Bahauddin College Junagadh City News 2011

If society has hardly lauded the work of, there is one book with inspiring anecdotes like these that salutes their role in bringing about social change.

In a painstaking effort, Shikshan na Sitara,' brings out the greatness of teachers and restores our respect for them.

A lecturer in a college in Dwarka, Ishwar Parmar, has written about 65 outstanding teachers. The book charts their relation with students and commitment to education.

There are awe-inspiring stories, like that of Bhupat Parmar, who as a kid, travelled in trains, singing bhajans for a living. It was during one such journey that a lady asked him if he wanted to study and gave him her address.

Bhupat met her a year later and the experience changed his life. She ensured he got proper education. And he is a lecturer in a government college today. The unknown lady turned out to be Pratima Bhatt, a professor in Bahauddin College in Junagadh(Saurastra).

"These teachers are true stars. For them, the focus always remained their students. This is aimed at inspiring others," says Ishwar Parmar. At 67, Parmar is planning a sequel. "I will profile 40 more teachers in this book," he says.

When Trambakbhai Mankodi did not like the system in the government school he taught in, he quit. But, the teacher in him fought on. He began teaching children in his village Khambhalia for free.He also set up a big library and made education his mission.

Purshottam Mavlankar, considered Gujarat's Harold Laski, always insisted that students should stand up and greet whenever a teacher walked into a class.But once, when he was travelling in a bus and a student offered him his seat, he did not accept. "I am not your principal here," he said. "I am a co-passenger."