Remembrances of “Aashaan”
Most of us have very loving memories of some of our teachers who kindled our enthusiasm to know more about the world. I have had the privilege of studying under some wonderfully great teachers, and in all humility, I bow before their fond memories. I had already written about Professor Dr Ananthakrishnan, who taught me during my post-graduation days at CUSAT. He was a direct disciple of Dr CV Raman, the Nobel laureate, and a former director of the Tropical meteorology centre, Pune. This time, as the 'Teachers' Day' approaches, I recall with great reverence my first formal teacher, a venerable grand old guru, whom everyone fondly called Aashaan . Aashaan in Malayalam means "Acharya”, the Sanskrit term that denotes a teacher or a guru. My sketch of Aashaan, Sri.Govindan Nair In the 1950s of Kerala, the pre-school or kindergarten system had not come into vogue. Before the children went to school at 5 1/2 years, from age four onwards, they attended a “Kalari” – a o