Today is Teacher’s Day. And today I am remembering a teacher who made a mark in time. Yes, I am talking about Anne Sullivan. Perhaps, you may not be familiar with this exemplary teacher, but you would have surely heard of Helen Keller. You might also be aware that, Helen had lost the ability to speak, hear and see when she was just around a year old!

However, at the age of seven, Helen was first introduced to Anne. At that time, 14-year-old Anne was teaching at a school for the blind. At the first instance, Helen struck Anne as someone bright and impressive and she made up her mind to educate the child. Anne started Helen’s education by teaching her to co-relate objects with their names. Unbelievingly, Anne’s initiation efforts bore quick fruit! With the support of Anne’s love, dedication and faith, not only did Helen graduate college, but alongside, she also learnt typing. Moreover, Helen went on to express her thoughts in her 12 self-typed books. In fact, so taken in was Helen by socialist ideologies that she did not hesitate to put forth her views and comments globally. This earned Helen fame of such magnitude that 12 of USA’s Presidents liaised with her. There wasn’t a prominent personality at that time who wasn’t eager to meet with Helen! There wasn’t a country who didn’t take pride in honouring Helen for her work. And why not? After all, such a remarkable global feat was being achieved by a mute, deaf and blind girl!

The point to note is, as much as the roaring success belonged to Helen, her teacher Anne’s significant contribution in making Helen capable to do so are no less. Such was Anne’s involvement with her student, that she didn’t marry until the age of 40, that is after being Helen’s educator for 26 years. When such would be a teacher’s dedication and immense faith in her pupil, history was bound to be created!

By discussing this episode, I seek to highlight the fact that if Anne could hone and raise a mute, deaf and blind girl to this level in life, is it not possible that the teachers of today can propel our children to realize their potential and help them attain newer heights? On this Teacher’s Day, I would like teachers to be inspired by Anne’s dedication and sincerity, because it only a teacher, who can bring life to the hidden talents of children and help create history-makers of tomorrow!

- Deep Trivedi