To The Teacher Who Opened My Eyes

Dear Sir Alapath,

Today, almost four years after the day I had joined your class, I can clearly recall how you had said, “I am not here to teach you English. And if any of you feel that you want to learn English only, then you may walk out of this place, right now! Because I am not going to teach you English. I am going to train you for Life.” We never realized the true importance of those words.

But today, Sir, four years later, it has gradually dawned upon me, that you were right. You have opened my eyes to the real world and to the world beyond that. You have taught me things which no teacher in the entire world could have ever taught me. You have given me a psyche of my own. You taught me to understand and reflect. You taught be to be bold, and face criticism and punishment with dignity. You built many bridges to my world of imagination. You taught me to socialize, and to understand people and their opinions. You have taught me to be the individual that I am – with strong ideals, principals, honor, and discipline. And you have taught me English.

I was only 15. And you were like a wizard – strict, yet magical. I remember that day when you had created in our minds a vivid phantasmagoria of images and showed us the world beyond them. You were a man of great honor and authority. There was an aura of knowledge and power that constantly emanated from your body. At the same time, you were humble enough to ridicule yourself while you shared jokes about your life.

Providence never allowed me to be your disciple for more than a year. On our last day of class, I remember those words of advice that you had given me. They changed my life. Somewhere inside me, I wanted to cry. But on the outside, I did try to replicate that modest smile which you always had on your face.

Sir, today, I am going to start a new blog. The main reason why I am doing this is to learn, and to grow. I want to strengthen my abilities in written English. I want to learn as I write. But Sir, I have a favor to ask. I need you to bless me so that I can write better and better each day. I need you to help me with what I write. I need you to help me grow and become strong, so that I can live up to your dreams – so that I can become the author that I’ve always wanted to be.

Yours truly,

Mohonish Chakraborty.

To,

Sir Anthony Alapath,

In his heavenly abode.