A person has to stand at many crossroads before proceeding in the right direction. This can happen with a slight push by somebody significant. This is usually done by the people you meet on life’s journey and one of them becomes your mentor, counselor, and guide in life.
My aim was to be a teacher only. To be an administrator was not planned by me at an early stage. During 1988 I had just joined the school after B.Ed with hardly any experience. But due to him, I had to take up the reins of school running, and thereafter my experiences as an administrator has been life-changing.
I therefore in this blog would like to introduce to you the man who was there on my road map pushing me in the right direction. Mention must be made of the Late Shri.P.V Kate, a renowned personality in society, especially in the vicinity of Shreerang, Vrindavan, Anand Park, and the Secretary of the Management of Shreerang Education Society.
But for him, I would never have been able to take up the challenge of leading a growing school at such a young age. Mr. P.V Kate saw my potential even before I could see it in myself. He also had the knack of selecting staff that was not professionally qualified but had the potential to grow with the school, complete their professional training while working, and stay on as a family.
He was a person who continuously pushed me for academic and personal excellence. He was both a father figure and a strict disciplinarian, loving, and stern. He taught me many nuances of administration which were necessary as the Headmistress of a growing school.
He taught me that to have complete control over the staff I should know all the work from that of a peon to that of the Manager. And also the importance of dignity of labor.
This man believed in me and my talents and potential as a person. I remember vividly the day I was called back from leave in 1989 with a crisp message,” Join tomorrow.” On joining the next day I was given a letter to be the Headmistress and keys handed over to my utter shock and disbelief. He said, “You can do it. You are highly creative and you will be successful. Don’t give up till you have tried out.”These words had the biggest impact on my professional life and there was no looking back.
He was the best Secretary the Management of Shreerang could ever have with his ability to see into the future, take risks for the betterment of the institute with his firm decisions, and ever striding challenges. His skills as an administrator par excellence literally enthralled me and the staff. I vividly remember his words, “To create a good school as a Headmistress, you should be one with the mission, so that action and words don’t conflict with each other. You should nurture the positive qualities of the staff and try to diminish the negative ones with a firm decisiveness”.
Through this blog, I would like to pay my sincere homage to a person of vivid vision with a high level of expectations and perseverance for the institute. I salute his empathy and mutual respect. Frankly today we need people like him in the educational field who understand the intricacies of running an institute with selflessness and with an attitude of entrepreneurial spirit and stimulation.
I render a heartfelt eulogy to a wonderful, disciplined and dedicated human being, Late Shri P.V.Kate. Rest in Peace Sir.
“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.”
Ernest Hemingway, author, and journalist.
Art Of Teaching 
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