My mother was my best teacher: President Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI,SEP 4;Taking a trip down the memory lane, President Pranab Mukherjee credited his mother for all the success he has achieved, but at the same time said that he was a “naughty boy” who used to trouble her a lot.

“My best teacher was my mother. As I have said I was a trouble for my mother… after a day of mischief and other things, I used to receive a good deal of thrashing from her.

“And after that she used to come and fondle me with all love and care and ask me what I had done from the sunrise to sunset, which I had to tell in a chronological order,” Mukherjee told students of Class 11 and 12 at a school in the Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate.

The President, who donned the hat of a teacher on the eve of Teachers’ Day, said that mothers are the best teachers.

“I must tell you that your mother is best teacher,” he said as the students of Dr Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya listened with rapt attention.

Mukherjee, who was born in Mirati village of Birbhum district of West Bengal to freedom fighters Kamada Kinkar Mukherjee and Rajlakshmi, said his father’s life revolved around jail to party office and his mother used to take care of him.

The President said he used to accompany the boys of his village, who went with cow herds, and used to play.

“But, as the sun would appear to set, I used to rush back home as I was mortally afraid of darkness despite being a village boy,” Mukherjee admitted.

“I was a naughty boy. I used to give trouble to my mother endlessly. I am sure none of you are or have been so naughty,” he said as the students burst into laughter.

During his one-hour class on Indian political history, the President said, “Today I am not any minister or a President. I am just your Mukherjee sir”.

The President said that he was not a bright student. “I was just an average student. I had to walk five km for my school and used to complain to my mother about the distance. She used to tell me that she had no other option and always advised me to work hard.”

PTI