Teachers who teach students to think

Prof Roop Krishen Khar

I have been a student for many years in India and abroad. Teachers at every stage have played an important role in shaping my overall personality from my school days. The role of a teacher is cardinal, however, it has assumed more importance in the present context due to current times of competition and the ever expanding technology-driven pharmaceutical industry.

Students have to become continuous learners and keep abreast with newer trends and advancements. Hence a teacher has to not just play a routine role but discharge the more meaningful responsibility of being a role model to train the students, in different ways. A teacher has to not just transfer information to them, but should be able to provoke in him a process of thinking and develop it on a continuous basis by raising the quotient of ‘spirit of enquiry’ in his students.

Paying tribute to Prof Sri Nath Sharma

Teachers have played a very definite role in shaping my career and destiny at every stage. In this regard, I need to mention the place of honour to my mentor/ guide/ teacher, who has been a constant source of inspiration to me. It is none other than Prof Sri Nath Sharma, longest living professor in pharmaceutical sciences today. We had the proud privilege of celebrating his 90th birthday at Gurgaon on August 10 this year.

My initial years at Dr H S Gour Vishvavidhyalaya Sagar (Madhya Pradesh) have laid the sound foundation in my career. I was always impressed by the immaculate and eloquent communication skills of my mentor and out of box teaching methodology adopted in mid 70s. He taught us the importance of basic concepts, clarity of thought process, sense of dress etc. He used to tell us to develop the ‘love for the printed word’, in order to have sound body of knowledge .

He also made us face challenges and problem solving techniques at a very early age. Prof Sharma was keen that students develop skills of expression and pay adequate attention to extracurricular and professional activities. He forced me into games and sports as well, particularly indoor games like badminton and table tennis.

He also encouraged me to take up leadership roles in the University: that of Secretary of Pharmaceutical Society at Sagar University and Secretary World University Service (WUS) to develop the experience of working in a team and grooming leadership talents in me. Under his stewardship, I have grown not only during my Sagar University stint of 1967-73, but later as well when he came to Delhi in 1986. To date, I have his constant patronage and guidance. He is an institution in himself and I love his honesty, integrity and passion for excellence.

Advice to students

The pharma profession has undergone a sea change in the last five decades. We started with some 12-15 colleges in the mid 70s and now we have more than 1200 pharmacy institutions including six National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) institutions. Nearly 60-70 per cent of these institutions are in the private sector.

The quantity is growing as per current needs but the quality has taken lower priority. We need to have better quality control mechanisms to ensure the standards of educational institutions so that students are employable as per the current demand and actual industrial and professional needs.

Students need to understand clearly that the degrees they carry will have no meaning, unless they are backed by the ‘true value’ which means proper industrial and professional skills, coupled equally with the overall personality traits of ‘ASK’ i.e. Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge. Interestingly, knowledge comes last which should also not be mere information but coupled with specific and tangible ‘core skills’ related to the specialisation and contemporary industrial needs. My humble advice to students is to be alert and discover their ‘intrinsic abilities’ which are lying dormant. They need to be nurtured in a proper environment and principally the initiative will have to be from you and you alone. Feel the change and progress by yourself to move ahead both horizontally and vertically. Self assess yourself every year to chalk out a clear-cut agenda continuously for your improvement. If you really make up your mind, you can eventually develop a specific goal for yourself which can be continuously nurtured and achieved. In the process through your commitment and hard work you will have a specific recognition for yourself which will evolve into a USP of your own. Once you reach this level, success will automatically flow with you.

With this, I wish you “HAPPY TEACHERS DAY” Let us be good teachers and responsible students.

(With inputs from Usha Sharma)