“My name is Savi, Savi Maloo”

It was beginning of a new session in 7th standard, and we all were waiting for the next class. I use to sit on the first bench near the main door and this gave me a better visibility to the outside world as compared to the other students. The class was divided into three columns of tables each with six rows. On either side of the class there were two windows each and single doors. Near the blackboard, that was opposite to these column and rows of tables, stood a teacher’s table accompanied by his colleague: a chair and a cupboard.

I use to be in my own world. The glory and charm of that imaginative planet remain home to my inner discrepancies. That was the time when my world was imagination. I use to glare at the door and wish I could fly out, then remain out until the school ended. This day dreaming sometimes became a morbid obsession. It was always a tiring journey back to a real world. I was all in my dreams and suddenly my path breaking journey to the land of imagination concluded.

The class was full of life and it seems that all my classmates were trying to mark their presence on the blackboard of life. Suddenly a beautiful and tall lady entered; causing a graveyard silence. Who was she? That was making waves in my mind.

She closed the door, kept her bag, books and water bottle on the table and wrote on the blackboard “Savi Maloo.”  The water bottle has always been her style statement.

We all were thrilled to see a beautiful, charming lady before us. She seems to be in her late twenties. Her dark eyes gave an impression of life singing the choir of eternity. Her black shiny hairs fell loose over her face. She was wearing a white churidaar suite.

She pointed towards the board and said “My name is Savi, Savi Maloo.” She continued “I am your new computer teacher. From today onwards, Mr. Innocent will take practical classes and I will take theory classes.”

And suddenly there started discussion among everyone. The graveyard silence suddenly changed into a noisy environment of a fair. The noise was ever increasing, and suddenly she banged the duster on a table. She said, “I have completed my MSC in Applied Physics, specialization being Atmospheric Physics. I am an MPHIL in instrumentation (Physics) Honors and MPHIL in Computer Application.” I was listening to those heavy words with a heavy heart. It seems to me a lifetime effort to attain one of those degrees.

I was listening with attention as those words to be engraved on my soul. Very soon I was her pet student and so do I remain till date. I still remember her favorite words: “Shame on you,” and “You hanky panky fellow.”

Her innocence and her helping nature are profound even today. After my marriage, when I went to my school with my wife, while passing through the corridor, I met her. I was amazed to find her immortal beauty ‘as is’ even today. It seemed that I have passed by the same road once again and the monument of charm, beauty and glory remain as is. I find her still as young and as charming as she was, when I met her for the first time.

I never imagined that she would help me so much in my career. She was indispensible whenever I required ideas for any painting or writing competition. My first break to work in a corporate world came with her help. She recommended me to her husband Mr. D.K. Maloo for an internship in Bajaj Sevashram Pvt. Ltd.

She has chiseled hundreds of students in her career with St. Paul Sen. Sec. School, Udaipur. And even today most of us, irrespective of our locations, we remember her with the same respect and same feeling of belongingness as we always had during our schooling. We will always remember but one word “Maloo Madam”.

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