Bengaluru: As Teachers’ Day 2025 is celebrated across the country, prominent Bengalureans from varied walks of life shared nostalgic memories of teachers who left lasting impressions on their lives. Their stories reflect how humour, wisdom and creativity in classrooms shaped not just academics, but also inspired careers and personal philosophies.
‘This fellow called Akbar…’
Sonu Venugopal, stand-up comedian, remembered his social science teacher Srinivasa Rao at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Mysuru. Rao would often begin lessons with the phrase, “This fellow called Akbar…” as if the Mughal emperor were his friend. “His logic was that history is about cooking up stories,” she said. Students even wrote exam answers that way. Rao also introduced her to Tenali Rama’s tales, sparking her love for comedy. Once, in a civics class, he said, “Politics is a dirty game.” Venugopal repeated the line at an elocution contest and won. “When I told him, he smiled and asked me to share the prize,” she recalled.
‘Failure can fuel success’
Captain G R Gopinath (retd), founder of Air Deccan, recalled his Class 8 Kannada teacher Venkata Subbaiah in Hassan. While teaching a story by Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar, Subbaiah narrated how the author once failed the SSLC exam even as his own short stories featured in the question paper. “Sir told us that failure is not the end — it can push you towards greater success. Life is more than just degrees,” Gopinath remembered.
‘Funny side of everything’
Veena maestro Jayanthi Kumaresh paid tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain, her guru and collaborator. “He always saw the funny side of everything. If musicians were tuning instruments before a concert, he would quip, ‘That was an introductory Chinese melody.’ After Kala Ramnathji and I finished an ‘alap’ duet, he told the audience, ‘Finally the ladies remembered I was sitting here,’” she recalled, highlighting his ability to make audiences laugh.
‘Double distilled duffer’
Filmmaker K M Chaitanya remembered his mathematics teacher S T Ramaswamy, fondly called STR, at Aurobindo Memorial School. “‘Double distilled duffer’ was his trademark phrase. It became a beloved catchphrase for nearly 15 batches. He had no favourites — everyone was equally at the receiving end of his wit. But we adored him, and even the math-averse students fell in love with the subject because of his unique style,” Chaitanya said.
Lost in translation
Rapper Gubbi recounted amusing moments with his engineering teacher Nataraj at Oxford College. “His English wasn’t the best, but his intentions were sweet. Once, after being scolded by the principal, he stormed into class and declared: ‘Be good… make good citizens.’ Another time he said, ‘Hey, you get up!’ and when a student asked, ‘Me, sir?’, he replied, ‘No, next to me!’, leaving everyone in splits,” Gubbi laughed.
‘Bondas and vadas’
Actor Keerthi Bhanu recalled his MES High School teacher B V Narsaiah, who is no longer alive. “He taught algebra using examples like ‘two bondas and two vadas’. It made us laugh, but we remembered those examples during exams and got the answers right,” he said.
Conclusion
For these Bengalureans, Teachers’ Day is not just a date on the calendar, but a chance to celebrate mentors whose humour, resilience and creativity continue to shape their journeys. The memories serve as a reminder that a teacher’s influence often extends far beyond classrooms, leaving imprints on careers, values and life itself.