Guruvani: ‘Success, obsession seem inseparable’

What is the biggest professional challenge that you face in your role as a principal?

Principals face challenges each day in improving students’ achievement on the campus. A principal has to strike a balance between being rewarding and challenging. Professionally, the challenge is to build relationships with people and balance tough love with earned praise.

Once a teacher, always a teacher. Do you agree?

Yes, I do. Because a teacher is like a gardener nurturing and nourishing young saplings. They build the human soul. Students respect you till you are retired or even till you are dead. Once you carry the title of a “teacher,” you are always a teacher. Teachers burn themselves like a candle in order to lighten the next generation.

Success has become an obsession with people of all ages nowadays? Comment.

Obsession encourages thought and innovation. Because of their obsession they constantly think about new opportunities to enhance a product or service.

Well, “obsessed” is often used to simply mean “very interested” but when someone is truly obsessed, their interest becomes compulsive and they begin to lose control. We can call them workaholic, obsessed or even crazy. But it’s hard to deny that success and obsession seem inseparable.

What in your view is Gen Next’s biggest strength? Which are the key areas of improvement?

The biggest strength of Gen Next’s is that they are free-thinking, technologically savvy, innovative, ambitious and have their own professional attitudes. But at times they lack commitment to a job, and need to be more willing to accept guidance. Because of their inexperience, they tend to get a little impatient.

Given the diverse needs of today’s youngsters, what emphasis do you put on teacher training?

It’s important to lay emphasis on teachers training for the younger generation is more adventurous, innovative and imaginative. And hence the teacher must understand how they go about learning in a world where information, both good and bad, is readily available. Teacher training promotes teaching skills which help improve students’ learning.

With their vast experience and wisdom how can the elderly contribute to students’ all-round growth and development?

Older people have a wealth of skills and experience which can be passed on to students who require emotional skills to be successful. Skills such as problem solving, social interaction and sense of purpose can be the key to success in schoolchildren which can be contributed by the elderly.

What according to you is the role of media in education?

The media plays an outstanding role in strengthening society. Media has brought the world closer, so that now students from different universities are connected. TV programmes, Internet, newspaper, magazines, radio are used extensively in education. Media can be used to hone critical thinking skills. Media has the power of educating people.

Tell us about your leisure activities and how you spend time with family and friends?

My leisure activities include exercising together, going for picnics; learning to play musical instruments; volunteering for an NGO; and visiting friends and relatives.