Vanessen Tirvassen
24 July 2007
Port Louis — "There are four teachers who really impressed me when I was student and they remain unforgettable in my mind. Two were from my secondary school days at Queen Elizabeth College and two when I was at Simon Fraser University and London Business School.
Mrs. Maya Balgobin was my French teacher before becoming my headmistress. She was a person who embodied discipline but also humility and simplicity and she commanded respect. But the biggest influence she had on me, apart from the discipline issue, was the fact that she gave me the pleasure of reading. Later, when she was headmistress, she became a symbolic figure and had a most positive impact on the school.
I remember how my classmates and I did not want to wear the belt, which was part of our uniform, as it was supposedly unfashionable. However, anyone who flouted discipline by not wearing the full uniform was simply sent back home. To be honest, I have been through this! Mrs. Balgobin incarnated the notion: 'You have to be self-disciplined to succeed in life!'
Another teacher whom I really appreciated was Mrs. Sassita Goordyal who gave GP tuition classes. When I talk about her, what first comes to my mind is the controversial and heated debates we had in her class! Incidentally, whatever the topic of discussion, it always ended up with politics! It was the only tuition class I really looked forward to every week. The debates were captivating, enriching and so lively!
Another teacher is Professor Sumantra Ghoshal from London Business School. He taught strategy and was one of the renowned gurus in his field. He was truly unique! One could not miss the electric crackling in the class as Prof Ghoshal challenged our a priori perceptions with a slight touch of dry humour. I think there are very few teachers who can hold a whole class of adults in fascination as he did.
Of course, there are also unpleasant experiences. For example, I remember how eager I was to take Indian classical dance when I was at secondary school. But the teacher was so unpleasant that many of my classmates and I felt disgusted and abandoned the class.
However, the teacher whom I think marked me most is Professor Susan Wendell from Simon Fraser University, in Canada. She was my lecturer in Greek Philosophy and Women's Studies. Since my undergraduate training was in actuarial mathematics and statistics, the philosophy course was a fascinating discovery. I remember the first time I was in her class and she was teaching Greek philosophy. I was awe-struck by her encyclopedic knowledge, her demeanour and her keen interest in our questions. She was an unassuming intellectual, she epitomized well-rounded intelligence with deep humanist values and I found all this highly inspirational. Professor Wendell gave me a lot of support and encouragement during my dissertation to satisfy my thirst for knowledge.
If I had to choose a word to describe her, I would say: 'solid'. 'Solid' in the sense that she was sure-footed without being arrogant. 'Solid' also for her principled view of life and human actions. She exuded dignity and integrity and you could sense she was definitely the kind of person who would never compromise on those values. She did not only teach the content of books, but she was also a teacher by her very being. She was the role model par excellence. When I recall that time, I realise how incredibly privileged I have been to come across such a teacher as Professor Wendell!"
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