Circa June 2011, I sit quietly, contemplating in an otherwise buzzing classroom. Filled with dreams and brimming with enthusiasm but yet feeling lost. But that was only until Prof. Gauri Pai stepped into the classroom. For me, her commencing lecture was just like the first shower which soothes the parched earth. Just as I was doing my best to blend with the new environment, Prof.Gauri’s presence was heartwarming and miraculous. After a stint with Science in my junior College years, I opted for Bachelors in Management Studies (BMS) to give wings to my entrepreneurial dreams. And Prof.Gauri Pai, my teacher for Business Law & Industrial law for Semester 1 & Semester 2 respectively, was indeed the wind beneath my wings. A mentor who always encouraged me to believe in my dreams & follow my passions. Her disarming smile, commanding stature, demure yet powerful personality, her knowledge base & the child-like zest in everything she does has left an indelible mark in my mind.
Armed with an M.COM & LL.M, she has also taken up research studies in intriguing topics like the Role of Media in Human Rights Education. She has been teaching subjects like Economics, Foundation Course, Company Law, Labour Law, Human Rights Law and Business Law for the past 10 years. She is a staunch believer of the fact that learning has no age bar & constantly seeks to upgrade her knowledge base & likewise share it with her students. In my memory, never did once she sit in a classroom. She was always in the action-mode,-teaching, learning, catering to doubts & dong her very best. Teaching was something which runs through her veins & her passion for teaching was evident from the extensive pre-work she did before delivering every single lecture. Her pedagogy, insights & style of teaching, made an otherwise assumingly tedious subject like Law, impeccably interesting & interactive. Since she had been a practicing Lawyer before she took to her passion of teaching, she always shared relevant experiences from that phase of her life.
Her lectures were something that I always looked forward to. She personified the famous saying-‘A teacher is not someone who reads for you, but teaches you how to read’, as she always instilled a spirit of exploratory & collaborative learning. Mock moots & debates were conducted. Legal definitions & sections were made lucid & hence fun to learn. Her lectures were lively as they were not just confined to the textbook. Discussions of various intriguing topics & issues were a common phenomenon in our classroom. Whenever we approached her with our doubts, she was all ears & solved it to the best of her abilities. But what was more amazing was that in the following class she always had additional insights on the topic discussed in the previous class. This itself speaks volumes about the level of involvement she had. The project topics for Prof.Gauri’s subjects were intriguing & dealt with various issues. It gave us opportunities to delve deep into issues of concern, come up with innovative solutions and broaden the horizon of knowledge. Her feedback was always beneficial & encouraging and paved way for improvement.
Also an active Cultural enthusiast, she managed to strike a perfect balance between both academic & cultural commitments. She was a core member of the Cultural committee & was responsible for the execution of many events held time & again in our college. She was responsible for conducting many interesting Seminars as a part of the Social Science Association. Additionally, she had this knack of identifying the dormant talents of her students. Talents & skills which we students were not aware of were brought to surface & honed, courtesy the timely challenges that Prof.Gauri gave us. I narrate here an instance from my personal account that I vividly remember. It was the time when I was just immersed in books & did not participate in any extra-curricular activities. Until one day, when she assigned me the task of organizing an important event for the college. Moreover she wanted me to speak at the event. The organizing part was fine, but public speaking was something I detested. Little did I know that this challenge would open an altogether new avenue for me! Charged with the belief to exceed her expectations, I laid my apprehensions to rest & prepared for the day. With her support, the programme went-off well & to my astonishment people were all praise for the way I conducted the event. All gratitude to Prof.Gauri, that today after conducting many events, oration has become my second nature. It was she who made me realize that everything we want is just outside our comfort zone.
She always emphasized on holistic education because that is what leads to a well-rounded personality. She was the best mentor & guide that I could ever have. She always urged me to push the envelope & set benchmarks. After being in the company of Prof.Gauri I have certainly come to believe the following quote by our former president Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam “Teachers should radiate knowledge and ignite the minds of the youth and give them the confidence to think beyond”. The lessons that I have learned from her will always stay with me. She is an epitome of knowledge, humility and dedication in the true sense.
Summing up I would say that, she has been a significant & colorful Artist in the Canvas of my life…indeed!
Submitted By-
Sukanya Shettigar
VPM’s R.Z.Shah College of Arts, Science & Commerce
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