“There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can’t move, and the kind that just gives you a little prod behind and you jump to the skies.”

― Robert Frost

A True Inspiration To The Motto “DARE TO BE DIFFERENT IN LIFE…”

-Prof. Shobhana Panikar

Pursuing Bachelor of Management studies (BMS) is one of the most novel experiences compared to many courses. BMS is one of those sector of knowledge filled with anxiety of the ever changing syllabus and ecstasy of college life and a place where in the classroom there is more of the students contribution than to the teachers. In a classroom of different talents and potential entrepreneurs the job of a BMS teacher is exasperating and difficult as Faculty Members of BMS should be more of an inspiration rather than just a lecturer in the class.

It was the first day of college for me in FYBMS at K.J.SOMAIYA College of Science & Commerce, Vidyavihar (East). New faces everywhere and one can possibly think of the usual hustle and bustle of a new classroom of freshers, when suddenly a lady entered who everyone mistook for another student or a senior in college but realized she was a teacher and stood before my entire class was Prof. Shobhanna.

Prof. Shobhana Panikar or as we called Shobhana Madam  had completed her BMS from N.M.College of Commerce & Economics and finished her Masters in Commerce from R.A.Podar College of Arts & Commerce and did a diploma in Marketing Management from L.N.Welingkar Institute of  Management and completed her MBA from IBS Mumbai. She also holds a degree from London School of Economics in “Global Politics of Protest and Change” and has recently completed her MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies at London, UK.

Besides a vast list of her achievement and qualification to our awe she has vast experience in the corporate sector and is still the Research and Communication Manager at The Economics Club, Mumbai. She also was serving as a Full-time Faculty in SIES College of Commerce & Economics. As much as Unbelievable was her vast array of expertise and experience was amazing, her humble nature and an unexplainable understanding of the nature of the BMS course was mesmerizing.

The BMS course itself is such a beautiful course where a teacher finds students ranging from potential managers to full-fledged pioneers of the future business world. That’s why it becomes essential for any faculty of the BMS field to identify the potentials of each student and motivate them to work towards the development of the skills and in-born talent they possess and make a career out of it.

Shobhana Madam was truly a person who could point out every student’s talent and inborn skills in them. Besides her high levels of qualification, she herself being a BMS student in past she understood the essentials of a BMS student and the necessary qualities of a BMS student. Usually many teachers of BMS focus on only one perspective that every student of BMS is essentially going to do a MBA however Shobhana madam motivated a student to pursue a career according to their aspirations and talent.

Though a full time BMS aspirant myself, I really wanted to pursue literature as I had a knack for English and many foreign languages like French and Spanish but since the restriction of selecting only one course of specialization in the university of Mumbai I was left hopelessly to sacrifice my liking for literature for my career in BMS. However, Shobhana madam proved to be a savior; she acquainted me with other diploma options offered by other universities like IGNOU etc.

Teaching is such a unique profession but the typical teachers in an environment of the daily classroom becomes sensational when the teacher showcases her talent and despite possessing a world of knowledge she comes down to earth to the knowledge levels of students like us and impart us with concepts and examples to develop our knowledge skills in order to develop and make us a success in life.

She imparted me with the courage to step forward and develop my creative skills at festivals and improvise and polish my communication skills by motivating me to take part in festivals and also organize such festivals at intra-college and inter-college levels. The interesting part was she was teaching management by motivating BMS’ites like me to innovate festivals like UDAAN at my college and is now the reason I have a developed personality and am able to resent myself at a better pace than everyone which I experienced in many interviews with different executives at different walks in life from the past two years of BMS in my life.

Shobhana madam was our teacher for just a few months as she was a full time faculty for the aided section of the college yet she made an impressive impression in the minds of her fellow colleagues in the college and obviously we students as well. Eventually she had to leave the college to pursue higher studies in London at the School of Oriental and African Studies. It is said that “First impression is the Last impression”. Shobhana Madam indeed made an ever-lasting impression on my mind and motivates me to aspire higher in life and be a success in life.

If I were to conclude my experience in BMS alongside teachers like Shobhana madam in a sentence would be undeniably and perfectly described by the following quote by WIllian Arthur Ward…

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”

Submitted By – 

Shrikant Iyer

(K.J. Somaiya College of Science and Commerce)