My Teacher

My teacher

Vijay Gopichandran


It was teacher’s day last week. I had mixed feelings that day. My integrity as a teacher was questioned by a few colleagues of mine. I was asked, “How much money do I ask my students to pay me unofficially in order to help them do research?” I was heartbroken to hear those words. I remembered my teacher Dr. K.P Misra and missed him sorely. I wished I could run to his home, sit by his chair in Upasana, his home, literally translated in Sanskrit to mean sitting by the side and tell him how I felt about this slander that I had to hear. I was playing out the scene in my mind. I would tell him what the colleagues told me. He would listen and dismiss it with a wave of his hand and say, “what, you and taking money? Those people must be jealous of your work. They are not worth wasting your time on.” And that is all it would take to feel better. In no time we would be planning to write the next book or discussing some intense philosophy. The times I had with Sir, were the most memorable and blessed time of my life. Today, when sometimes I pause and look at myself as a teacher, I see Sir in every action of mine. I can see him smiling through my deeds. Almost 3 years ago, when one of my students got his first research papers published in a journal, I could feel the exact feeling that Sir must have felt when he helped me publish my first. When I gave some money to a student to help him fly to a conference in Delhi, I felt how Sir must have felt when during innumerable times he has supported me financially and otherwise to achieve small goals.

The other day, I met a student after a long time. He has completed his MBBS and has left for work. When I met him, my spontaneous impulse was to give him a big hug. I was immediately reminded of the hugs that Sir used to give me. When Sir hugged me, it felt great, it felt warm and comforting. But I never thought about how it must have felt for him. But when I hugged the student, my thoughts froze, and I could exactly feel how Sir must have felt when he hugged me. It was a mixture of pride, honor, love, hope and a totally unexplainable paternalistic feeling.


Sir always lived his life by the doctrine of simplicity. He believed in simplifying everything to the most basic details. When he taught ECG, even an 8^th standard kid would feel empowered to go for a round with a seasoned cardiologist. He spoke in simple words, he simplified complex concepts, he wrote simple words and he led a beautifully simple life. This has left a huge impact on my life. I remember speaking in an international meeting of experts in medical ethics. I was supposed to speak for 10 minutes on medical ethics with case-studies from India. The speakers before me sounded so sophisticated. When I went on stage, I said my part and finished. Subsequently one of the organizers of the meeting told me during a dinner time conversation that I simplify things too much that it doesn’t sound “professional”. But that’s the school I come from. I come from the Dr. K.P. Misra school, which is all about simplifying things to the extent that it stops sounding like a complex theory and starts sounding like a friendly chat. The organizer who gave me the feedback thought I would correct myself for the future. Little did he understand that it was an immense tribute he was giving to my guru. It is my guru’s work which he is seeing through me and the way I live my life.

Room 101, Apollo Hospital first floor, where Sir used to practice, and we used to hang out and learn from him, has taught me more about medicine and life than my own medical school. I must have been the luckiest of all of Sir’s students because from 1998 to 2007 – I had the longest stint of hanging out on a daily basis in his clinic. I must have also been one of the worst reasons for Sir’s worry and concern because I faced so many failures in all my attempts at establishing a career for myself between 2002 to 2007. I failed so many competitive entrance exams and made several failed attempts at securing a residency job in the United States. Through all these tough years, Sir was the sole bright spot in my life. I wouldn’t miss going to his clinic on even one day. He always brought so much brightness and energy into the lives of everyone he came across.


Sir’s love for his students was unimaginable. He and aunty would say that they never adopted any family planning method. Their family was ever-expanding. I consider myself so blessed and lucky to have been inducted into Sir’s family. Once, immediately after one of my many failed attempts at securing a visa to the United States to start my residency training there, I remember sir went and met a senior physician in the US who was visiting India at that time. Sir, sat in front of this physician and said, “I request you to do something for this student of mine. He richly deserves to study in the US. You MUST help him somehow. This is my personal request”. I am not sure anyone would go out of their way to take time off their busy schedules, put themselves at a vulnerable position of asking for a favor, for the sake of a student. That evening, I went home and cried my heart out. I was overwhelmed with emotion. In the midst of all the failure and disappointment, Sir’s unconditional love for me completely overwhelmed me.


Sir had decided to close shop in Chennai and move to Odisha, his hometown to be with his mother and live his retired life in his hometown amidst his people. He would leave a very busy and respected practice in Chennai and move home towards his roots. That was the kind of man he was. Those last few days in 101 were very painful. Sir’s biggest regret was that he was going away without settling me and another colleague of mine who was working with Sir at that time. He used to say, “I wish I could see you settle down before I leave Chennai to Odisha”. As though God had heard his wish, just before the day he left for Odisha, I got the result from an entrance exam that I had written for a post-graduate training position at CMC, Vellore and I had been selected with top rank. When I said this to Sir, he broke down into tears of joy and said with immense relief “Now, I will retire in peace”. That was one of the happiest and emotional days for me. When I heard sir break down and shed tears of joy for me, I was moved beyond myself.


Such strong influences have shaped the teacher in me. I take my work as a teacher very seriously, because even if I try as hard as I can, all my life, with all my efforts, I can never be one-millionth the teacher that Sir was for me. So, when those colleagues asked me that hurtful question, to me it was the question asked to the teacher in me that is the reflection of Sir and so it hurt. I am trying to move on from that question and the petty thoughts of these colleagues. That is what Sir would want me to do. My life and my mission will be to live the life that Sir has taught me and be his reflection and pay forward what he has passed on to me limitlessly!