To call Anupam a “teacher” would be the same as calling Einstein a scientist. Technically accurate but missing the soul completely. Let’s just say when reel and real meet you get Anupam Siddhartha. This is his story in his own words. After all when Anupam talks you listen. And when he says “it was good to revise” after a detailed chat you go back and re read everything twice. Teacher Tales is an inspirational interview series with teachers curated by Shreyanka Basu. The goal of Teacher Tales is to be a witness to the passion that drives teachers to take up this profession. It touches upon the things that inspire teachers and how they bring the same to their classrooms. It focuses on the evolving narrative of what it means to be a teacher in the larger context of learning and education. . It’s ambition is to raise a toast to the great human beings behind the inspiring teachers. It celebrates both young and experienced teachers. If you know a teacher who has inspired you and others like you please do write in to us at teachertalesinterviews@gmail.com with the subject line – Teacher Tales Recommend a Teacher. To get inspired follow us @ https://www.facebook.com/TeacherTales http://www.issuu.com/teachertales Content Copyright @Teacher Tales 2015.

2. An inspirational interview series with teachers

3. To call Anupam a “teacher” would be the same as calling Einstein a scientist.
Technically accurate but missing the soul completely.
Let’s just say when reel and real meet
you get Anupam Siddhartha.
This is his story in his own words.
After all when Anupam talks you listen.
And when he says “it was good to revise” after a detailed chat you go back and re read
everything twice.

4. The reincarnation given alongside.
If you meet God feel free to ask WHY?
Hint: Why not is a more productive question.
Realized that I was good with analogies.
It helped immensely to elucidate.

5. So how did you become a teacher?

6. Always wanted to be a journalist (against much
opposition from the community, who would have
preferred civil services) Freelanced with Hindustan
Times for about 7 years apart from working on
individual projects with AIR & DD . I also taught as
a visiting faculty at the department of
communicative English & Media Studies .
Just before joining full-time at HT realised that I
was enjoying teaching better than writing. The
problem was that I was never satisfied with my
write-ups and would keep touching it up.
My editor kept getting flustered as the deadlines
kept looming large .

7. With teaching I was more relaxed.
It didn't matter if I didn't get it right the first time.
I could keep re-touching my talk & the students would
only benefit more.

8. Then one day the department decided that they will introduce a new paper in film studies the next
semester. the HOD asked - who will teach the same? Nobody volunteered. I was the junior most so
didn't have an option . For the summer break I was sent to FTII for a teacher training programme.
That was possibly the most fruitful phase of my life . While most batch colleagues had fun I immersed
myself in the programme and spent most of the time with the teachers and it paid off well.
I have been teaching films since and nobody has complained so far.

9. `
And then one day the dots just fell into place and connected themselves.
The signs were always there.
It only made sense in retrospect as it is supposed to be.
Poser…Dreamer… Dramebaaz…Teacher-film studies.

10. The first batch I taught. Yes , only women!

11. Just the fact that films can be taught as an academic
discipline is a revelation for many. It is wonderful to know
that one is working in that elusive space.

12. How do you teach?
What is your goal when you are teaching?
What does success look like?

13. I try to tell stories, anecdotes,
I keep an eye contact
It helps me unravel the expression
Confused looks mean I need to slow down, use another
example. A frown on the forehead means I need to move on.

14. Success is the spark in a students eye when they understand a
complicated concept after much effort. The glint in the eye
means -target achieved!`
`

15. The goal is to share academic input of a high order while
having fun. The student should learn while one teaches.

16. Tell us about a teacher who influenced you.
Share a moment that impacted you strongly as a student.

17. Class XI. Chemistry class .The structure of an atom - a
sudden realization that all the diagrams in the books were
in reality three dimensional!
Why did I even think for a moment that the, solar system
for example, was two dimensional ? All the planets after
all did not move in concentric circles.
~
Mazumdar Sir, as he was demonstrating the structure of
an atom he moved his hands in circles but in random
directions - the bulb lit.
Life altering I would say!

18. And your special students?

19. Richa from the university, she would never be satisfied with my
examples. While others were fine she stretched me to expand my own
horizons. Devdoot from Symbiosis - I rubbed my passion onto him
and he kept re igniting my own.

20. Who is Anupam?

21. Tough administrator .
Liberal teacher .
Personal traits not shared hence unknown
Could also lead to misconception.
I am in fact very compassionate. The amount
of pain that one human can cause another
shocks me every morning when I read the
newspaper.
But that compassion cannot tolerate sloppy
work. Unfortunately students confuse the two
aspects. So whenever I'm tough on non
compliance they see me as an unreasonable
person. Unfair but true.
The image is not the real me.

22. Once my daughter had
accompanied us on a study
tour. I couldn't help notice
the surprise on students'
faces when they saw me in
a loving avatar!

23. I am a very emotional person.
While I am overjoyed by the bounties of nature
(even the sound of a bird outside my window
can distract me completely from the most
important work that I may be doing)
I am also pained immensely by people's
insensitivity. The way most of my students
treat their parents for example (or for that
matter even their friends) unnerves me. Not to
talk of mothers killing their daughters.
I turn my face away whenever I see an
injection. I can't imagine how people behead
others

24. I like stories taking control of me like
I desire my stories taking control of
others.`

25. I'm happy with my acute sensitivity.
Helps me enjoy subtler aspects of life.
Any work of art natural or man made
Colours of a butterfly.
A musical note. A dolly shot
The expression of an actor
Half a piece of dialogue
The mastery of an artist. Keep wondering - how
did one think of that?
I still cry while watching most movies. I am not
ashamed about it either.

26. How do you see the future of teaching?

27. Teaching will give way to
learning. Earlier we had to
disseminate information.
Internet can do that now.
Now we need to be facilitators
and guide them along the way,
clear doubts, give them work,
observe, comment
In 10 years from now the
facilitation too may evaporate
as a requirement. We may only
be needed to inspire.
Hmm the future?~

28. Is there something I should have asked but did not…
Something that you want to talk about …

29. Something that I dislike in some teachers I have
observed ... the courage to say that I don't know the
answer to your question but I will get back to you
tomorrow. Also the inability to instil the confidence in
others to ask anything without the great fear of
retribution.

30. We have a series of additional
screenings here focusing on popular
American films. These are in the evenings
and are optional .
Every now and then there are very few
students to attend the same. We get
demotivated but the next week I for one
go back with the same passion.
At times one needs to motivate oneself
There is this student from 2003-05
Abhimanyu. He would still call me after
every film he had seen and then we'd talk.

31. I want everyone to see those classics. They won't know
what they are missing if they don't see them and then we
can all talk about them passionately. Yes I fear that if
they do not see it now they wont see it ever.
Any number of students have confessed that they don't
get the time to watch movies now .
They wished they had while they were here.
The magic of a movie is unrealised till you have seen it.

32. An inspirational interview series with teachers

33. Teacher Tales is an inspirational interview series conceptualised by Shreyanka Basu.
The idea of Teacher Tales comes from Shreyanka’s personal belief about teaching.

34. The goal of Teacher Tales is to be a witness to the passion that drives teachers to take up this profession. It
touches upon the things that inspire teachers and how they bring the same to their classrooms. It focuses
on the evolving narrative of what it means to be a teacher in the larger context of learning and education. .
It’s ambition is to raise a toast to the great human beings behind the inspiring teachers. It celebrates both
young and experienced teachers.
If you know a teacher who has inspired you and others like you please do write in to us at
teachertalesinterviews@gmail.com with the subject line – Teacher Tales Recommend a Teacher.
To get inspired follow us @
https://www.facebook.com/TeacherTales
https://twitter.com/Teacher_Tales
http://www.issuu.com/teachertales
Content Copyright @Teacher Tales 2015.
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