In one of the famous slokas of Bhavabhuti’s Uttara Rama Charita, there is the line Vajradapi Kathorani, Mriduni Kusumadapi . It means that his mind was as soft as a flower, though he was as hard as a diamond. Today is the Asadha full moon and this day is celebrated as Vyasa Purnima or Guru Purnima. On this auspicious day let’s know about Raghavendra Rao (NPR) a teacher who can be correlated to the above verse. Today, we get to know the person, personality and his achievements.

Ask any students who studied at BEL educational institution from 1970-90s if they know NPR Sir? The name, leaves them in a huff. The main reason for that was he thought Mathematics to most of the students and his anger like e Durvasa Muni added to the fear. He used to come to class with a ruler/stick. Mr. Raghavendra Rao, who was very simple and good looking, who always came to school with tuck-in his shirt and glasses that were bigger than his face. The sums thought each day were to be redone as homework. He had appointed a leader for each bench to observe it and ensured he was updated about each student. This was clear to all, those who did not do their homework were punished with the same ruler/stick. Hence none missed mathematics homework come what may.

To be honest, only in the classroom, he uses be like Durvasa Munis. Outside the classroom he was a very jovial person, unfortunately none would talk to him out of fear. Another good quality of our Raghavendra Rao is it senior or junior to him, he never used to address any person in singular. It is truly unique and exemplary to call those who are older than him as  Sahebre, and othe younger ones as Sir.

No matter how angry he was in the class, his quality of encouraging students by spotting talent was admirable. He used to give everyone a chance by asking them to solve the problem as soon as possible, and if it was correct, he would ask him to solve the same problem on the board. when in a cheerful mood he addressed students by names like patinga, pandita, buddivanta etc. according to their quality.

More than all these, his greatest quality was that in our school, Kannada and English medium were together, and because the children of Kannada medium were a little less smart compared to the English medium children, most of the teachers were reluctant to teach lessons in Kannada medium, our Rao chose Kannada medium every year. He always said teaching 85–90-mark holder to score 100 marks is not a great deed.  It was great to teach the student who failed in mathematics to score at least 35+ marks, is a greater achievement.

Thus, Rao who used to teach mathematics in high school till 80s, then started teaching sociology in college, then retired as principal of high school and college. Now he chose a path in conducting talks on personality development along with Sarvajna, Basavana’s vachanas, DVG’s Mankuthimmana Kagga lecture.  the past life story of Sir, is really amazing for today’s youth. It’s like being motivated.

Our Raghavendra Rao’s are originally from Devanahalli. Raghavendra Rao was born on 20.05.1940 as the son of government hospital compounder Sri N Pranesh Rao and Smt. Sarojamma. His grandfather Sri Srinivasa Rao was also very famous in those days, as he was in a government job, he used to take his family wherever he was transferred. While Rao’s childhood and secondary education took place in ten different places, starting from Devanahalli, when he moved to his father’s place in a town called Kottethi, which was 5-6 km from Mandya, every day he came to Mandya on a old bicycle and completed his intermediate. By the time he completed his B.Sc. in Bangalore, his father, who was on the verge of retirement, was transferred to Dommasandra in Anekal taluk.

As soon as Rao’s B.Sc. was over, his father told him that there was a vacancy for a teacher in a private school and he should join there. Rao initially did not agree to become a teacher, at the same time did not have the courage to tell his Bhavaji (as he addressed his father). He conveyed it  through his mother.  His father became angry and told, Rao that, for “your BSc, you will not get any better post than a teacher”.” Do you realize that it is very difficult to run a family with my Rs. 20 pensions”.  Just like Sri Rama Chandra, as an obedient son Rao agreed for the teaching profession.

The luck favored him, the headmaster of the Atthibele private school was from Devanahalli and because he knew Rao’s grandfather well and based on this PCM in BSc, our Rao became a mathematics master in 1961 with a salary of Rs 85/-. by He also got to teach 8th class arithmetic on the very first day. After serving there for couple of years, he joined another school nearby Sarjapur for a salary of 100 rupees per month, to his family’s delight. As if his father had said and celebrated in the whole village that our son’s salary is Rs 100/-.

While staying in that school for about 6 years, he completed his B.Ed  from R.V. Teachers College. even though it is a Kannada and English medium school, mostly Telugu language was dominant there, Rao who started teaching in little Telugu in the beginning so that the children could understand easily, learned Telugu to a fair extent in later days. His famous Telugu quote was Buddunte boo tintadu, Lekampothe pee tindadu. The person who is intelligent will eat food and else eat’s rot.

After working in ITI Vidyamandir for 2 years, through employment exchange, he taught for a few months in government schools in Doddaballapur and Ramanagara, which he did not like, and finally on 3rd August 1969, he joined BEL High School as a teacher. Those days people in top government jobs were getting Rs 130-230/- salary, but in BEL high school they were getting Rs 150-300/- even. He even got an interview from Nigeria within 4 days of joining the job, but he didn’t go for it and continued working here.

Mr. P R Keshava Murthy, who was then the headmaster of BEL High School. recognizes Rao’s agility, efficiency, and obedience and plays a very important role in his overall development. Being a teacher at a young age is not enough. He advises Rao to pursue a master’s degree as he wishes to rise to a higher position. Heeding the advice of his elders, Rao not only completed his MEd., but also completed his M.A. Political Sc, Anthropology after Sociology through Dharwad University during the summer vacation.  He did take-up MA Economics but due do some reasons he couldn’t complete it. It is a matter of pride to have four masters’ degrees. We are proud of such learned teacher we were blessed to be thought.

On that day P.R.K. word had actually become true. In 1981 when BEL College started, he was teaching Mathematics in High School while he thought Social Science in College. Finally in 1986 he became a permanent College Professor and retired as Principal in 1998 after serving BEL for almost 29 years.

Amidst all this, in 1979 he married Ms. Naagaratna, a distant relative, who is from Mysore. She is a degree holder of BSc in Mathematics. Lives a peaceful life. His beautiful family consist of eldest daughter Brinda staying at Udupi and younger Soumya, who is a dentist in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, sons-in-law and cute grandchildren.

After Rao’s retirement, in order to make use of his long experience, many private educational institutes offered him jobs in their institutes, but he didn’t take it up as he irked with teachers without proper skills of teaching/qualifications.  Teachers who weren’t passionate but were teaching only for their convenience. He is now leading a peaceful life with his wife. Although his strive towards betterment of society is constantly seen expressed through some newspapers and voice-overs.

One Such good example of how unexpected events in life can change life, one day when going to Gokula, a slip of paper with a verse that says, ” Your body should be carried by you,” showed it to C. M. K., who was a Kannada teacher.  He said it a famous poem of DVG’s Mankutimmana Kagga. Rao’s got curious about it and went to Vedanta Book House in Chamarajpet and grabbed Mankuthimmana Kaga book and became scholar on it.  whenever he gets a chance, he has been conducting lectures on personality development along with Basavana’s vachanas and DVG’s Mankuthimmana Kagga Nyasa. Once Rao was introduced to Kagga, his daily lessons in college either started with Kagga or ended with Kagga.

With all these qualifications, this great teacher didn’t do private home tuition throughout his life. The answer he gave when he was inquired about it was a slap in the face of today’s teachers. I don’t feel like I have achieved much. Because, surely there are those who have achieved more than me right in front of our eyes. Also, why should I ask for a higher salary when the government is paying me so much to teach me? So, he says that he has taken a decision to never do the home tuitions anywhere. In the same way, today’s people, even if they have 100 rupees, it is shown as 500 rupees, but actually even if I have 100 rupees, I should be obedient as if I have 5 rupees.

Like a father, Guru Raghavendra of Mantralaya has great compassion for him, and watching the movie Raghavendra Mahime at a young age. no matter who helps his son in any way, he must return it in some way. If they give 10 rupees, we should pay 2 rupees if possible isn’t it.  if it is not possible to call home and, if they call home and do get a glass of milk, then we have to pay off their debt by at least a glass of water. right.

Every year, on the occasion of Teacher’s Day,  the student honour him He ensures to return back to the same to his students by offering them a lunch party.

On this Guru Puja Day, it is our wish from all of us to pay our respects to such a senior teacher, Shri Raghavendra Rao.  Let’s pray the god to give good health & wealth such a humble & heartless selfless teacher.

Yours Umasuta

Special Thanks to Arathi of 1989 batch for this beautiful translation.