Photo Credit: Shubhankar Shah
Sanjay Talwadker devoted 40 fruitful years to the teaching profession before he retired as the headmaster of Holy Rosary Convent High School Quepem in 2014. A true teacher, however, never retires. And Sanjay Talwadker is a prime example of this. Believing in giving back to society not just after retirement, but right from day one of his profession, Talwadker strove to make good Samaritans of his students.
“Consider me a friend, someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself,” he tells his students. Equally loved by students and their parents, Talwadker believes that a true teacher knows the weaknesses of his/her students but shows them their strengths; feels their fears but fortifies their faith; sees their anxieties but frees their spirit; recognizes their disabilities but emphasizes their possibilities.
During workshops for teachers he repeatedly stresses on treating students as their own, and on encouraging and appreciating their creativity. “Love your students “ being deeply loved by someone will give them strength while loving someone deeply will give you courage as teachers,” is what he preaches and practises religiously.
After his graduation Talwadker appeared for an interview at the National School of Drama but he chose teaching over acting as teaching offered him greater satisfaction. Fascinated by teaching right from his childhood days, Talwadker made an informed choice and embraced this noble profession for life, following in the footsteps of his father Shripad Talwadkar aka Ambaji sir, who was a teacher and also the founder of Holy Cross Convent High School at Quepem.
“My father was always keen on imparting the best knowledge to his students which earned him a lot of respect in the community,” shares Talwadker. Like father like son, Talwadker started his teaching career in 1974 and retired as headmaster after serving 40 fruitful years in the same school.
Bonding well with his students, Sanjay Sir (as Talwadker is popularly known in school and his hometown) always felt he was one among them. His connection with his students made him feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Forgetting his own age while organising sports, drama, music competitions for them, Talwadker often took them around to participate in All India Radio and Doordarshan programmes.
His own association with theatre (Talwadker bagged many prizes for his acting in his college days) kept his acting skills evergreen. Gomant Vidya Niketan’s Kala Vibhag in Margao and Samrat Club in Ponda kept his acting and directing talent alive. Besides this, Talwadker organises workshops for students in schools, higher secondaries schools and colleges. He also did a course on puppetry through CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training) and teaches teachers how puppets can be used to dramatise any subject and make it interesting. In his tenure at Goa Board as an examiner, moderator, chief moderator, paper setter and chief paper setter, Talwadker always tried to see that the process remained fair and transparent. He marked blue prints to education department on easy teaching. Creating interest among students in studies, addressing PTA members of different schools he organised programmes on effective public speaking and personality development.
Having taken to writing long before his retirement, his first book on food called Ghosth is relished by many, compelling him to go for its third edition. His second book will be published soon. Following the words of Mark Twain, “ Sing like no one is listening, love like you’ve never been hurt, dance like nobody is watching and live like it’s heaven on earth, Talwadker lives life fully. His message to his students remained, “ “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us, so do not get demotivated with failure. Brush aside your negative thoughts and march ahead.”
