Tribute to Prof Rabindra Nath Ojha on 13th May on the Occasion of His 6th Death Anniversary

13th May  on the Occasion of 6th Death Anniversary of 
Prof Rabindra Nath Ojha 
Special Contribution by One of His Favourite Students

My Impressions of Prof Rabindra Nath Ojha

- Krinwant Sahay IRS

Life is beautiful. But its real beauty depends on those forces which make it look like so.There are many such forces like parents,teachers, friends, friend-circle, environment, circumstances etc. But the most prominent force that genuinely shapes different facets of life is the teacher. A teacher is like a ray of light which not only makes us realize what we are but also what we can be. One can fly and fly and fly higher in the infinite open sky, but the attainment of goal is possible only when there is a certain direction and a definite path with a clear-cut vision to achieve it. Here, it is the teacher who attaches rhythm to the wings of his students who wishes to fly higher. It is the teacher who teaches not only how to fly but also how to fly better with a purpose and meaning. 

Prof  Rabindra Nath Ojha Live on DD National 

I really don't know what to write about  a person who in fact, taught me how to write. I wish, I could have learnt a little more from him so that I could do justice to what I write. Prof R.N.Ojha is the person I hesitate to write about the most.Ink has no emotions and emotions have no shade.

I still remember so clearly, about 30 years back, I used to visit him quite often to get my essays corrected. But it was not only the language but ideas that came from him so vividly that shaped the thinking process. I could see his emotions not through his words but through his eyes. As a teacher even, he was so sensitive to his emotions that he rarely expressed them in insensitive manner.

When melody is put in words and rhythm gets arranged, putting together, poetry is born. I had this feeling while he was teaching Wordsworth. As a teenager at that point of time, I could have missed in appreciating the soul and spirit of poetry, but I could feel it in abundance, even at that point of time because feeling is not the monopoly of grown-ups only. The beauty of Prof. Ojha's class-room teaching was that he did not only tell the meaning of words or lines of the poems but what he attempted was to convey the feelings hidden behind the literary cover of words. So, his effort to convey the feeling rather than meaning of the poems/prose he taught, distinguished him from others.

Apart from being a distinguished teacher, Prof. Ojha is a wonderful writer also. His writings compiled in the form of books as "Satyam Shivam" and four others are just master-pieces. His command over Hindi language is simply superb. Not that, he uses words as he likes, rather his words get full expression through his thoughts. His descriptions of Durga - Mandir in Bettiah , its surroundings, the element of spontaneity of festivity prevailing in the environment during 'Dushhara' festival are something to be seen to believe. His success as a writer therefore, goes beyond words he uses in his essays, it lies in the spirit he attempts to describe.

Apart from being a distinguished teacher and a successful writer, another aspect of  Shri Ojha's personality that touches me the most is the human element in him. In my opinion, it is this element that makes him outstanding. To appreciate others' problems and attempts to resolve them in the most possible humane manner has been the most focused thing in his nature.

I think, any writing about Shri R.N.Ojha will never be complete without a few words about his wife whom I call 'Chachi'. I have always been blessed with her simple, graceful and motherly smile. I remember, 25 years ago when I got admission in JNU, during every semester break, I visited Bettiah. Whenever, I was in Bettiah, I visited his residence quite frequently. The kind of response that I received from them, can hardly be described in words. Even when Ajay Bhaiya (Ojhaji's elder son who is two years senior to me) was not in Bettiah, I had a long chat with Ojhaji and Chachi. I remember, I used to tell them all stories about JNU and they just listened and listened to me. 

I think, I am too close to Ojhaji to give an objective account of him or his personality, still my effort to write a few words about him is nothing but my sheer respect to him. 

"This article has been taken from the book 'Viprah Bahudha Vadanti' (Rare book on multidimensional personality of Prof Rabindra Nath Ojha) published in 2000."