My Students

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My students from Himachal Pradesh University, Punjabi University, Patiala and Amity University, Haryana have helped me grow, accept challenges, given me happiness and a sense of satisfaction. Some of you have done well, some continue to strive for a better tomorrow. Many of you will do well as you keep becoming confident and learn to sustain your confidence. From the time we offered BA History (Hons), each student has helped me accept challenges and learn from him/her.

Prabanch, you did so well, returned with a determination to continue after your father’s sudden death in an accident. You looked after your Mom and sisters and the business till you were sure that they will be able to manage in your absence. You did so well in all the semesters. I am proud of you. Shobha, your continuous struggle with adversaries, your determination to do well at every cost strengthened my belief that challenges can help us when we are determined. Lisa and Bompi, your effort to get punctual and regular, Umed, your determination to excel, Azad Deep your acceptance when things went wrong and your resolve to stand up again, Azad Katiyar, your struggle with your spine, swelling in brain and continuous pain strengthened my resolve that every challenge needs to be addressed. Shilpa and Plabita, I appreciate you for your commitment. Shilpa, I do not want you

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to get obsessed by my presence, sensitivity and knowledge. Your progress will get impeded. Yo will find better teachers than me! Mudit and Subhash, I enjoy our challenging long debates and discussions. Harkesh, Angela, Rachita, Liz Mary–all of you impress me with your dedication. Kajal, you have been responsible, the rest make me accept a new kind of challenge! You have got three Gold Medals in sports, you have a lot of responsibility at home and have still managed to do well academically. You are now in third semester. Lisa, you made me proud with your Gold Medal in History Honours.

My PhD scholars, Ruchika Sinha, Sangeeta Tomar, Angel George, Sushil Malik, Sube Singh and Rimpy Sachdev, Sheetal and Kim Kum-Pyong from Korean Embassy. All of you add to my intellectual enrichment. I respect all of you, from other schools who listen to me to behave well. Keshav Dhankhar, you were a student of Political Science, you changed yourself completely and never gave me a chance to check you for misbehaviour or something that you should not have done! Your sudden departure, together with Jitendra, another Political Science student, for the better world has brought so much sorrow to me. Meeting your parents and the family was tough for me. All my students are very respectful.

Two students who touched my heart are Supreet Basantani and Neetu Sharma. Supreet, you came to me with a request that you wanted to type the manuscript of this book, while the initial drafts were being typed. You said, you wanted to contribute in some way because you felt I inspired you. Neetu Sharma, you are the daughter of an Indian Army officer. You kept coming to my cabin to talk to me about the books you read. You made me speak to your fiancée who is a young officer of Indian Air Force. I was moved when you showed me your mobile to tell me that my name was saved as ‘Favourite Ma’am’. Supreet and you have done your Masters in English.

There are so many of you who make my day with your smiles, rushing to wish me or stop the lift for me. The 2018–21 batch has Shreyans, a student with special needs. All of us, the faculty, the staff and every student of History Department takes care of him, make sure that he is safe, treated gently and one of us is with him so that he does not feel lost! I am grateful to Director and everyone

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in ASLA for their sensitivity in understanding his special needs! Mr Ali and History faculty appreciate the great effort that his mother and the other family members make in doing whatever they can for Shreyans.

Prof Amrit Varsha Gandhi

Amrit, you were one of my MA students at Himachal Pradesh University in 1975–76. I always found you struggling with something or the other with a smile. Your sense of responsibility and determination amazed me. I was happy that you did your PhD and succeeded to work in Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, Teen Murti, Delhi. You learnt to do your job very well. You and I are from Shimla, we share our teachers and our values. I feel proud that you could become a Professor and Head of History Department of Himachal Pradesh University where both of us studied. I was happy to observe how much you had grown professionally and command respect from your students and colleagues. You have also contributed to research. I am satisfied that you have helped so many to do well academically. I was touched by your letter which I am purposely reproducing so that younger generation might like to pick up the habit of remembering their teachers. This habit has actually disappeared in the fast paced life.

Your letter has given me confidence that I can keep climbing the ‘so many stairs’ to the Department of History with your spontaneity to ensure that students help me during this ordeal to address the students and faculty of History Department of my University where I can continue to learn from you, your colleagues and students. Thank you for your love and respect, Amrit which you have given to me for the last three and a half decades.

Respected Prof Kiran Devendra,

I, on behalf of the Chairman, Faculty Members and my own personal self express sincere ‘Thanks’ to you for having accepted our request to be a Visiting Fellow from 3rd to 7th

October, 2016.

We all were enriched, enlightened and delighted throughout your visits and enjoyed the special lectures delivered so

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beautifully. It was a pleasure to be with generous and caring person like you, who unselfishly support the educational endeavours of students. Your help and support enabled us to expose our students to an intellectual mind that was an update on issues you addressed so diligently. Your insight into the experience at NCERT was very helpful.

Your scholarship was greatly appreciated by one and all.

Thank you once again, With best wishes and sincere regards,

Amrit Varsha Gandhi

I am shocked to learn of your sudden departure from our world.

Prof Sukhmani Bal

You were my student of MA in History at Punjabi University Patiala. You did MPhil and PhD from JNU. I was so happy when I learnt that you were heading the History Department of Punjab University, Chandigarh. Some of my students have joined services, many of you have become entrepreneurs. One of you has a big automobile workshop in Chandigarh. You did not take money from my brother-in-law, Sudhir saying ‘you are my ma’am’s relative, I can’t take money for getting your car repaired’. I was touched when I learnt about it. I feel nice when my old students make an effort to meet me or get in touch!

Kabom Lego

You were my youngest student at Amity University, Haryana. Your email left me speechless and overwhelmed. How could you write so much, so beautifully at a time when you were struggling to cover all that you needed to for your medical entrance examination, which was, only a few weeks away. You also needed to arrange for your food. You were surely missing home and your people. Thank you Kabom for your thoughtfulness of sending this long mail, without using short forms at a time when people of my age have taken to SMS and emails using shortest forms in the rush to save time without a thought whether what is being sent is communicating what they wish to!

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Your email, I wish to reproduce as an example of patience, gratitude and beautiful expression. It could be a motivating factor for young boys and girls, for people of my generation to ponder over many things that we need to:

Dear Kiran Ma’am I wrote this e-mail originally to inform you that I would be missing most of my classes this semester as the Medical Entrance Tests are approaching, and given the vastness of the medical syllabus, it would impossible for me to study, sit for the tests, and attend the University classes at the same time. However, I’ve re-written the same email as a “thank you” for your understanding of my situation, for making me feel so welcome at Amity, and for everything that you’ve done for the sake of keeping me happy and comfortable. At the outset, I’d just like to say that this is my first experience of life in the North and living here, frankly, is a little outside of my comfort zone. I have trouble interacting with people here. Although I believe I speak Hindi, at least the version of Hindi spoken in Arunachal. I never seem to be able to get my message across and often times I have felt overwhelmed because of this. Thanks to you, however, I was able to adjust to the environment here. Suffice it to say ma’am, I honestly don’t think I would have been able to survive in this place without your help and enthusiastic support. Or without Chandni ma’am’s guidance. Ma’am, I want you to know how much I appreciate you, as a teacher and as a human being. Inspiring. Compassionate and Kind. These qualities are just a short sample of the many you demonstrate with your students. All of my time spent learning history with you, all of your classes have been an incredible experience. The excitement you expressed to co-learn with me rather than teach me, made me feel like having a partner in my learning experience. I know you have so much to share but I also love how you constantly articulate on how much I have to share as well, and how much you learn by engaging with me. Most of all, you’ve been nothing but supportive and

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encouraging of me. When I told you that I was appearing for medical school entrance exams. You made me feel genuinely supported when you said, “please let me know how I can be helpful”, and for that I’m eternally grateful. I’ve come to a realisation that kind hearted people are actually the richest, because they are giving away kindness; something that can never be taken or stolen. Thank you for always being so kind, ma’am. Last year when demonetization struck the country and I was running around with no cash, you made sure that I was fed and lent me plenty of money to get by. I’ve recited this act of your kindness to my mother and she says she is endlessly grateful to you for that. She had actually sent you a Nok Sondrong (it’s a necklace made of beads worn by the women of our tribe) as a token for our gratitude. However, while I was returning, it was confiscated at the airport. I’ve been meaning to get it back for you, and when I return to Arunachal, I’ll surely bring it back. Lastly, I hope I’ll be able to incorporate your kindness and your teachings into my daily life, and become the good person you always make me out to be. I might not be at Amity the next semester as I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to secure a medical seat this year, and might pursue medical studies elsewhere. Despite the rudeness of some teachers and the crude behaviour of some students within the campus, my time at Amity overall has been incredible because of you, and Chandni ma’am and Sanjeev sir. Thank you for being genuine ma’am. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being one of the greatest teachers out there and thank you for being my teacher. Kabom

I am happy for you. You made it to a Medical College.

Ruchika Sinha

You are my PhD scholar at Amity University Haryana. For me, your mails are a priceless gift. These give me hope that when young

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persons like you believe in themselves and value hard work and commitment, society can look forward to better times. Your mails have moved me and give me a reason to meaningfully work with my students. Thank you for finding time to write. Here are a few:

Dear Ma’am, I could read your poems just now ... Was just waiting for some silent moments because I knew I would love them, even before I could see them. In the silence of this midnight, nothing could be so soothing than words of wisdom. Conversing with you has always been enriching and I wish I had met you earlier in life—nevertheless, I don’t want to waste any single moment to appreciate your being. Ma’am, you are a beautiful soul and I can relate so much with your thoughts. Your poems stirred my deepest emotions. They echoed my thoughts towards similar situations in life. Your bond with your life partner, your love and understanding of your children, your honesty towards your work and your deep understanding and sensitivity towards human beings is commendable. I wish to keep learning from you. Please share your thoughts more often. I would be glad. Thanks for coming in my life. Love, Ruchika

You sent the following mail when you were preparing for your interview with Noida International University:

Dear Ma’am, This mail is just to express how grateful I am for having you as my mentor. I felt like expressing my feelings for you and so writing it down. I was preparing for an interview at one of the private universities tomorrow but couldn’t stop myself letting you know what I am feeling. There are days, when we feel lost and want someone to just listen us and say... “it’s okay.” You have been that one person in my life, ever since you came into it. As you guided me to be true, to what

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I know and just be confident and move ahead, I would never let myself get affected by so many noises around me to say what they want to listen. Thanks for being my inspiration. I might not get a certain job or a position being my true self, or not falling perfect on certain standards, but I will definitely do something much better in life, if only I be courageous enough to face my failures and lags, head on. Thanks a lot Ma’am... for always guiding me. Much regards, Ruchika

Another mail expressing your feelings is:

Dear Ma’am,

I have been thinking of writing to you since sometime now but as you know, I am not very good at multitasking. I wanted to thank you for bringing such motivation in life... motivation to be good, motivation to work hard and motivation to walk the toughest roads with dignity. Thank you Ma’am for your kind gesture for letting the world know that I have you as my mentor. Your call to the senior person at my new work place is something only few can even think of. How beautiful this world would be, if only we have few more people like you in it. I do remember your generosity when you had deposited money on your own for my re-examination and how upset you were because I could not clear it by just marginal marks as Ruveer was just few months old. Thanks Ma’am. Thanks for coming into my life.

Hope my journey into this academic research and personal life would always be guided under your blessings. Loads of love and good health to you

Regards, Ruchika

I am happy that you got selected as an Assistant Professor of History! You are busy adjusting to a new job which is challenging and Ruveer who is three years old. You have to manage the house as well. I did meet similar challenges when I was new to my job. You will be successful in meeting these as well. Thank you Ruchika for finding time to send long mails. These are overwhelming.