The Last Lecture !

There is a day when you realise that you are 'nothing' in front of the person you are sitting and you feel 'humble' in realising this.They are speaking and sharing their life lessons and you are completely flooded with their vast life experiences.Your whole ego bites the dust and your fire to be as good as them starts to ignite.It is a day of 'Enlightenment'. It is the day where you can set the standards for your life.You realise the true meaning of life.You come to know that-Life is not only about winning and winning but enjoying the journey and winning the moments.

Just as we well all have 'that' day in our life,its was the retirement day for my college professor,who taught us Mathematics at college.A lecture was arranged for him,where he was going to teach 'The Pythagoras Theorem' but this time not for exams or knowledge, rather for fun and for the last time.Lately I was away from the subject of Mathematics.The whole link was disturbed and I was not sure if I were to understand anything out of it.I entered the class,he too had just entered.I saw the smiling faces of my friends(we all the past students). It was a happy moment,for we were to attend a lecture together,literally after a gap of 3 years and probably for the last time.Hence I title this article -"The Last Lecture".My experience may be specific but what I learnt has a value worth to be shared.

The lecture started with funny questions and some funny incidents in the class.The whole class bursted in laughter.That day when he taught in his 'Last Lecture'.I realised my love for Mathematics still intact,for I was enjoying every word he spelt.He told few incidents from his classes over past many years and we all enjoyed the lecture.The best thing he said and it hit my heart,he said -"The one thing I am going the miss my whole life is those classes,going among the students and teaching."The reason why teaching is selfless profession.Later we moved to the next sessions of programme.

Many past students visited that programme.They were from the Batch of year 1993 to 2023 of 'SP College,Pune,Departement of Mathematics' where I studied.I wondered what a wonderful professor he might be for some students even visited from foreign countries.It was the speech session now and my name was announced and I got up hurriedly to speak as it was an unexpected call.I got a good response from the audience for my words.I would like to share something I couldn't express in my speech,the lessons that I learnt and I would like to hold my whole life.

The one thing I remember the most about sir was something like this.Any question that came to be solved or asked as a doubt.He said -''Are hi tr Balwadi chi ganita ahet,yaila pahij tumhala (in marathi) [These are just the sums of nursery,not a big deal,you should be able to solve this]. His this approach has taught me a lot in my life.It says, 'Every problem in life is as small as the problems which looked dificult to us as in our childhood'. I remember how difficult it was to learn table of 13,which I still don't remember.What he has taught us it that,An optimistic approach towards any problem of your life makes it even easy to deal with it. Running away from the problem is not the solution. You should face that problem and win over it.Just as Dr.Kalam sir quotes- 'The problem should not be the master.Take charge and become the master of the problem.' The first and most important  thing to do is 'Acceptance'. Then breaking that problem into smaller pieces and solving it.If you are stuck; Just take a pause and start again.

I remember he (professor) used to teach us the subject Lebegue Integral (a subject in Mathematics) in third year of my graduation.In initial days,whatever he taught was out of my box.Every thing he taught was a 'Bouncer' (a term used in cricket for the balls bowled at a height above shoulder or head,usually unplayable) for me.I used to complain myself about how bad he teaches.When I called my friends,I moved to tears complaining what kind of 'lebegue' (Read-^le-beg) is this. But As I practiced much more myself,got obsessed with that subject and got all my basics cleard.It turned the game for me.His every lecture now turned a cakewalk and reaped fun .And the I thought, I was a fool to blame others.Then in a class sir said 'He tr chauthi chi ganita ahet [These are just sums of 4th class]. And I realised that really these are the sums of 4th class. The most beautiful thing I learnt here from him that;Life is full of bouncers.Its every problem,worse situation,every evil happening,every lower phase of your life. Not all bouncers are to be left.But you have to increase your height,your stature,your standards,your efforts and practice to face those bouncers,those problems.This is how you attain success and tranquility of your life.And you gain the ecstacy of an enlightened life.

I feel humbled writing the first blog of my life.Blessed with all your warm friendship and with gods grace the art of unloading my emotions and experiences on paper.I hope to keep writing and sharing my thoughts.Thanking for all your support!

-Prasad Saroja Dattatraya Kaloji

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