Far away over a mountain, there was a village called Kandarawadi. The villagers had formed a body, which ran a primary school. It was soon decided to go ahead with the secondary wing. So the 5th class was opened, next year 6th, the following year 7th and so on and so forth. In this way they reached the apex viz. the 10th class. Now it was a testing time for the school as the first batch of 10th class was to appear for the Board Examination.
The Principal of the school Shri Pawar was very keen to see that the first batch makes a resounding success.
But lo! the fate was unkind towards the school. This school had a gem in mathematics in the form of a maths teacher Shri Agashe. Shri Agashe was looking after the maths department of the entire secondary wing with exemplary zeal. He had drawn meticulous plans to ensure that not a single student of the 10th class batch becomes a backbencher. All of a sudden at the beginning of the year, Shri Agashe was taken ill. His illness was serious and he had to move to Mumbai and had to remain under observation and treatment of the doctors for full one year.
With departure of Shri Agashe from the scene the maths wing almost came to a collapse. The fate of the first batch of the 10th class remained hanging. All efforts on the part of the Principal to engage a temporary teacher for maths proved of no avail. A pall of gloom spread over the entire secondary wing of the school.
Shri Pawar had no other alternative than to divide the responsibility of teaching maths to the teachers of other subjects. These teachers were not conversant with the subject and as such the condition of the school remained grim.
In the 10th class there was a student by name Vishnu Patil. Vishnu was a maths wizard. Never in his memory he had scored less than cent per cent marks in maths. In fact, he cared least for any honours or rewards. For him maths was a garden walk. Once a problem was placed before him, the figures came down dancing over his inward-eye. He was never required to enter into first-rough-then-fair business in his paper on maths. Even though the students were expected to attempt eight questions out of twelve, Vishnu would quietly solve all the twelve questions just within two hours and leave the class smiling.
Vishnu'sappetite for maths was insatiable. Though he had just entered into the 10th class he was well-versed with maths of the 10th and the 11th class.
Vishnu was pet favourite of Shri Agashe. In fact, Shri Agashe considered Vishnu as his own son.
It was Monday evening. The school was over at 5.00 pm. The Principal Shri Pawar was busy in his office. He casually peeped outside through the window. He found that some boys had assembled around the nearby mango tree. It was Vishnu who was addressing them.
Next day evening the scene was similar. However, the number of boys gathered had appreciably increased. Shri Pawar became little bit anxious. He suspected that due to unrest prevailing the students maybe thinking of holding demonstrations. They may be thinking of proceeding on strike as well.
The third day the scene was different. The number of boys gathered had increased. But they were divided into six groups. Each group was seated around different tree. Each group had a different leader addressing the boys.
Shri Pawar went outside. He called Vishnu aside. He asked Vishnu what was it that they were doing.
Vishnu said, ?we are teaching maths to ourselves.?
Shri Pawar was happy and he asked with eagerness, ?How are you doing that??
Vishnu then explained the whole plan to the Principal. He humbly said, ?We have opened our own school outside the school premises and after the school hours.? He further said, ?I am teaching maths to the boys of the 10th class. My classmate Shreekant who had scored 99 marks out of 100 in 9th annual examination is teaching maths to the students of 9th class. Likewise toppers of maths are teaching the subject to the students of preceding classes. These periods will be held for four days successively every week. During the remaining three days I have proposed to cover the maths of teacher-boys for their current year.?
The Principal was extremely pleased with the voluntary efforts undertaken by the promising boys under the leadership of Vishnu.
Vishnu said our only problem is lack of blackboard and chalk-sticks.
The Principal said, ?Let your forest-school come under the shelter. Again why extra hours? Have it in regular school hours.?
So this novel experiment received the patronage from the Principal.
Next day onwards from 11.00 am to 11.45 am, from Monday to Thursday all the classes were humming with lessons in maths imported by the teacher-boys.
The teachers, who were assigned the burden of teaching maths, quietly and keenly watched the experiment. It was observed by them that communication among the students was quicker and freer.
These teachers further observed that the boys were doing miracle under the leadership of Vishnu. So the teachers gathered new inspiration, new enthusiasm in teaching of their own subjects. They started doing their job with increased vigour.
The result of the experiment was to be seen to be believed. At the end of the academic year the results of all the classes scaled teacher a new height. On the top of it, the first batch of the 10th class came out with cent per cent success.
The achievement was brilliant. The boys from the school paraded Vishnu over their shoulders through the streets. Vishnu was beaming with full bloom smile. He had stretched his right hand and had raised his thumb as a mark of achievement.
By this time, Shri Agashe had recovered from his prolonged illness and he was back to school. He embraced Vishnu. Both Shri Agashe and Vishnu were in tears.
An enlarged photograph of Vishnu held over the shoulders by the boys bubbling with enthusiasm was exhibited on the walls of the school. Shri Agashe provided a title to the photograph thus: ?Nothing is impossible.?
