs" gaping at him in astonishment...
Soon, a smart volunteer gave him a roving mike and everyone could hear what he spoke. He asked the Children to recite the oath of Nation Building after him and the next few minutes...he ignited their minds and regaled them with stories and painted a vision of India that every Indian would love to inherit...When he wanted the children to ask him any questions, they were so overwhelmed, excited or both. Perhaps after years of conditioning of not being allowed to ask questions, the children remained animated yet quiet.
Dr. Kalam would have loved to spend more time with the children...and even would have finally managed to elicit questions from the children. But it is mission accomplished for the man who placed India firmly on the space exploration map of the world...
For that day, his message directed at the children was actually a lesson to all of us - adults and teachers who have the great responsibility of moulding the young children - to question, to think and to dream...
The great Teacher that he is, he showed what he wanted ..and did not tell. By his actions, he made his intentions clear. That is a lesson, which only the Teacher who has transcended textbooks could impart..
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