Teachers' Day 2024: Celebrities Tell Us Who Played A Pivotal Role In Their Life

Deepika Singh

My first teachers were my parents, especially my father. It important to have a teacher or guide because especially in the initial years in the childhood because somehow you meet your teachers on the regular basis they have a very huge impact on your personality. I used to always see my father with books, inspite of the fact that he was a businessman and would come back home late. Still he would read a few pages from a book, and that habit I go from my father, that we should always educate ourselves. Used to read from the novel five to six pages or maybe a book. So education, because it is important to be educated. He was very strict and would wake me up at 5 am and then we would go for a morning walk. That is why on holidays also I prefer waking up early because I am able to achieve so many things, fitting in meditation and yoga into my schedule. On the other hand, my mother never bribed me with chocolates and never let me eat anything which is made up from maida, being very health conscious.

Vedika Bhandari

Both my parents — my mum is a teacher and my dad loves teaching. And something that they always talk about is the importance of discipline. Everything has to be in a routine, which is something that I think this generation really lacks. I believe the current generation has a very casual attitude towards everything and I also sometimes go wrong and this is something that I always get yelled at for. I would also want to mention two teachers in my school. I had an amazing Chemistry teacher, Miss Shroff and a Maths teacher, Miss Joshi. And both of them were incredible, apart from just being knowledgeable. They had amazing personalities and their fashion sense was totally on point. They both had their own individual styles and that is something I looked up to all the time as a child in school.

Sumbul Touqeer

A teacher who has significantly influenced my life is my father. He has always been my biggest support system and guide, both in my personal life and in my career. Aaj jo bhi hu unki wajah se hu. He taught me the importance of hard work, perseverance, and staying grounded, no matter how successful you become. Having a teacher or guide in your life is really important because they help you grow and succeed. They show you new ways to look at things and push you to be your best. A good teacher doesn’t just teach you stuff—they inspire you, keep you motivated, and help you get through tough times. They believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself, which makes them super valuable in both your personal and work life. I think my dad has been the guide in my life. Woh mujhe galtiyaan bhi karne dete hai jisse mein sikhu.

Mukti Mohan

My Godmother Neeti Di has been my guru, guide and philosopher. She introduced me to the world of cinema and Anurag Kashyap Sir himself, and I got my best education in films by assisting him on the project Bombay Velvet, where Neeti Di was the female voice of the album. Anurag Sir is my mentor and friend who encouraged me to read and watch world cinema and he even insisted that I do theatre and get introduced to various scripts. It’s serendipitous that I got to audition for Thar and A Wedding Story which was headed by Raj Singh Chaudhary Sir and Abhinav Pareek Sir respectively, and they both regard Anurag Sir as their mentors as well. I feel blessed that in my journey I got to learn from them all at different times.

Sheena Chohan

Arvind Gaur taught me the ABC of theatre along with five years of training as an actor, so I could understand and fit into characters, instilling in me the discipline of my craft. His mentorship shaped my ability to give complete conviction to character, allowing me to be a blank page for my directors. On this Teachers’ Day, I honour him for giving me the tools to create characters that resonate deeply with audiences. I just won the Best Actress Award in Comedy and it’s because of the training under him.

Vardhaan Puri

My lawn tennis coaches Janardhan Sir and Prakash Sir made a huge difference to my life in my formative years. They coached me from the age of 5 until I turned 16 and taught me the importance of competitive sport in all round development of the mind and the body. Both of them were firm yet loving, a heady mix in the making of a sportsman. My sportsman spirit is all thanks to them. A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning. As the Japanese say, “Better than a thousand days of study is one day with a great teacher.” I truly stand by this.