When Revathi was 24 years old, she worked as a teacher in Mumbai and taught 20 kids from a chawl at a run-down school in the city. These kids from the chawl were unlike regular students – society held no hope for them and expected nothing out of them – and they were probably made aware of that every day of their lives. Kids who come from such backgrounds have very strong personalities because they are forced to pave their way in a world which doesn’t hold them in very high regard.
One of Revathi’s students was a girl named Alisha who qualified as one of the naughtiest girls in class. She was impulsive and as Revathi calls her, a “firebrand”. She did whatever she wanted to do, and was incredibly smart but lacked patience. The teacher was worried thinking if Alisha would ever develop the discipline that is needed to do well in life and if she would be able to change the circumstances of her life.
There is a gap of 13 years between the two pics.
Alisha used to be one of the naughtiest kids in my class. Legend has it that she broke a few teeth of another child in my class because he was annoying her. The other teachers in school warned me about Alisha. She was a fire brand pic.twitter.com/dystYVPthv— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
She was her own boss. Doing what she wanted to do when she wanted to do it. Incredibly smart but with no patience for anything, not even sitting down for 3 hours in an exam to put down what she had learnt on the paper.
— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
I spent my entire time as a teacher worrying about what would happen to her and if she would become disciplined, find purpose in education, complete schooling and do something to help her better the circumstances of her life.
— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
Two years after Revathi finished her teaching fellowship, another teacher sent her a letter that was written by Alisha on the topic ‘Which person do you admire the most’. Alisha had written about Revathi and listed all the ways in which she inspired her.
Two years after I finished my Teach For India fellowship, the teacher who used to teach my kids sent me this letter written by Alisha on the topic ‘Which person do you admire the most’. I remember reading this and being completely overwhelmed with emotion. pic.twitter.com/l3mo0781Mk
— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
Alisha came from a family where her father was, in simple terms, good-for-nothing, her mother worked from 4 AM to 9 PM, and had two siblings. Alisha would eventually have to contribute to her home, which is why her teacher was worried about her future.
But I still worried if she would continue her education and make something out of life. We continued to remain in touch as she did college during the pandemic, felt lost and confused about what she should do and what degree she should pursue
— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
Not to mention the significant challenges she faced at home of a dead beat father, a mother who would work from 4 am – 9 pm everyday selling fish and two siblings and the responsibility of contributing to home
— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
However, now Alisha works as a teacher at a prestigious school in Mumbai and works specifically with children with special needs. Her reason for doing so – is to believe in those whom no one believes in.
Fast forward to 2024, Alisha now works as a teacher (!!) in a very prestigious school in Mumbai and works specifically with children with special needs. I asked her why she chose to teach and why specifically children with special needs.
— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
And in her trademark tapori style she’s like ‘Didi, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher like you and I’ve always wanted to be a teacher for kids who everyone thought was naughty and not capable of doing anything. You believed in me and loved me and didn’t treat me like a nuisance’
— Revs 🙂 (@Full_Meals) March 21, 2024
We all have that one teacher in our lives who changed our world for the better, don’t we?