DURING my career as a librarian, I taught library management and automation at the master’s level for nearly three decades — both through regular classroom interaction and the distance education mode. As a teacher, I had some routine experiences, while others were deeply moving. Over the years, I developed the habit of closely observing my students. For a teacher, there can be no greater reward than to witness a sense of understanding and satisfaction on the faces of learners. Such moments silently affirm that communication has been successful. One particular incident stands out. While teaching students of Bachelor of Library and Information Science, I was surprised to notice a septuagenarian man paying attention to my lecture with remarkable concentration. After the class, I approached him and asked, “Sir, are you a student of this course?” His eyes welled up with tears. In a composed yet emotional voice, he replied, “I hold a master’s degree in political science and am associated with a premier medical college in Ludhiana.” He paused briefly, then continued, “My daughter, who is hearing-and-speech impaired, works as a typist in the college library. She is a graduate and has enrolled in the library science course through distance education. While she manages the theory part reasonably well, the practical components pose a challenge as she cannot follow classroom instruction.” He further said, “Therefore, I travel from Ludhiana to Chandigarh every Saturday and Sunday, attend these classes, try to understand the practical aspects myself, and then go back to explain them to her through sign language as best as I can.” Placing my hand gently on his shoulder, I said, “Sir, from now on, you need not attend these classes. Instead, you may come to my residence on the Panjab University campus along with your daughter. I will guide her.” What followed was an amazing journey of dedication and human connection. For more than three months, the father-daughter duo visited my home regularly. We would sit at the dining table for about three hours — two hours before lunch and one afterwards — focusing on the practical elements of the course. In order to communicate effectively, I made an effort to familiarise myself with the basics of sign language. The quiet service I rendered in those months, in collaboration with a devoted father (who is no longer alive), remains vividly etched in my memory. The sense of fulfilment and satisfaction I derived from that experience is a gentle reminder that the essence of teaching lies not merely in imparting knowledge, but in touching lives. The writer is a former librarian, Panjab University
