A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE, A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE, YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE
A
TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE, A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE,
YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE… YOU REMAIN FOR EVER IN HEART
AND MIND…..AND IN MEMORY……
( My Revered Teacher and
Educationist, Shri Lakshman Mishra, Former Head Master of Laxmidhar Municipal
High School, Dhenkanal, Odisha, India; addressed in this article of tribute, as My Teacher-
Shri Lakshman Mishra, with reverence, with utmost respect and utmost honours to
identify appropriately, remember and place him at highest level of respects and
honours of my association as Teacher-Student and also at Family level for 49
years to date. The best is to evidence him as a Teacher and Educationist par
excellence, an Excellent and Rare human being who lived in this world,
with my own experience and relationship
with him cherished over 49years, that I have depicted with some accounts of my
first hand and own experiences and association truthfully, honestly and
admitting humbly).
When I met My Teacher - Shri Lakshman Mishra for the very
first time:
Some day in the first part of September, 1973, 49years back,
I remember it was immediately after celebration of “Ganesh Puja” on “Ganesh
Chaturthi” that used to be a significant function in schools those days in
Odisha (in 1973 “Ganesh Chaturthi”, had fallen on 31st August, 1973),
I went to the Laxmidhar Municipal High School ( L M High School ), Dhenkanal and tried to meet
its Head Master. I was a less than 13year boy by age then, and was coming to
Dhenkanal town from my village, for schooling in Class-VIII (Class-8) by riding
an old Hercules Bicycle our family owned at that time, for 8kms daily one way (two
ways 16kms) approximately. That was the norm at that time, those who had a
Bicycle in the villages, they were the better off. At that time, there was no
High School in our village, hence, after studying up to Class-7 in the Middle
School ( Class-6 and 7 as the middle school), the students from our village had
to primarily go to Dhenkanal Town for High School Education (Class-8 to 11 as the
High School then). There were at that time, 3-main high schools in Dhenkanal
Town such as; B B High School, L M High School and Govt Girls High School all
located in the range of 8-10kms distance from our village. The L M High School
was a preferred destination for High School
Education for the students from our village. At that time, the Head Master of Laxmidhar
Municipal High School (L M High School) in 1973, was none other than, My
Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra.
Around 1973, Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha though had already
come into being as another private High School that was just started (established
in 1970) in Dhenkanal Town. With due respect to Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha (
that has also become a Govt High School now ), at that time, as it was a just new
and nascent High School and had just started, had less of infrastructure for
High School Education, and being just new, obviously they were not getting much
of the students. Hence its founders/teachers used to go to the nearby villages
where middle schools were located; to invite and fetch students for their High
School and they were offering attractive proposals to the parents for better
education at less cost at that time. In this way, while I was completing my
middle school ( Class-7 ) with excellent examination results in our village
middle school (Tarava Middle English School, Dhenkanal), they (the
teachers/founders of Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha ) got to know it and also came
and met my father in our village to get me admitted in their new High School
just started then. My father agreed with their attractive proposal and got me
admitted in Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha in Class-8. I started going regularly
to Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha for approximately 2-months; during July and
August, 1973 and attended the Ganesh Puja there on 31st August 1973
also staying overnight in that school, I clearly remember. However; during
these two months at Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha, at that time, I got to feel somewhat
dissatisfied in my mind, as the school was very new and less of infrastructure,
as per my own understanding and assessment of the situation well even at that
small age of less than 13years. Therefore, as I said, I myself decided to
change my High School, and one day with my Bi-Cycle, I went to Laximidhar
Municipal High School ( L M High School ) while it was operating in its old
building with tin roofs, located on the Hat-Road, at Mandaba Sahi, Dhenkanal
and landed in front of the Head Master’s Office. I mentioned and requested the
School Staff ( the School Peon) who was attending to the Head Master’s Office
that, I would like to meet the respected Head Master. He (the School Peon) asked the purpose while
I said, “Kindly allow me to meet the Head Master and I will tell him my purpose
directly”. Then I was called in by the respected Head Master, My Teacher- Shri Lakshman
Mishra, into his Head Master’s Room and he asked me the purpose of having come
to meet him. At that time, he was a little strict looking Head Master, with a
Dhoti and Bengali Type Shirt ( what is called as a Kameej typically, that he
wore during his life time) with long sleeves folded up to elbow, an inspiring and
gracious personality with spectacles, but I did not feel afraid of him even at
just less than 13years of age. He wanted to hear from me my purpose of meeting
him and I explained all that I have written above about the episode of my
admission at Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha and by my choice, how I had made up my mind to change my High School. And
I told him that I wanted to study at his high school; L M High School. The Head
Master, My-Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra was also surprised at that time, that a
less than 13year old boy (myself) had come to meet him to change his High
School (that he had told to many people during his life time to give as
example). I also told him at that time and I had guaranteed him that I was a
very good student, that could be verified by him whatever way and I would also
prove to him what I was saying was true provided I was admitted to his high
school, but, I should be allowed to study at L M High School from the next day.
In those days, the Head Master was the final authority for admission to the
High School. He tried to make me understand that a School Transfer Certificate(TC)
would be needed from Saudamini Smruti Bidyapita to get me admitted into L M
High School. However, in my normal child like conduct then , I politely insisted
and requested him that, the School Transfer Certificate (TC) can come from
Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha later on; however I may kindly be allowed to attend
the classes in L M High School from the next day. He was surprised with my
insistence and persistence as well as courage at less than 13years of age (that
he had also told many people later), however; his kind and generous heart and
mind also appreciated my views from even a less than 13year old child and he could
not turn down and refuse my request to admit to L M High School understanding
my mind and aspiration as a small child. Then, he said to me his final decision;
from the next day; I was allowed to attend the Class-8 classes at L M High
School without my formal admission in the High School while the School Transfer
Certificate (TC) was kept waiting to come from Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha
later on. Actually, My Teacher- Shri Lakshman Mishra was very soft in his inside,
though on the surface he would look like a very strict and tough Teacher,
otherwise. However he would hold to his principles without compromise.
From the next day of this meeting with My Teacher- Shri
Lakshman Mishra, the Head Master, I was allowed to attend the Classes of
Class-8 in L M High School, while my School Transfer Certificate(TC) from
Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha was pending. On the other hand, the Saudamini
Smruti Bidyapitha was also not inclined to lose me and leave their High School,
they really wanted to retain me and to continue me there being a good student as
they had limited number of students being a new High School at that time. Therefore,
they were initially not inclined for issuing my School Transfer Certificate
(TC) for some longer time (mentioning with due respect to them ), while simultaneously
I was attending the classes of Class-8 at L M High School. Finally, this was an
issue to be resolved amicably for my High School admission between the two High
Schools (Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha and L M High School) and ultimately the
matter had also gone to be known at the level of the District Inspector of
Schools (the Highest Authority regarding School Administration of a District)
to be resolved amicably. During a common meeting before the District Inspector
of Schools, where both the Head Masters of L M High School ( My Teacher-Shri
Lakshman Mishra ) and the then Head Master of Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha were
attending, My Teacher- Shri Lakshman Mishra had to raise the issue in very
friendly manner before the District Inspector of Schools in presence of the then
Headmaster of Saudamini Smruti Bidyapita for issue of my School Transfer
Certificate (TC) explaining the fact rightly that, while a student was not
inclined to study in a school and wanted to leave, holding onto his School
Transfer Certificate (TC) does not make any good; and it was decided in that
meeting that my School Transfer Certificate (TC) should be issued by Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha and thereafter, my father went there and
applied for the TC and Saudamini Smruti Bidyapitha had issued my School
Transfer Certificate (TC) and I was formally admitted in the rolls of L M High
School in Class-8 in 1973.
This is how, I had got introduced to My Teacher- Shri
Lakshman Mishra first by myself, as a lone, less than 13year old boy, one to
one, and creating a bridge the strongest possible between the teacher and the
student, an excellent Teacher and Student Relationship as I consider and
respect it, cherished and unstinted over more than 49years to date. Later on,
he was satisfied with me as a Student during his life time and I have been satisfied
with him as a revered Teacher par Excellence; and I revered him all along for
more than 49years to date as most honourable -My Teacher. It evidenced and
demonstrated the fact, that My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra was an excellent
human being who was able to respect and appreciate the views of even a small
13-year old kid.
Later on, the school examinations were held and of course I
did exceedingly well in the examination results in competition and comparison
to all the bests and stalwarts of the school as my friends, competitors and
class mates who were already existing there at that time, that had impressed My
Teacher very well having taken the right decision respecting the views and
accepting the requests of a 13-year old boy.
In Class-8 at that time in 1973, at L M High School, I got to
know my class mates of the L M High School, very good friends till today and
also a lot of good students by their own and everyone’s merit both boys and
girls, who were there with me from Class-8 to Class-11 from 1973 to 1977, it
may not be possible to name everyone here and purposefully I am not naming
anyone here to create any feeling of disparity among my friends and class mates,
however everyone is equally respected and all of them remain as very good
friends and class mates to me, and as I know everyone of my class mates, was also
inspired by My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra as their respected teacher as well.
Living with My Teacher-Shri
Lakshman Mishra as a Family Member and there after …
After the above said meeting and my formal admission to L M
High School, I was continuing to come by Bi-Cycle from my village riding 8kms
one way daily for few more months. However, My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra one
day, while meeting me in the school compassionately said; “I can see, it would
be very tiring for you to commute by Bi-cycle daily as you are doing at this small
age ( less than 13 years), it may also affect your studies. There are some
students now staying at my residential place with me, you can also come and
join them and stay there so that your commuting by Bi-cycle will not be there”.
Thus, I started staying with My Teacher at his Station Bazar Residence; approximately
from Class-9 onwards continuously until I completed class-11 and passed the
High School Certificate (HSC) Examination from L M High School in 1977. Initially,
while he was living alone, there was a small residential mess kind of
arrangement at his residential place at Station Bazar, Dhenkanal, with 5-6 students
living there at that time, when I joined in around 1974, and his family at the
same time, was living at Bhuban, in his ancestral village (now the Bhuban Town),
there was someone as “Bhaina” to cook for some time. However, slowly at that
time, as most of the resident students completed their education in the School,
they moved out, the “Bhaina” also had left. Two students of us were left to
stay with My Teacher then around 1974-75. My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra even if he was
the Head Master of the High School, he had absolutely no ego to throw around,
he used to take the lead role to Cook, before going to school and after he came
back from the school in the evening and we used to eat together, I must
acknowledge with humility. The other students of my batch then, some of my
class mates, used to come there in the evening to study together for English
and History as My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra used to teach these two subjects
primarily, the classes in evening were free for all. Later on, around 1974-75, the
family of My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra, including Maa-Smt. Umarani Mishra (
his wife ) children such as, daughter “Peeu”(Sujata Mishra, married to Dr.
Pranab Kumar Mohapatra) and Son “Pipi”( Debadutta Mishra, married to Ms. Minati
Mishra ) who were also small kids then, came over from his ancestral
village-Bhuban to live at the Station Bazar (Dhenkanal) residence, while two of
us including me as students living there at that time, also continued with the
family, and I stayed as a family member with all of them till I completed my
High School in 1977 and did continue the excellent relationship even if I moved
out to different places with my education and career in Odisha or outside Odisha over time, for last 49years.
Once I started living with My Teacher -Shri Lakshman Mishra
and the Family, it was an excellent relationship that grew also with my
parental family (my biological family) living in our village at Khalibandha
(Tarava) almost like an extended family to me. My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra
was extremely cordial in respecting every human being. He and his family
respected my parents and everybody in my family very well. In fact, my elder
brother, Shri Gobinda Chandra Biswal (village-Khalibandha, Tarava, Dhenkanal )
in spite of the fact that he was not even a student of Laxmidhar Municipal High
School (though he studied earlier at Banasingh High School), was liked the most
and was respected the most by My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra and every one of
his family; he has been liked and respected nothing less than me, in all the
49years since 1973 till today, since my first admission to L M High School.
My excellent relationship; not only as a never-failing
Teacher and Student relationship with My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra, as a
Student and also as a Family Member, has not diminished in last 49years at all.
I got to know well almost every body of his family, relatives and friends who
have been very respectful and also affectionate to me. I got to know well, his respectable younger brother ( Shri Prabhas
Kumar Mishra, married to respected Smt. Pushpalata Mishra) including his family
( his son Rajat Kumar Mishra, married to Ms. Smita Mishra) living in his Parental Home at Bhuban, the
family and children of his two respectable Sisters ( Smt. Rukmini Patimishra
Married to Shri Trilochan Pati Mishra, and Smt. Uma Mishra married to Shri Rabi
Narayan Mishra) living in Jajpur, his in-law side families (Maa-Smt.
Umarani Mishra’s parental families living
from Dhenkanal Town to Mathakaragola village in Kamakhya Nagar), his
Brothers-in-Laws and their children of -Shri Adikanda Mishra and Shri Prahallad
Mishra who lived at village-Mathakaragola, Kamakya Nagar and Shri Nrusingha Charan
Mishra who lives in Dhenkanal Town. Even I got to know well his Calcutta
Relationships, the families of Respected Shri Swadesh Kumar Ghatak and Shri
Bishwaranjan Ghatak with their Sisters ( Shanti Didi and Meera Didi as
addressed, who were called as brothers and “Didis” by My Teacher-Shri Lakshaman
Mishra during his life time; and he never said as his childhood friends whom he
had first met and lived with, during his childhood days in Bengal during the
Pre-Independence era of India before 1947, in his life time). Every one of the
families and friends of My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra, have respected me with
utmost affection and care for more than 49-years to date since 1973 and I have
utmost respects and honours for all of them.
I have come to know a large number of his respectable
students, friends, relatives, associated families and admirers over last
49-years of association with My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra, it may not be
possible to name and list all of them here, however, everyone of them had
utmost respects and appreciation and admiration of him, that I cannot fail to
acknowledge and mention with due respect.
In fact, my marriage in 1989 to my wife Trupti ( Daughter of
Mrs and Mr. Pankaj Lochan Rout of Santhapur Village, near Joranda, Dhenkanal,
who used to serve as Dy. Director of Mines in Govt of Odisha ) had taken place
jointly both at my Village at Khalibandha (Tarava) as well as in the residence
of My Teacher -Shri Lakshman Mishra, at Station Bazar, Dhenkanal, while a large
part of the function was also performed in the same residence of My
Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra along with a Reception having being done at the
same place at Dhenkanal Station Bazar. This is an evidence of the excellent
relationship that could rarely happen in a Teacher and Student Relationship.
The Teacher and Student Relationship (the “Guru” and “Shisya”
Relationship) has been awarded a “Superior Place” over the “Parent and Child
Relationship” in our Scriptures and Mythology. My Teacher - Shri Lakshman
Mishra had performed this relationship par excellence, during his life time as
a rare “Guru” and I as the student have tried and have made my best effort to
respect and perform the relationship to the best of my abilities, I must say
with due humility. My Teacher and myself both were extremely satisfied with our
Teacher and Student Relationship ( “Guru” and “Shisya” Relationship) from both
sides, as he lived his life time with certain principles, I also got inspired
by it, that I say with reverence to my honourable teacher. It has been an excellent relationship, as I
said, much Superior to Parent and Child Relationship, however it is understood
that the Parent and Child Relationship always existed within the “Guru and
Shishya Relationship” with due respects
and honours.
After I completed my High School from L M High School in
1977, for I.Sc. studies I went to Dhenkanal College, while I stayed in the
Dhenkanal College Hostel for 2-years from 1977 to 1979 for the convenience of
studies there, however my relationship with My Teacher -Shri Lakshman Mishra and the Family was intact and was not
diluted in any way. Thereafter, I went to OUAT-Bhubaneswar, to study my
Graduation there for 4-years and lived in its hostels, but my excellent
relationship with My Teacher and the Family was not diluted in any way. After
completing my studies at OUAT Bhubaneswar, I also went to study MBA at
IRMA(Institute of Rural Management Anand), Gujarat for further 2-years, while my
relationship was intact. In fact, Maa-Smt. Umarani Mishra had accompanied with
me to Anand, Gujarat as a Representing Parent to attend my Convocation Ceremony
at IRMA in 1986 while Shri Rajiv Gandhi,
the then Prime Minister of India had addressed my Convocation there.
After 1986, I started working for Amul, was posted at Patna
in Bihar (for 4-years), then at Cuttack in Odisha (for 4years) and was again
transferred back to Ahmedabad in Gujarat in 1995, while all along my
relationship with My Teacher and the Family was intact. I changed jobs in
between in various other organizations in India and an International
Organization also, and moved from Ahmedabad to Mumbai in 2006 where I live now,
however, my relationship with My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra and family has
not diminished in any way in more than 49-years, and My Teacher- Shri Lakshman Mishra was the
binding force along with his family and children to bind this relationship
together all through.
If I did not phone for a little longer time, My Teacher -Shri
Lakshman Mishra would be concerned and he would ask for someone from the family
to call me or call my elder brother in the village to check about my wellbeing.
When I used to travel to Foreign Countries, he would be quite concerned till I
come back to India and would expect a call once I am back to India, I would
call him and explain in details. Lately he could not hear well by the ears over
phone due to hearing loss and got into bedridden illness after which it has not
been possible to speak to him over phone. Particularly, after Covid-19 pandemic
that remained in force for almost last 2-years since December 2019, it was
extremely difficult to travel and communicate during this time. Exactly during
the last 2-years also, My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra remained quite immobile
and confined to bed also, and communication with him directly became
impossible, however until the very end he used to remember and give signals
when he heard my name or my voice when I had visited him. My family and my
children all have great respects for him and all his family members. In
December, 2021, about 5months back, when I sent my elder daughter Upasana
Biswal to Dhenkanal to see him as a Doctor and report back to me about his
wellbeing, at that time also, he could recognize and remember my name and remember
my daughter, when Maa-Smt. Umarani Mishra mentioned and made him recollect.
Upasana assessed, came back and reported to me about his state of health.
It has been really an excellent, enduring and unstinted and
rare relationship of Teacher and Student; and Family to Family, very
respectfully cherished and lived through for more than 49years till date. My Teacher -Shri Lakshman Mishra has been a
friend, philosopher and guide to me personally, that I must acknowledge and
admit with due humility and most humbly in public without hesitation in
recognition of him as a Teacher Par-Excellence and a Human Being par
excellence, a rare and benevolent soul having lived in this world in human body.
He had on quite occasions had mentioned to me, may be he would cross the age
100, however, the destiny pulled him away from us on 05th June 2022
at the age of 94.
Shri Debadutta Mishra ( nick name Pipi, the son of My Teacher
Shri Lakshman Mishra and an younger brother to me) has been always in touch and
briefing from time to time regarding the health conditions and he along with his
better half Ms. Minati Mishra, the family including Maa-Smt. Umarani Mishra
have not left any stone unturned to take care and maintain the health
conditions of My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra all through, including admitting
him at KIMS Hospital at Bhubaneswar in ICU during the month of May, 2022 for
about a week. After reasonable recovery, he was brought back to home at
Dhenkanal and lived for about a month with due care at home.
My Teacher -Shri Lakshman Mishra had simple living and high
thinking, tremendous self respect and courage, no greed, no aspirations to grab
awards for publicity, he believed in the principle of honesty and utmost
respect for humans and humanity. Heaven would be keen to embrace him.
Finally on 05-June-2022, at around 9.30 PM, I received a
Phone Call from Pipi ( Debadutta Mishra),
my respectable younger brother, who informed that it was the end, and really
the end and departure of My Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra from this World, for
his heavenly abode.
I must admit humbly and say that :
SIR, YOU WERE A TEARCHER PAR
EXCELLENCE, A HUMAN BEING PAR EXCELLENCE, RARE HUMAN BEINGS LIKE YOU TAKE BIRTH
IN THIS WORLD….
YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR
SPECIAL PLACE… YOU REMAIN FOR EVER IN HEART AND MIND…..AND IN MEMORY….
I stay with the Children, Family, Friends, Relatives, large
number of Students and Myriads of admirers of
my Teacher-Shri Lakshman Mishra in this world.
With best respects and with Prayers for the Noble Soul to rest
in peace.
Nimain
( Nimain Charan Biswal ),
Batch 1977, High School Certificate
Examination,
Laxmidhar Municipal High School,
Dhenkanal,
Odisha, India.
11-June-2022
About the Author of the Article of Tribute : Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology), M.B.A. and Ph.D.(Management Area ) by qualifications; and he has 36+ years of work experience in both industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at, L M High School, Dhenkanal College (Utkal University), Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University (with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad). He is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organizations in Senior/Top Management Capacities at Board level as well as Managing Director and CEO. He is a management expert covering extensive areas from management in industrial sectors, management in agriculture and dairy, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.
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