Lectures, punishments and life gyaan: Celebrities remember their favourite teachers

Classroom lessons might easily fade from one’s memory, but punishments and life lessons taught by teachers in school and college remain ingrained forever. On Teacher’s Day today, celebs and their former teachers get nostalgic as they reminisce about the good old days.
Anita Balani, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Hansraj College: I still remember Shah Rukh coming late for class
Shah Rukh Khan is probably the biggest star Delhi has exported to Mumbai.After studying in St. Columba’s School, SRK was in Hansraj College. Anita Balani, Associate Professor from the Department of Economics, Hansraj College, told us in 2017, “Shah Rukh Khan was a student of Economics Hons from 1986-1989. I taught him Statistics. I still remember him coming late for class with his hockey stick and a backpack. But he was a very intelligent student and he topped in HRC. After graduating, he got Fauji, and then achieved such great heights; we are so proud of him.”

Farhat Basir Khan, faculty member at AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia: Shah Rukh Khan was good at everything
After HRC, the actor joined Jamia Millia Islamia for a Masters in Mass Communication. However, as per the college, since his attendance was low, he was not allowed to sit for his exams and he left the course midway. Farhat Basir Khan, faculty member at AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, who taught SRK’s Photography class in his first year, says, “I still remember his interview when we were inducting students and he was very good at everything. We were very happy with his answers. I have fond memories of him. He made sure that he attended classes whenever it was possible. At that time, he was doing Fauji but he was always very interested to learn. Once, when I took his class out for an exercise, SRK went missing during the call time. When we went looking for him, we found that he was waiting for the sun to be in the right position to take a picture, and that’s why he forgot everything. That was the kind of dedication he had.”
Mohit Malik: Air Force Bal Bharati School

Mohit Malik: Sunita ma’am taught me how to accept failures
A self-confessed “bigda hua bachcha”, Mohit Malik studied at Air Force Bal Bharati School. He thanks his Class XI class teacher, Sunita Gupta, who now is
the school’s principal, for teaching how to deal with failures. “I remember that in Class XI, my friends and I once saw a window of the staff room open. We were afraid that we would fail in our unit test, so we thought why not tear all the answer sheets. So we entered the staff room through that window and tore everybody’s answer sheets. We were caught later and suspended for a few days. But when we returned Sunita ma’am was still very kind. She told me to remember that it is always better to accept failures and work on them,” he says.

Sunita Gupta:Mohit was mischievous
Sunita Gupta clearly remembers the incident where a group of
students from her class tore all the answer sheets kept in the staff room. She was later told by a teacher that one of those students is now a popular TV actor. “I don’t watch TV, so I didn’t know, but I definitely remember the incident. I had punished Mohit then as it was important to make them realise that it is not okay to ruin other students’ work also. He was a mischievous child, but he realised his mistake and came to speak to me personally after that. And even after becoming an actor,
he has come to school and met me,” she says.
Rahul Dev: St. Columba’s School

Rahul Dev: Learnt the value of fitness and sports from Joginder sir
While he was studying at St Columba’s School, Rahul Dev had many teachers who helped him learn to maintain a balance between sports and academics and shared some essential life lessons with him. “There was not just one, but many teachers who I liked. Among them were my class teacher in Class XI and XII, Joginder Singh, who was also my sports coach. I used to play cricket in school and he was the one who taught me how sports are important to learn discipline,” says Rahul.

Joginder Singh: Rahul was a star cricketer in school
Joginder Singh, who once was Rahul’s class teacher, fondly remembers that the “two brothers (Rahul and Mukul Dev) were completely opposite to each other.” He says, “While Rahul was patient and calm, Mukul was mischievous. One good thing about Rahul was that he was always smiling and even if he was ever punished, he was one of those rare students who understood that it was for his good. The other thing I really liked about him was that he understood the value of fitness and sports. He was a star cricketer in school.”
Himansh Kohli: KR Mangalam World School

Himansh Kohli: Meenu ma’am came to pick me up from Ansal Plaza, where I was bunking school
Himansh Kohli was also a naughty student. He loved bunking classes and was also suspended several times from the school. “But my principal Meenu Goswami would teach me separately in her cabin. Whatever discipline I follow in my life is because of her,” says the actor, adding, “Once she got to know that I was at Ansal Plaza bunking school so she came to pick me up in her car.”
Meenu Goswami:Himansh was naughty, but not disrespectful
Himansh’s school principal Meenu Goswami tells us, “Himansh wanted to explore and experiment a lot of things like a normal teenager. Like hanging out with his friends or bunking school, but as a teacher, it is my responsibility to tell him why he shouldn’t be doing such things. He was a lovable and respectful child. He never questioned the authority, he was naughty but not disrespectful.”
Rakul Preet Singh: Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan

Rakul Preet Singh: Mrs Mookerji and Mrs Vishavanathan changed my life
Rakul Preet Singh says she was extremely fond of her two teachers – her Economics teacher Rita Mookerji at Army Public School, and her tuition teacher Sundari Viswanathan. “When you are a kid, you think that the teacher is going to bore you with a lot of life gyaan but as I came to college, I realised that everything that Mrs Mookerji said made so much sense. I have been in touch with her even now,” says Rakul, adding, “Mrs Vishavanathan taught me Maths and I was terrible at it. She made me fall in love with the subject so much so that I ended up graduating in Maths. Both these teachers changed my life.”
Rita Mookerji: Rakul Preet was an all-rounder
For Rita Mookerji, Rakul was a bright student and an all-rounder. “She would miss school for her golf classes and I was quite strict. When I would scold her for missing classes, she would never lose her temper. Even today after becoming a big celebrity, she is grounded and that has left an indelible mark on my mind,” says Mookerji.
Sundari Viswanathan:Rakul Preet was a bright and happy student
Rakul’s tuition teacher, Sundari Viswanathan always thought she was a bright child. “She would never miss out on any class. She was a happy child, very hardworking and I was always confident that she will be successful in anything that she will pursue,” she says.
Gautam Rode: Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan

Gautam Rode: Only Seema ma’am would let me attend her class
There was only one teacher in Gautam Rode’s school who would let him willingly sit in her class and that was Seema Peter, his Business Studies teacher. “I was a notorious student so all my teachers would ask me to stand outside the class, but Seema ma’am was very nice to me. She would ask me to control my temper and had a different approach about handling kids,” says Gautam.
Seema Peter:Gautam was a bright, but restless student. I am proud of him
Gautam’s fave teacher Seema Peter remembers him as a “potentially bright, naughty and restless student”. “My message for Gautam is that may you achieve more success in the field that you have chosen. Come and visit your school that has shaped your life in a positive manner and made what you are. I’m proud of him,” she says.
Nimrat Kaur: Sri Ram College of Commerce

Nimrat Kaur: I used to bunk my classes to attend Eco lecture by Amit sir
Nimrat Kaur studied BCom (Hons) from Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) and one teacher she fondly remembers from her college is Economics Professor Amit Sachdeva. “He was spectacular, accessible and friendly. He was one of most popular professors from SRCC and students from other classes would also attend his lectures. It used to be a packed hall when he used to take lectures. Students used to even sit on floors. I think the reason for his popularity was that he was one cool professor students could relate to. His method of teaching was a lot simpler and interesting,” says Nimrat.
Amit Sachdeva:Nimrat has made the entire country proud
While Nimrat thinks that her cool professor might not have noticed her among scores of students who would attend his class, Amit Sachdeva says he remembers that “Nimrat was one of the students from other sections who would attend his classes regularly.” He says, “I remember her every time I teach the Mumbai dabbawallahs case study in class. I am reminded of her movie The Lunchbox. She has made the entire country proud. We would love to have her as a visitor in our college.”