At a time when many youngsters hardly have any time for their parents, students of the 1976-78 batch made it a point to spend a day with their teacher, who taught them four decades ago. The reunion between the teacher and the taught was more like that between a mother and her children.
Nonagenarian H. Maheswari Devi, who had retired as Head of the Department of Botany, Andhra University, was touched by the warmth of her ‘children’ as they touched her feet and took her blessings. Many of them had retired after serving as teachers and in high positions across the country and abroad, while a few of them are on the verge of retirement.
“I am happy that some of my students and their students have joined Andhra University as faculty members. You say that I am responsible for your success but I do not remember what I had done for you, except treating you like my children. Today, I am touched by your love and affection and am unable to express my joy except blessing you with happiness and long life,” she said in response to the felicitation by her students.
Happy moment
Some of her students exchanged garlands with their spouses and celebrated ‘shastipoorthi’ (completion of 60 years) celebrations in the presence of their mentor, as their own children and grandchildren watched in admiration and captured the happy moment on their cell phones.
Her students, who had settled in various parts of the country, joined in honouring their teacher. A few, living abroad, spoke to her through Skype. S. Hara Sriramulu, convener of the programme, said: “She used to treat all the students like her own children and we used to respect her. She taught us values and whatever we are today is all because of her.”
P. Sankar, convener, G.V.A. Balamani and the present HOD of the Botany Department of AU, Y. Venkateswara Rao, were among those who attended.
“I was a student of Andhra University during 1940s and joined as a lecturer in the same university in 1950 and went on to become a Reader, Professor and Head of the Department of Botany. I had met a number of Vice-Chancellors during my long stint and had contributed to the development and growth of the department,” she recalled.
