REMEMBER your Kindergarten teacher or even your college professors. Teachers are important parts of any student’s education, and it’s clear that the Hindu community of Houston is aware of it. On April 30, Guru Vandana, hosted by the Hindu Education Foundation at Nolan Ryan Junior High School in Pearland was an event in which several students showed their teachers the significance of the guru in Hindu culture and tradition.
Teachers from 20 schools representing five different school districts from the greater Houston area attended the function. Students were able to be gurus themselves, having shown the teachers some aspects of the Indian heritage through table top exhibits that were on display.
The event began with a lamp-lighting by Mayor Reid of Pearland and a prayer song by Smt. Sangha Mitra Mishra. Later, Smt. Shraddha Belsare showed a PowerPoint presentation on the origins of the bond between a guru and the disciple, clearly emphasising the holy reverence Hindus have for the learning and teaching of knowledge. Following the slideshow was a speech by Radha Danayak and Mayor Reid on each of their opinions of the importance of education.
A cultural programme with honouring of the teachers followed, including dances (kolatam, bhangara), a skit (Satyameva Jayate), and instrumental performances.
The keynote speaker for the evening was Dr Kalpalata Guntapalli, a medical doctor, a professor, and a chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr Guntapalli talked about how she and her entire family was fortunate to be very well educated and conveyed the importance of being yourself by being truthful to native traditions; she stressed that ultimately your merit and true worth will be recognised no matter who you are and how you look. Smt. Iswari Murthy, the event coordinator proposed a vote of thanks at the end of the programme. The event concluded with dinner for the teachers and their families.
In conclusion, Guru Vandana satisfied teachers in that they were shown appreciation not only by their students, but also the community. “I love to watch everybody performing… I am privileged to know the people who have presented this (event), and I am privileged to have you guys in my classroom and have fun with you,” stated Donald Simmons, a maths teacher from Quail Valley Middle School in FBISD. With the able guidance of Smt. Manisha Shukla, Smt. Jayasree Kailasam and many other dedicated volunteers, the event was truly a success, as the message of appreciating one’s teacher was passed on effectively to both the youth and the educators themselves. So, just as the students of greater Houston did, remember your teachers and honour them for all they do.
