A Salute to Ms. Martis: The Teacher Who Changed My Life Through Words and Wonder

Sriranga VN
Jul 23, 2025
3 min read

Teachers day salutations! Guru brahmhobya namah!!

You are bombastic! Ms. Martis, exclaimed in exasperation. Rangnath! Keep it simple. Ideas are more important than the high sounding words. Write simply, precisely n with words which make a impact!

Ms.Rita Martis was our new English teacher who had come all the way from Bangalore to teach in our provincial school at Dharwad. She was a tall fair lady, an Anglo-Indian who inspired awe in students whenever she taught. She always wore a well starched prim saree with a half sleeved blouse which distinguished her. Her face with high boned cheeks and sparkling eyes and a rare smile, which would dazzle in merriment when we came upto her exacting standards in our school work. Her face crinkled and she scorned, when she felt we were not doing our best.

She taught English to our class. And what a way she taught! She stood in the center of the class, and the poems which she read and explained, line by line, took a new life of its own. Deep inner meanings which we never had fathomed burst to life in vivid colours as she read the poems in her sing song voice with gestures of her hands which reinforced what she was explaining. Each line of the text she explolated took on a new images, and showed us new worlds which existed.

All of us the students, existed to somehow reach her superior standards in our class work, and get a smile, a word of praise or a cheery well-done from her. She was like the bright light, everybody used to look to to brighten the days, in our otherwise monotonous school days.

Ranganath! She called. I was scared and my heart pounded with terror, as she called me to her desk right in the center of the classroom. She had been correcting our English essays and calling each one of us n giving her comments and suggestions.

Come here! Stand infront of the class she said. I was petrified, sweating all over. My heart beat wildly, my ears rang and I felt a spinning sensation in my head, as I slowly stood facing the class. Did u write this essay? she asked. Yes, ma'am, I answered in terror.

She quietly opened my essay book and said, read it to the class. Now, as I stood holding the book, I felt ashamed and could not help but stutter as I stared at the pages.

Rangnath! Read it she said. I started reading in a slow stumbling voice. No, no, she said. Give me the book. And she started reading my essay in her flawless voice. I stood with my head lowered and staring at my feet.

She finished reading and said in a loud voice, Well done, beautifully written! Looking at the class, she said, all of u read his essay, find out why the essay is well written, and you too practise it when u write.

I could not believe my eyes, as the class clapped n I made my way to my desk. I felt light headed, giddy n rode the clouds all day long.

Ms. Martis became my fav teacher. I fell in love with reading books with enthusiasm. I went out n purchased books and more books, devouring and enjoying them passionately.

A new life had opened for me, where I would be lost in enchantment, wonder, knowledge and forget myself and the outer world, and live in the magical world.

I read more and more each day, all because of the inspired teacher who enjoyed teaching n brought it out in her way of life.

She inspired me and countless generation of students, whom she touched with her heart and dedication. She gave us the wonder of a new world which existed in books and reading. She turned our life into a beautiful world of inspired living.

Thank u Ms Rita Martis and to all our teachers, Gurus and Elders! You all made my life! You all changed the path of my life! Thank u ma'am. I salute you all with tears of gratefulness for opening me upto the world of possibilities, hope n good times....

Ms.Martis passed on several years back, but see the impact which she made on me and all her students...