Inspiring Souls

K.N.Vasudevan-A Remembrance

K.N.Vasudevan(1935-2021)

Born at Kodungallur(Kerala), made the erstwhile Bihar as his Karm-bhumi. Joined Netarhat Residential School as Teacher in 1960 and retired as Principal in 1995. Later joined as Founder Principal of Vidya Vihar School, Purnea. Outstanding teacher, mentor par excellence, administrator of exceptional ability but above all a human being with superlative qualities of head and heart. Recognized, awarded and decorated by Governments of India and Bihar, and a host of distinguished organizations and institutions. Was conferred prestigious President’s Medal in 1993.
This tribute has been written by a student who was there between 1964 and 1970 and mostly saw him as a young, energetic, inspiring and idealistic teacher.

The last time I met Shriman ji ( at Netarhat School students address their teachers as Shriman ji and the wives of their teachers as Mata ji) was in the summer of 1970- in the months intervening May and July of the year. Then, we were first engaged in the most crucial examination that would define our future academic and professional careers and following those tense, intense days, there was a brief interlude of that relaxed and carefree phase that can only be experienced after one has been through a mind- sapping, nerve-wrecking, grueling and crushing month of XII Board examinations. Those few days were unadulterated, unalloyed relief, joy and bliss. These were the days when we were finally preparing ourselves mentally to step out in the real world from the protective, caring and nourishing comfort of the school life. The butter flies were ready to break through the cocoon and fly into the real harsh world. There was hope and excitement, there were apprehensions, there were expectations, there were dreams and fantasies, and yet a sense of sadness for bidding adieu for ever to a place and people that had been our home for six long years and whose memories shall indelibly imprint ever pursuit of our future years. This was the time when we were meeting our teachers and their families, seeking their blessings and guidance and in our own ways conveying our gratitude and indebtedness to them for giving us so much, for molding our value system, for shaping our character and for the determination, courage and fortitude to face and possibly change the world in our own ways.

Today, after over more than half a century, any recollection is likely to be blurred, memories dulled, even distorted. Like a sepia photograph, they evoke emotions, arouse nostalgia, conjure up a mellifluous mélange of memorable moments. But some images remain as sharp and bright as the pink-orange glow of a May dawn, beginning to warm us up and yet cool and soothing. And many of these images relate to Shriman ji. 

That he was an extra-ordinary teacher, a mentor par excellence and an ideal role model for young receptive minds to learn the dignity of labor and service to others and yet temper it with modesty and phlegmatic restraint of emotion and passion, is something that all of us will proudly and unanimously share. But what distinguished him from everyone else was his exceptional commitment and transparent sincerity and honesty in all that he professed and taught. A better example of teaching by example will be difficult to recall and recount.

A range of images float before my eyes as I think of him. He was our Biology teacher and as I was a student of biology, I had the privilege and good fortune of being taught by him, mostly zoology. As he will stand next to the black board and effortlessly draw complicated and complex diagrams of animal anatomy, one would marvel at this feat and often wonder how one could or ever will even partly learn this necessary skill. One would watch with a gaping mouth and drooping jaw as his deft hands will dissect the chloroform induced unconscious corps of frogs or cockroaches, continuously reassuring us that the animal was not feeling any pain or misery. The various organs of the animal body and the anatomical details of the digestive, circulatory, excretory and nervous systems will register in our curious minds and memories, images and learnings with uncommon clarity and lucidity. Such teachers are rare and for this alone he deserves to be revered and remembered by each one of his students eternally.

His youthfulness and his energies were boundless, limitless and his enthusiasm never seemed to wane or flag. He was young then no doubt but even accounting for his youth, his body language and the pace with which he worked was amazing and bewildering.

Among the many images that never cease to pale or fade is his expertise and deftness in catching snakes of all shapes, sizes and ferocity. And it was not once in a while event. It would be very often that we will surround him in a field or a playground where he, with the help of a mere stick and a handkerchief in hand will tame many a menacing, enraged and spiteful species of deadly snakes, hold their necks between his forefinger and thumb and transport them in a glass jar to be an object of curious and engaging display in our biology laboratory.

Another enduring and lasting image of Shriman ji relates to his activities and his turn- out as the officer-in-charge of Naval wing of school NCC. The sparkling bright white uniform that he will don accentuating the lean and athletic frame of his young and beautiful body will even then make us envious and covet such handsomeness, agility and energy. I was myself in the Air Wing of the NCC but to confess candidly, found our own sky blue uniform far less attractive and no match to the smart white brightness of my compatriots in the rival Navy wing. If one were to establish the primacy of appearance as the prime mover of influence and emulation for young minds, there could be no better illustration than Shriman ji’s sense and attention to his dress and appearance.   

He was also the House master of my Asram-‘Shanti Ashram’ for a year when Mangaldeo ji was away to USA on a teacher exchange programme. A whole new range of activities typifying and indelibly stamped by his own youthful exuberance and energy were introduced during this period and which, continued to sustain and get integrated in our future way of hostel life. 

I don’t recall or remember an occasion of meeting him again after those happy days of 1970. In 1992-93 when I was Secretary, NCERT I faintly recall a brief telephonic conversation with him when he was Principal of the School. As one got caught up in life’s experimentations as the years went by in the mundane and worldly matters, there was little occasion to seriously follow the affairs of those who were once so close. That a batch mate Ramesh Mishra has set up a residential School in the mold of Netarhat and that Shrimanji was requested to be its founder Principal were developments that interested and excited me but never unusually engaged my attention or time. The bold initiative of Ramesh taken then has today caught everyone’s attention and admiration and I have no doubt in my mind that the success of this laudable endeavor is as much due to Shriman ji’s inspiring and exceptional guidance and leadership as it is due to the visionary and creative foresight and commitment of Ramesh.  

 Alas! the pain and loss and the realization that it will now be impossible to see him in person is both deeply disturbing and devastating. But at this age when most of us are inexorably and inevitably moving towards the final denouement of our lives, one ought to understand that we all are here to perform tasks ordained for us, to play a part scripted for us and the best tribute to a mentor like Shriman ji is to enact our part with as best an effort and honesty as one can muster. Shriman ji’s life is an outstanding illustration and example of a worthy life, well lived and well spent, contributing so exceptionally to molding, shaping, mentoring young bright minds and imbue them with a purpose so rare and uncommon to be blessed with in an ordinary life time.

Tribute written by Uday Verma Jee, (Rtd. I.A.S.)