The number of my students varies, depending on the assessor. Why is this important?

"sabaar ami chhatra..
.. Aakash amai siksha dilo udaar
hatey bhairey.." [Beng. poem]
" I am a student of everybody,.. the sky taught me to be open-hearted and generous"

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Am I still a student? Who is my teacher/professor? Why is this question important to explain the financial failure in my life?

We all say one time or the other, we are still a student. And conversely who is my student?

If you ask some of the students I know (meaning individuals registered under recognised regular academic programmes), they might say that I am their teacher. Later the same students would claim that "we need no more education; everybody is equal before the law, days of hierarchial bureacracy are over; and they don't need another goofy oldie teacher!" That's the perspective of the students.

What is my position? I have three types of students: (1)who have attended my lectures/tuition, for free or after payment of fees, in any of the regular educational instituitions, (2)those who have worked on projects for me, that may last days to years, (3) those who read through my net, and those, whose behavoural pattern (personal, time and financial management), are my '-alikes'. The second and third categories are 'adults'--- they are similar to my 'dates' in the western terminology. Some leftists would estimate a total of 10,000 students under me, since 1973, at all levels --- preparatory pre-school to Ph.D./professional degree! I may not disagree if all three categories of students are taken into considerations.
How about people in power? the judges, the police, the directors, deans, the principals and the HOD's?
Most of them would reply that I wasted my youth in useful polemic and non-academic activities. Many of them would assign a 'pure zero' in my name. Prof. Amitabha Ghosh assessed me as persona non-grata with no students in my name from 1973-1999! He preferred to assign my students under other professors of his choice. If you ask the principals and HOD's in Bangalore, they would perhaps reply that my academic work is insignificant, that my presence was never required in Bangalore, and that I could have gone back to Kolkata (preferably to the Bay of Bengal in Mr. Gani Khan wished). Teaching records from the UIC are minimal; the UIC Dean/President may not even waste the postage sending me a letter of regret!

What difference does it make? With 10,000 students i could have become professor (principal) since the year 2000. With zero students in my name, I can only be part-time guest lecturer in the bad colleges. With no students, I can only become Sientist B or Scientific Officer; whereas my classmate can become Scientist F (Deputy Director level). The differences in my life, caused due to differences in opinions assessing my past experiences, is quite clear. What difference would it make to the life of my students? I prefer that they find their own answer.

More importantly, why such differences in opinion? There are two lines of arguments. One is the definition and priorities of personal good or 'partisan social good', by the poeple in power. Secondly, and more fundamentally, differences in opinions on 'normals' and 'morals' in an existing society with the accepted religio-legal, economic and administrative system. Such considerations may treat a person like me as ' non-hindu non-Indian'. I shall let the judges, police, and the other academicians ponder over the questions.

Why post this note? No power is absolute, and I sincerely believe in fair evaluation and fair justice? Do we need a change? Judges might differ on this issue. If Suttur were to ask me
why do we need industrialization in India, my answer may not be acceptable to this old village!

Please stay connected.

Subrata (B.) Ganguli
Mysore.


Note: may be edited/continued.