Sandip Mitra!

I still remember my X class science sir, Sandip Mitra’s way of life. For us, the students, he was the coolest teacher we’ve ever had.  As we grew up in one of the most reputed institute of our time, in Panvel- MSAS, we had the privilege of learning under the most capable faculty. Sandip sir had done MSc in Physics.

His life, as we knew, involved waking up early and travelling from Airoli to Panvel, daily! :-O I always wondered how someone could travel daily, and take a morning 7.30am lecture so enthusiastically. It is still a wonder for me how he could manage it for several years. I don’t remember him using an umbrella in rainy seasons. He had a red colored jacket, and his jeans would dry up by afternoon. He came with headphones in his ears, walking, enjoying rain. He smiled, his eyes told it far deeply than the curve on his face. The school was too disciplined for teachers to bunk lectures, and the principal would personally visit the classroom in case of unavoidable free lectures. 9.40 or 9.50am recess bell gave us 10-15mins of free time, most of which involved watching sir playing basketball in college premises. We too played sometimes. The school schedule got over by 12.30pm, following which, sir wondering in laboratories, conducting practices of XI, XII till 2.30pm. Don’t know what a teacher’s life involved after that, but, sir almost daily played basketball in the evening, 5 to 7.30pm. If not basketball, football definitely. If you were to search for him in the evenings, MSAS ground was perfect location. He also taught in private tuitions- Sai Classes. He probably never took evening lectures because those grounds probably had a higher priority in his life. Even after 7.30pm, this energetic man didn’t leave for home, rather, played badminton inside school with other colleagues. I remember my other Panvel-living teachers trying to convince him to leave for home. This cycle continued, I witnessed from my VIII to XII. This guy remained the same. Awesome!

He had a Sony Ericson W750i Walkman phone, which was stolen/misplaced and he got another phone- same model! I too liked it! In that era, technologically, it was a perfect choice. You would find most of the teachers in vicious thinking cycles of which phone-laptop-gadget to buy.

As a science and physics teacher, his skills were wonderful. Had it not been him, and ofcourse Chandrashekhar Shetty sir, I wouldn’t have been into science. He had a marvelous way of teaching, getting numericals solved, attracting students to listen the ‘most boring’ subject people usually feel.

I don’t know what sacrifices he must have had made in his career, but surely, had it not been MSAS, he would have been a great scientist. He was fast, intelligent, motivated, happy and greatest teacher I’ve ever had in my career so far. He still works in MSAS, Sector 8, Khanda Colony, New Panvel. And I still see him sometimes in an year, in same school. It is good to meet motivated people, especially those, whom you admire.

The life we desire depends largely on the way we are brought up. Our aspirations, hopes, dreams are usually linked to those of the fellow people, people who were involved in our lives during those school days and those we admired. I still admire Sandip sir’s life, and I too someday, will become a teacher, for it is those relations, team spirit, enthusiasm, health, friendship, attitude on those grounds is what helps profoundly in teaching. The level of this positivity a teacher has, is what makes him the best.