Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is Teacher's Day?

September 5. India celebrates Teacher's Day on the birthday of former President S. Radhakrishnan, who was a Professor of Philosophy.

2. Why are you running a Teacher's Day Campaign?

Teachers love to hear from students. So, light up a teacher's life by contacting her.

Here's your chance to impress the teacher (finally!) and prove that her efforts to educate you were not in vain. Relive your school days. And watch out for the sting of nostalgia -- you'll wish that you had contacted your teacher earlier.

Read a few experiences.

3. I haven't written or spoken to a teacher for years. Wouldn't it look odd if I suddenly wrote or spoke to her?

No, there is nothing odd. Teacher's Day (September 5) is an occasion to remember teachers. It gives you a good excuse to shake off your inertia and kick-start a habit.

You really don't need such reasons; you can contact a teacher any time of the year.

4. I would like to contact a teacher. Any tips?

Congrats on your decision. Here are a few things to remember.

  • Visit: We recommend that you call in advance, find a mutually convenient time, and then visit the teacher. If your equations with the teacher are extremely good, you might want to drop in (a surprise visit!). If so, please visit before 9pm.
  • Call: To call a retired teacher, the best times are probably between 0900-1300 hrs, or 1700-2100 hrs. For others, it's best to call in the evening between 1630-2100 hrs (all times IST).
  • Write: If you are in India, it's best to post your letter around 1 September; if you live outside India, please send around 20 August. Letters need not be handwritten. Throw in a photo of you (or your family).

5. Er...what do I tell a teacher? Or write?

Always self-introduce. Say your name (as it was in school). A few teachers might be able to place you immediately, but don't bet on it. So, follow it up with the batch you belonged to. Names of 1-2 classmates or the School Leader of your batch are best. Saying "1986 ICSE" may make less sense unless she was your class teacher in your final year.

Ask her how she is.

Say/write where you are contacting from, and what you do. It's good to give your occupation, and immediately follow it up with your designation and firm. For example, "I am an engineer, working as Systems Analyst in ABC Corporation, New Jersey (USA)." A sentence or two about the nature of your work could be added.

You can talk about your family, your hobbies, and what you remember from school (any anecdote involving the teacher). Similarly, you can ask about her health, whether she's in touch with other teachers, what her children do, etc. A teacher might recall old boys from other batches...and even mistake you for somebody else. Do not despair. It's all part of the fun.

6. Ok. I've contacted a teacher. Now what?

7. I have another teacher's contact info. How do I add it to this wonderful database?

Please write to us and claim your reward in heaven.

8. The contact details of a teacher are wrong. What do I do?

We have verified most addresses and phone numbers. If you've noticed an error, please inform us, even if you do not have the teacher's correct address. While writing to us, please tell us your source of information. We'll re-check and do the needful.

Please remember to contact another teacher on or around 5 September.

9. I don't see my favourite teacher's name and address. Why?

Most likely, it is because the teacher's address is not available with the school. Our chief source has been the school, which maintains a list of teachers' addresses. As far as possible, we've updated it for this website. For phone numbers, we've supplemented it with our personal knowledge, and also referred/verified using the Kerala Telecom website. For e-mail IDs, we've pooled our personal knowledge. We invite you to add/correct an address, phone number or e-mail ID.

This directory was last updated 5 September 2008.

Further queries? Please contact Ashok R Chandran (1991) .

Credits
This campaign is run by Ashok R Chandran (1991) and Asif S Kalam (2005). Ms Soni B George and Ms Deepa Pillai helped us get teacher addresses. Syam Nath S (2007) chipped in with phone numbers and e-mail IDs.