President Pranab Mukherjee credits mother for all his success

NEW DELHI: Taking a trip down the memory lane, President Pranab Mukherjee today said he was an "unparalleled naughty boy" who used to trouble his mother, as he credited her for all the success he has achieved.

"My best teacher was my mother. As I have said I was an unparalleled. I was a trouble for my mother...after a day's 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 XI and XII 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".

Mukherjee said that he was not a bright student. "I was just an average student. I had to walk five kms 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."
Remembering the principal of his college, Mukherjee said that he was an excellent orator who ensured "my interest in history and English".

"While narrating Julius Caesar, our teacher used to play the role of Brutus (who assassinated Caesar), Antony and Caesar.

"It was done so beautifully that within next two years I had finished half of the books of William Shakespeare," he said and thereby indicating that teachers are responsible for kindling the interest of the students into books.

The idea of holding a class was mooted by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Deputy Manish Sisodia and today's programme was part of Delhi government's programme 'Be a Teacher' where renowned personalities from different walks of life like art, culture, sports, business, politics and civil services take classes and inspire students to achieve excellence in life.