Reminiscence Sri Udapachar Esq.
(H K Dwarkanath alias Dwarkanath K Murthy)
It would be long story to recollect the experiences, having spent the most fruitful
years of my career from 1959 to 1966. Several teachers come into my mind, definitely every one has made an impact on us in our upbringing.
Having studied for 2 years at St Aloysius School Bhusawal, under the care of my maternal grand parents, I was back to my parents place in 1959. Here I started my journey with the Nrupathunga. The big gift from our HM was an admission to class VI directly from IV, after a formal test. Interstate disparities helped me in a way for this double promotion. It was a big saving of an academic year.
The second blessing was free education. The school had a scheme of awarding free ship to one among three siblings studying at the same time. Though not student of rank, my father suggested my name. In the process I had a free education throughout schooling, steady performance was the criterion. Later, girls education became free, and my sister Sreemathi also enjoyed free education. Courtesy Sri SU, both of us enjoyed the privilege.
Relocated from Bhusawal, I was compelled to learn Kannada in place of Marathi, so that my parents could tutor me at home. In the process of learning kannada and speaking knowledge of Telugu, my rudimentary knowledge in Marathi was given for a toss. Being a stranger to the working languages in the school, but for Kamalakar, with whom I would converse in English, I wasn't able communicate with majority. Moving to class IX, I preferred to sit beside Ravi, during the kannada tests with a hope that he would help me out. This was in vain as I could never cope up with his speed. Hope Ravi remembers it.
The third blessing is the most important one, but for it I wouldn't have got through the matriculation (MP) courtesy again our mentor the great. As envisaged above the draculean vernacular would have pulled me down, but for high internal marks, that too the first language carried 200 marks. I realised all these jugglery only when we got our blue book, the school record. Any amount of gratitude to our HM is insufficient.
Coming to a specific event, while Udapachar Sir was describing the Pandora's Box, he mentioned shine and sheen of it with great emphasis, spontaneously I looked at our desk. On observing this he quoted "yes these tables will have the same shine".
The other incident was me and Murthy getting a thrash on 30th January, Gandhiji's punyathithi . In the milee when Sir was busy started muttering "TC deeyato Vivek Vardhini chalajayange". The reason was we were caught giggling during the 2 min silence period. Though whole class had giggled, ignited by Srinath only we two became the visible targets for our Guru. Luckily the third person on the bench Vaidya got covered.
As Murthy mentioned, we life science students were given special coaching in Math at his home and it was gratis. I don't think I was mature enough to understand his generosity. No one can imagine such an act in the present day.
Going through the above one can gauge how much I have benefitted by this great personality. I was also fortunate to hear him shout at our door step, (residing beside Reddy college) early in the mornings, keeping the vigil on us during XII. Today's generation do not believe such a person ever existed. Having been in the teaching profession I have tried my best in emulating him in a very small and humble way during my 35 years carrier. Specially during my administrative stints never applied for leave.
My Sincere salutations to the Guru.
