Wearing a torn shirt, shorts, or skirt brings down the confidence of students, declares Swamy, the headmaster of Government Higher Primary School at Alakere in Mandya taluk. Thus, it is the duty and responsibility of their guardians to take care of the condition of their clothes, especially uniforms, he told The Hindu on Monday, as he completed the servicing of a sewing machine kept at the school’s office room.
The headmaster-turned-craftsman is looked upon with reverence by the Alakere residents as he is known to mend the uniforms of his students at the school itself. If the uniform is torn while playing, he stitches it immediately.
This impressed the residents of Alakere so much that they gifted a sewing machine to the school.
The 52-year-old science and mathematics teacher is a native of Balluru near Saligrama of Mysuru district and has been following this deed for the last 29 years.
Searching for threads/needles and other parts for the sewing machine is his routine on general holidays. He always keeps a bunch of threads of various colours, needles, buttons, bobbin, and bobbin case handy. He is also a master in oiling and servicing [basic] the machines. “It is easy for me to handle the machine besides stitching the torn clothes of students,” Mr. Swamy says.
He had served at the Government Higher Primary Schools at Gandalu for 11 years; at Holalu for two years; and Visvesvaraya Canal Farm for one year before serving as a Cluster Resource Person (CRP) for nearly 10 years at Kothathi and Mandya town. For the past three years, he has been working as headmaster at the GHPS at Alakere.
“I learnt the art of stitching during craft classes while studying at Sri Channakesava High School at Saligrama of K.R. Nagar,” Mr. Swamy says.
The villagers have been showing their gratitude by providing speakers, mike-announcement systems and computers. The school has a mini farm that produces seasonal vegetables and flowers. The vegetables grown at the farm are used for the midday meals.
