Chapter 3 - Passionate conversation #1

When I was around 13-15-year-old I was having a great passionate mathematics teacher whose words resonated very passionate to me then and now also resonating with the same intensity of passion in my mind. He was around 30-year-old medium build guy with the typical Indian belly with neatly combed oil applied hair and was having a Kumkum tilak on his forehead almost always. He was teaching mathematics like a Tamil teacher. Yes, although in a matriculation school he was teaching the subject in an easily understandable native language. He was able to make me understand even tough problems easily. He was harsh on those students who did not do the home work properly and also was treating the mischievous guys in a little different way as well at times.

 

He used to do another extra work which other teachers usually did not do. He asked one or 2 students who were interested to come and meet him in a nearby temple for having a session with him regarding a subject other than mathematics. The subject was about “life”. He tried to understand what the students really liked and wanted to explore the possibilities of what they can achieve. He was acting as a very good mentor and well wisher for me and many more students. He used to appreciate me so much that even he told one day that I solved the problem easily for which even he could not find the answer. He remarked to the entire class, “I myself find difficult and could not do this particular problem! But see, Mr Saravanan has solved it!” I was almost flying on air at those times. Which teacher appreciates a student like this? He was such a humble and talent appreciating person.

 

One day, it was my turn to attend the motivation/mentoring session with him on that evening. I am naming the session as it was unnamed and was just happening out of his own interest without even the knowledge of school administration. Which teacher gives his valuable time for free to students nowadays without charging any fees? He was providing for free and for those who are interested only. There was no compulsion. I went to the temple after school hours. He greeted me as usual and asked me to sit near him inside that temple at one stepping stone (there was no sitting arrangements, it was and is a small temple with only one main deity "Vinayaka" and with minimum visitors unless on some special occasions).

 

He asked me “What is your goal in life?”. I replied “I want to become a doctor!”. He was surprised on hearing this. Being a maths teacher he was seeing me all the days and he was appreciating my talent in solving mathematics problems every now and then, he could not digest my goal. He confirmed again with me “Are you sure?”. I replied “Yes sir, I am so sure about it. Not only as per my father’s wish but also as per my own conscience I am going to become a doctor and serve people.” He replied “Good, very good”. Then he added “Saravanan, I could see a great talent in you especially in mathematics. Whatever you do, whatever field you go, whatever job you do you always do not leave mathematics”.

 

I replied to him “Okay sir”. Just like a typical implicitly obedient Indian student. He added “the second important advice what I would like to add is not to memorize or by heart anything in your subject. Whatever you read, read it and try to understand it in depth not just superficially like for example when you read ‘frog lives in land and water’, do not just repeat and memorize like ‘frog lives in land and water, frog lives in land and water’, try to think why it happens so and how it happens so? Whether the frog is having any special skin which we do not have or is there any other specific reason behind that? Just ask yourself why and how and understand the subject in depth, then whatever subject you take you will shine in that.”

 

What a passionate advice from my mentor! I do not know whether I am following the first advice not to leave mathematics as I still use mathematics in medicine as well while I prescribe syrup to my pediatric patients, to calculate how much improvement the patient has achieved by calculating BMI, sugar levels, BP and so on. I always try to apply the second advice of “Why and How” as much as possible in my subject. It is almost 20 years now. I still remember the exact words as told by my beloved math's sir, (Those who do not know Tamil can stop here)

 

“Ne endha subject padichaalum sari yaa, endha field ponaalum sariyaa, aana maths uh mattum vittraadha. Unakku nalla talent irukku yaa maths la. Adhe maadiri, oru line padikirannaa manapaadam pannaadha ya, ippa ‘thavalai neerulum vaazhum nilathilum vaazhum’ nu padikiranaa chummaa, ‘thavalai neerulum vaazhum nilathilum vaazhum, neerilum vaazhum nilathilum vaazhum’ nu by gaat (by heart) panaadha. En neerla yum vaazhudhu, nilathulayum vaazhudhu? Adhukku nu edhuvum amaipu irukkaa adhoda thol adhukku thagundhaapla irukaa? Enna nu sindhichu padi ya, ne nalla varuvayaa. Endha field eduthaalum nalla varuvayaa!”