Dr. Mashelkar shares some of his childhood memories in this lesson. He fondly remembers his mother’s pivotal role and her determination in educating him, in spite of all the adversities and hardships she had to face. Dr. Mashelkar, in his own words…

‘Every time the topic of school and teachers comes up in a conversation, I reminisce about my school days in Mumbai and my beloved teachers. I am greatly indebted to Union High School in Girgaon and my teachers, Bhave sir. Joshi sir and Shirke sir, who nourished my tender mind affectionately, But, before that, I must mention my dear mother and maternal uncle, whose debt cannot be expressed in words, as due to them I got acquainted with that school and those teachers. The mother is the first teacher for every child. And my mother was not only my teacher, but she was everything to me.

Our native village and my birthplace are Mashel in south Goa. I still have faint memories of playing on the ground and leisurely chitchatting under the peepal tree in my village. But after my father passed away when I was six years old, we had to leave Mashel in search of a livelihood. I came to Mumbai with my mother. Our financial condition had reached the lowest level of poverty. My mother was little-educated, and I was craving education, but arranging for the school fees was a far-fetched dream for me.

However, my mother did not lose courage. She did not break down. She was ready to do any kind of hard work. Meanwhile, my maternal uncle also came for my help, and he got me admission to the Khetwadi municipal school. Like me, even my school faced poverty, but my teachers were very wealthy at heart.

After completing primary education, the next hurdle was to pay the fees for high school, which were 21 rupees at the time. My mother took up extra jobs in neighboring houses and started saving money. Coincidentally, one noble lady extended a helping hand, and finally I got admission to Union High School. Despite the hurdles of insufficient space and adverse atmosphere, I pursued my studies sincerely and got good success in exams.

In this school, not only the foundation of my education but the foundation of my life got strengthened by virtue of my teachers dedication, their teaching, and above all, their selfless approach. These values instilled in me an intense urge for education.

Our high school conducts tests every Saturday. Since our school was also underprivileged, we had to carry our answer papers from home. Each piece of paper cost just 3 paise, but even that small amount used to bring a tear to my mother’s eyes. Whenever I think about it today, I get goose bumps. She toiled for me very hard. One day, she learned about a new job near Congress. She went there and stood in the queue for a long time. But alas, she was told that the work would be given to those who had at least passed the third standard! She returned in despair and made a resolution to educate her son because, without education, there is no recognition in this world. And she turned her dream into reality. I have no words to describe the pain she took to provide me with facilities as basic as writing paper and a pencil.

In this very high school, I met Bhave Sir, who taught us physics. He not only developed in us an interest in science, but he also taught us a great philosophy of life.

One day, while experimenting, he demonstrated that paper can be burned by passing concentrated solar energy through a lens. Bhave sir said to me, “Mashelkar, if you concentrate all your energy at one point, you can burn anything!” There, I learned the science as well as a valuable life lesson: the mantra of concentration. He can never be forgotten!

Like him. I met many teachers during my school and college days, like Joshi Sir, Shirke Sir, and Malegaonwala Str. All of them guided me and nurtured me with their caressing attitudes. My school and my teachers have bestowed upon me immense confidence and strength to face any challenges and lead a life with conscience.

Today, when I look back in retrospect, I recollect each moment of my mother’s struggle with poverty. My teachers and my school manifest before me, and I start reliving my school days in my mind once more!