Malathi Das |
Her story can vie with any drama about the struggle of an individual to overcome the vagaries of fate. She is no fictional heroine but a real person, who faced real problems.
Meet Malathi Das, principal, Ajman Indian School, recipient of this year's CBSE's 'Teacher of the Year' award.
Twenty-one years ago, an untimely heart attack took away her young husband, leaving her to bring up three young children by herself.
"I was then working as the principal of Sharjah Indian High School. The loss was so unexpected – he was just 38 – but I had little time to grieve, for I had to be both mother and father to my children, the youngest barely five years old.
"I knew I had a long way to go, ensuring that my two sons and daughter were educated and brought up properly. I had to be there for them, not just to provide life's basic needs, but also for guidance or moral support, whenever they needed it."
Being a simple-hearted person not conversant with the cunning ways of the world, she was duped on occasions, losing her hard-earned gratuity in the process. But Malathi Das is not bitter about it and says gratefully, "Just as there are unscrupulous people in this world, so are good samaritans. Many people helped me through this crisis."
Sharjah Indian Association officials were very supportive and she, too, proved her worth by helping in the school's phenomenal growth. The school had 300 students when she started working; by the time she left, the number was 1800.
Her credentials as a teacher are impressive. She studied in Nagpur, a city in central India, getting a double M.A. in English and Sociology. She then acquired a 'Diploma in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language' from Nagpur University and went on to qualify as a resource person to train higher secondary school teachers in the structural approach. This was followed by a degree in education.
She did a stint at Radiant School before moving on to establish Ajman Indian School with a few friends. "There was a critical need for an Indian syllabus school in Ajman and we decided to fill the gap," said Malathi Das, of this venture. They began classes in 1988 with 60 children, and today the school has 800 students studying from Kindergarten to class 12.
"When I see my students succeeding in various walks of life around the world, I can say I have succeeded in the cause of education.
"The responsibility of moulding the minds of growing children is immense but so is the satisfaction. I have dedicated my life to education and feel I have achieved my goals, having played a part in making a difference in the lives of my students," she says simply.
She enjoys a good rapport with the teaching staff and parents. After what she has suffered, she is sympathetic to the misfortunes of other people and helps women in distress through social organisations and the Indian Consulate. "You come alone in this world and you go back alone, doing what you have to do, your karma," she believes.
"I have known Malathi Das for 24 years and she is like a sister to me," says Shobha Mohan, vice-principal of Ajman Indian School. "I know her to be a caring and brave person who has proved her mettle in not being bowed down by life's burdens," she adds.
Malathi Das is a happy person today – her children are settled. The eldest is now married, working in a responsible position in the UAE, the daughter has graduated and works as an administrator in the school and the youngest son is doing his Masters in the U.S.
Her school is prospering. She has displayed leadership qualities in various posts she held in the CBSE's hierarchy.
She has won recognition from her peers, love and respect from her students and admiration from colleagues. What more could anyone ask for?
