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For most people, teachers can often be nothing a fleeting memory of their educational journey, or one that stays with them forever.
For Dr Siva Kumar Ramasamy, his bond and memories with a teacher was so strong that it led him down a path that saw him leaving no stone unturned in hopes of reuniting with her—an endeavour that was eventually fulfilled 31 years later.
Strong bonds
Throughout his days from kindergarten to secondary school, Dr Siva never saw himself as a student who won the favour of teachers with his academic performance.
“I loved reading and taking part in school activities from a young age, and from there, I formed a close relationship with my teachers.
“The one thing I remember deeply about my teachers was them constantly encouraging me to do my best, which left a deep impression on me,” he told WeirdKaya.
When Dr Siva entered secondary school, he experienced difficulties settling in due to language barriers as he was transitioning from a Tamil-vernacular school to a government school.
There, he would meet the one teacher who would leave a lasting impact on his educational journey and life for years to come—Ms Manjeet Kaur.
Tough but fair
Ms Manjeet was Dr Siva’s Kemahiran Hidup (Malay for ‘life skills’) teacher and largely spent her time teaching him and his classmates at a bengkel (workshop) on how to hone various skills involving their two hands.
While Dr. Siva remembers her as a strict teacher who often had a rotan within reach, he also recalls her as a dedicated educator whose unwavering commitment and genuine passion for teaching left a lasting impression on her students.
“She was generous with her praise for those who did well, while ensuring that discipline and order was maintained at all times.
“But what made her stand out from the rest in my mind was her eye for detail and how organised she was as an individual.
“Furthermore, Ms Manjeet didn’t just rattle off textbooks during lessons, but she would put her entire heart and soul in conducting classes. I was so impressed by these traits that I made it a point to emulate her,” he said.
Finding Ms Manjeet
Dr Siva graduated from high school in 1995 after completing SPM and went on to pursue his Bachelor’s degree at UTM in Skudai, Johor, making it the final time he’d see Ms Manjeet.
After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree, Dr Siva went on to complete his Master’s and Doctoral degree at UUM in 2015 and 2024 respectively.
While most would usually move on with their lives and not give a second thought in reconnecting with their teachers, this wasn’t the case for Dr Siva as he often hoped he would cross paths with Ms Manjeet whenever he went back to his hometown in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
“I asked many friends and former teachers whether they had information about Ms Manjeet’s whereabouts. I even contacted the Ministry of Education (MOE) in hopes of finding her but it was unsuccessful.”
Renewed hope
One would think that all this would cause Dr Siva to abandon his search for Ms Manjeet, but he never gave up as something within told him that he would reunite with his beloved teacher again.
Then, as if almost by chance, he attended a gathering that gave him a ray of hope.
“I was talking to a university classmate and asked him whether he could help me in finding Ms Manjeet. He then told me confidently, ‘No worries, just give me an hour and I’ll find her for you.’
“Although I expressed doubt that he’d be able to find a person whom I’ve not met for over 30 years, my university mate assured me that it was possible as the Punjabi community is small,” he said.
True to his word, Dr Siva’s university classmate sent him photos of two teachers who happened to share the same name after the gathering.
When my eyes fell on one of the photos, I immediately recognised Ms Manjeet and burst into tears.
“My children were surprised to see me crying over a photo, but it was such an emotional moment that I just couldn’t hold back,” said Dr Siva.
Emotional reunion
After getting Ms Manjeet’s contact number from his university classmate, Dr Siva wasted no time in reaching out to the teacher he had painstakingly sought out for 31 years.
“I contacted her and arranged for a meet up as I was returning to Sungai Petani for a family function. I was so excited that I kept counting down the days remaining until I saw her again,” he recalled.
On the day of the reunion, Dr Siva waited patiently for Ms Manjeet, now 70 years old, to walk into the restaurant. When she finally did, he found himself being overcome by strong emotions once more.
“As per Indian culture, I rushed forward and touched her feet as a gesture of gratitude and respect before I shared a hug with her.
“I then showed her my doctoral dissertation and told her that I put her name into it as a way of acknowledging her role in shaping me both as a student and individual.
“Upon meeting her, I felt that my dissertation was truly complete as I was finally able to personally thank every teacher I mentioned in my thesis.”
Advice for a lifetime
Today, Dr Siva keeps in touch regularly with his former teacher and continues to meet up with her whenever he returns to Sungai Petani.
But beyond the tearful reunion, the one thing that will forever stay with him is a piece of advice that Ms Manjeet always gave while he was a student.
She always said this: ‘Your parents are working hard to ensure you have an education, so you must work even harder than them.’
“As one who’s born to a family of rubber tappers, this really resonated with me and I carried it with me throughout my life. I also say the same to my children and students too as I want them to be responsible when it comes to their education.”
Aside from Ms Manjeet, Dr Siva also dedicated his dissertation to several teachers and lecturers who contributed significantly to his educational journey at a broader scale, including:
- Primary – Mr Muniandy
- Upper Secondary – Mr Krishnan Nair / Mr Maran
- MBA – Dr. Gunalan / Prof. Dr. Maznah (UUM)
- DBA – Prof. Dr. Subramaniam (UUM)
Dr Siva also hopes that his story will cause more to be more appreciative of their teachers and not forget about their contributions when they succeed in life later on.
“When you reach the top, you must never forget your teachers as without them, you’d never have succeeded in the first place.”
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