Happy Teacher’s Day: Himesh Reshammiya, Reem Shaikh, Javed Ali share memories of their gurus

It is said that everyone, in some respect, is a teacher, some just work harder to do it better. And we couldn’t agree more. A teacher doesn’t necessarily have to mean someone teaching in school or college, and a teacher can be that one person who taught you the meanings of life, or who pushed you and motivated you and encouraged you, to do better. So on the occasion of Teacher’s Day, celebrated on September 5, celebs talk about their teacher, mentor and guru.

Pratibha Ranta (Chahat in Qurbaan Hua)

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Teacher’s day has been one of the most exciting days for me back in school and college. Back in those days, I usually looked forward to celebrating this day mainly because of the performances I got to deliver on the stage. Besides that, I feel it has always been a really important and meaningful day to me. Our teachers have a huge contribution in making us the person we are today. We meet people who become our teachers, and it is mandatory for us to thank them and be grateful for their presence in life.

Karan Jotwani (Neel in Qurbaan Hua)

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Speaking of teachers, I’ll have to mention my mother, who is our first and most important teacher in life. By profession too, my mother was a teacher and I remember we used to rob her of all the chocolates that she used to get back home on Teacher’s Day. This is one of the fondest memories I have from that time. I’m also extremely grateful to all my teachers for teaching me and making me academically sound. So far in my acting career, the creative producer of my last show has been my mentor and guiding star in the industry. She’s a rock-solid support system and been a constant through all my happy and sad phases as well as during times when I faced failure. I would say she has literally moulded me into the actor I am today, and I feel truly blessed to have her as a guiding factor in the industry.

Himesh Reshammiya (Judge on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs)

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I stepped into the world of music with the help of my father, Vipin Reshammiya who is the first person to introduce electronic instruments in India and is a great musician as well. From learning to approach music as a singer and a composer to understanding the various technicalities of modern and Indian tunes, he has been the real Guru and teacher in my life. Right from an early age he always taught me that music means abiding by certain rules, which can be adapted to the modern times provided one understands and has complete knowledge about it. When I began composing at the age of 15 years, I never really understood the significance of his words but while composing different songs before entering into music direction, I began realizing why he was always very strict with me on this particular thought. In fact, when I did compose and sing the song, Aashiq Banaya Aapne, which also won me my first award, I would say that it was his words that made all the difference.

Javed Ali (Judge on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs)

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I’m a big fan and devotee of my Guruji Ustab Gulab Ali Khan Sahaab. I will never forget the day when I started my Taleem under him and was left awestruck, gazing at him in revere. Every little technique and skill that I know about music is what I have learnt from my Guruji. He taught me that every song has its own soul and one needs to figure the voice modulation techniques to bring about the essence of the song. I also vividly remember him scolding me every time I faltered during Riyaaz and my voice went out of line. He used to be extremely upset with me but his scolding became the sole reason behind my improvement. The biggest reward that I received as a student was my Guruji patting me on my back as a token of appreciation which thereafter gave me the courage and motivation to advance my career in music.

Adnan Khan (Kabir in Ishq Subhan Allah)

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I think for me, Om Prakash Sir has played a very important role as a teacher in my life. I say this with utmost gratitude and that is because I learnt from him that if I don’t put in my 100%, nobody can help me become better. He taught me the technique of method acting and took in only those who he believed were capable of putting in immense hard work. At that time, I certainly wasn’t the brightest, and though I kept making mistakes, I did put in a lot of effort and that helped me stand out. He has played a huge role in my life because he made me realise the magic of my art in just 15 classes and helped me fall in love with acting even more than before.

Urvashi Upadhyay (Beghum Noorjahan in Ishq Subhan Allah)

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Before stepping my foot into the television industry, I used to be a teacher, and it always felt nice to hold a place where kids show love and respect towards you. As a teacher, I used to dramatize my classes to a certain extent so that my students could have fun while learning and I would also get the chance to practice my art. Currently, I have two kids and with the pandemic, in place, I started teaching them social skills and some household extracurriculars like cooking and baking along with other activities. Being a teacher with a B.Ed degree, I also began homeschooling them and I hope as a mom and a teacher, I have managed to teach my kids the things they’d need in life.”

Abhishek Kapur (Sameer Luthra in Kundali Bhagya)

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Back in school, I was a naughty child who’d take up dares without realising the consequences of it on other people. I remember once, as a part of a dare I stuck a chewing gum on a classmate’s hair who later had to chop off that portion, and I now realise that it was quite a terrible thing to do. I was gravely punished for my actions and thereafter I learnt to never repeat such mistakes again. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from several teachers and the one thing that all my teachers taught me, be it my cricket coach from school or my mentor at the acting academy is that to stay humble and grounded, no matter how successful you become. One should always be willing to learn and never be a know-it-all. And that no matter how tough life gets, always strive to fight and emerge out victorious. These are some of the most valuable learnings I received from my teachers.

Shweta Mahadik (Durga Jindal in Guddan… Tumse Na Ho Payega)

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While on a normal day my son was very regular at school, post the pandemic crisis and the lockdown, I had to pull up my sleeves and double up as a mother and a teacher. Taking charge of your child’s studies is a huge responsibility as it is almost like going back to school and re-learning everything. While it indeed was tough and came with its own set of challenges, eventually I got a hang of it and got to spend some quality time with my son too. In fact, I thought of teaching him some skills beyond the school curriculum that would l help him adapt socially in life. We tried our hands at painting, dancing, writing and other little skills like table manners and even learning to respect people especially women. While I may have been a teacher to my son, during the lockdown, I was the one who learnt an immense lot from my son, on the contrary.

Savi Thakur (Agastya Birla in Guddan… Tumse Na Ho Payega)

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For me personally, my chemistry teacher played a crucial role in making me into what I am today. He has always motivated me in life and whenever I get to speak to him, he brings an abundance of positivity and gives me the strength to keep going forward. I remember at school, as kids, we used to dress up as the teachers and present a skit for them. I was quite enthusiastic about sports and hence would dress up as our sports teacher. While back as kids we mostly feared our teachers, much later we have come to realize the value of some of the most important lessons that they taught us in life. I wish everyone a very Happy Teacher’s Day.

Kanika Mann (Guddan Jindal in Guddan… Tumse Na Ho Payega)

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I feel every individual we meet has an impact on our lives and they teach us something or the other. While as a child my parents were extremely cautious of my academic performance, I was someone with zero patience and would often make silly mistakes. I remember one of my teachers Neetu Ma’am gently hit me for making a silly mistake, and that eventually helped me realise where I was going wrong and led to an improvement in my performance academically. However, I was quite a studious and nerdy person and hence always stayed in the good books of my teachers. Back then, I had a tendency of befriending all my teachers who worked well in my favour. I am really glad that I am still in touch with all my teachers from high school and university and for that extremely thankful to social media. I hope I am able to connect with my teachers on Teacher’s Day this year. I wish everyone a very Happy Teacher’s Day.

Manit Joura (Rishabh Luthra in Kundali Bhagya)

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Back in school days, I remember on this day we used to begin school by 8:05 am and would write ‘Happy Teacher’s Day’ on the board and decorate the words neatly before our teacher entered the room. After each teacher’s lecture, we would erase the name and write the next teacher’s name, only to make them feel really special. I believe that this day is dedicated to all those people who became teachers and inspired me in some way or the other. Any human being, animal or even a creature as small as an ant can really teach us a lot. I have a pet dog and a horse as well and the unconditional affection that they shower upon us honestly teaches me a lot about love. I would just like to urge everyone to be receptive and attentive to anything that could teach us and be a teacher. Happy Teacher’s Day to everyone.

Reem Shaikh (Kalyani in Tujhse Hai Raabta)

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For me personally, my parents have been my biggest teachers in life, and they are the first people I would like to thank and express my gratitude towards. While academic knowledge is of grave importance, knowledge about tackling life is crucial too and according to me, its only our parents who can teach the latter in the best way. My sincere urge to everyone is to wish their parents on this very special day because they’re the ones who taught us what life is about. Of course, our teachers have played an equally important role and I would like to reach out to all my teachers who’ve home-schooled me with such dedication and patience. In the end, I’d like to say life is the biggest teacher in the world so enjoy it as much as you can.

Sehban Azim (Malhar in Tujhse Hai Raabta)

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I have quite some fond memories associated with this day. Back in school, I was close to very few teachers and all of them have played a very crucial part in my life. I used to often be lost and it is during these times that my teachers have helped me find my way back. They are the ones who have shaped me into the person I am today. However, if there is any teacher who I really idolize, that would surely be my parents because I’ve learnt the most from them about life and being a responsible social being. On the occasion of Teacher’s Day, I would like to thank all my teachers and many such people who have impacted my life in a positive way.

Also Read: Happy Teacher’s Day: ‘Hichki’ to ‘Dangal’ to ‘Super 30’ – films to celebrate your favourite on-screen teachers