M A I N   N E W S

To Sir, with love: ‘Gurunivas’
N Ravikumar
Tribune News Service

Chennai, September 5
Pulavar Venkatraman, whose entire life was dedicated to teaching, did not imagine that his former students will come out with a such a memorable gift on this Teachers' Day. The 78-year-old teacher who owned nothing but poverty, after many decades of sincere service, was moved to tears, when some of his old students met him and told him that they had built a house for him in the same village where he spent his precious time, teaching and guiding hundreds of students to a successful and prosperous life. The key for the new house, suitably named as "Gurunivas", will be handed over to him at a function tomorrow, to commemorate Teachers' Day.

"When a batch of students, met me two years ago and promised a surprise gift for me, I did not imagine that they will build a house for me. They met me again and said they had built a house worth about Rs 10 lakh for me. I was really moved by their gesture, not because of the money they had spent. More than the money, I value their love and affection which motivated them to do this", Venkatraman said.

He had served as a Tamil teacher at Sengunthar Mahajan Higher Secondary School at Gurusamypalayam village in Namakkal district from 1954 to 1985. Most of the students were from a poor background and Venkatraman showered affection on his students and guided them in all possible ways without thinking of monetary gains. He was not able to save anything from his paltry salary and lived in a small, rented house after his retirement.

One of the former students, Subramaniam, a poet, who recalled his memories of the affectionate teacher said "Pulavar ayyah (sir) was an affectionate teacher, who did not expect anything from us. He was an expert in teaching Tamil in a very simple way. The way he explained the meaning of couplets from Tirukkural (the most revered Tamil literary work composed two thousand years ago) is still in my memory. During my school days, we were eagerly awaiting Tamil period and the arrival of Pulavar. He transformed learning into a joyful experience."

Dr Dhanasekar, another old student, said "besides teaching Tamil, he guided the students in all possible ways. He was affectionate and always encouraged us to choose a career according to our inclinations and capabilities. Due to his guidance and care, most of us are successful. Many students entered government services, while some of them were successful in business, arts and medicine. Whenever we think of our life, we are grateful to our teacher”.

The teachers wife, Ponnammal (63), who was more happy than her husband, said “although, many of his students attained higher positions and prosperity, my husband did not earn sufficient money and we were living in a rented house. He did not care about his economy and was happy to see his students’ success. There were moments, when I thought that he should have chosen a different job, which fetches money and fame. But, seeing the affection and gratitude expressed by his students, I feel that a teacher’s job is worthy.”

Subramaniyam said “whenever, my friends discussed school life, we fondly recalled the affection shown by Pulavar. Some of use used to visit his house often. We wanted to do something for our teacher, who is living in a rented house, even after many decades of service.”