Remembering Saroja Sunderarajan: A Teacher Who Loved Interacting With Young Minds

Remembering Saroja Sunderarajan: For most of us these past two years have been cataclysmic. It has made us rethink on life in all possible ways. We have lost family and friends, people in the public space and people one admired and were role models

One such person was Saroja Sunderarajan, an educator par excellence, my Saroji Chithi (aunt). She had a larger than life persona and being in the same profession I was aware of her formidable reputation at Springdales School, Pusa Road, where she headed the Mathematics Department.

Her prowess in Mathematics was legendary. Her love for the subject made her set up perhaps the first Maths Lab at a school in Delhi. Whosoever she touched with her mathematical wand, remained charmed for the rest of their lives. Her students were in awe of her when she explained the most complicated of concepts in a very basic and clear manner , relating it to the world around us. And they loved her dearly.

When her husband who was a civil servant retired, she chose to go back to Chennai with him. And thus began her second innings. Schools in Chennai like Padma Sheshadri were only too happy to have her as a consultant. She decided to show that Mathematics could be fun through the many books she authored for younger children. Her beautiful eyes would light up with joy while expounding on some mathematical concept. And nothing was difficult or challenging. Her webinars and YouTube videos were a delight to watch. Even two weeks before she succumbed to the dreadful COVID-19 she was on YouTube, interacting with young minds . Read how Saroja Sunderarajan raised COVID-19 relief funds last year here.

Chithi came from a family of intellectuals— a family of five sisters and one brother. Each sister is more accomplished than the other, educators, writers and media personalities. As children we were a bit scared of her, perfectionist that she was with a slightly stern demeanour. But underneath that exterior she was a real softie. An awesome cook, she kept a beautiful and spotlessly clean home, not a speck of dust even during the dusty Delhi summer. She loved listening to Carnatic music and never missed an opportunity to attend a good "kutcheri" (a musical performance). She went so suddenly that we just could not believe she had left us. Rest in peace Chithi. Your legacy will carry on through your numerous students who both admired and loved you.

Deepa Raghavan is former Vice Principal of Delhi Public School, RK Puram. The views expressed are the author's own.