From helping kids pass their Science exam to making art to animal welfare - I interviewed my old tuition teacher to find out just how she does it.
Rita Parekh was the tuition teacher I studied under from fifth grade all the way up to ninth. She taught me Maths, Science and Marathi, and while I have happily left those subjects behind me, her teachings have stayed. In those years since our paths diverted. ‘Rita Miss’ as I am used to calling her, has done so much. I have seen her spread her wings into art and writing while still taking tuition classes and working to advocate for animal welfare. Seeing all the things that she has done has been so deeply inspiring and it is my honour to now have the opportunity to shine the spotlight on her vast array of hobbies and talents.
“I've Been Connected to Teaching for Thirty Years now”
Rita Miss has been teaching for a long time, three whole decades to be exact. In that time not only has she saved many children from failing biology, she has also written a book that she is looking to publish and done a good deal of work for animal welfare. When she herself was in the tenth grade she made the choice between her two passions in life: sciences and art. "I wanted to become a doctor basically,”, she told me. This dream sadly never became a reality as she was unable to score the 50% that was needed in her 12th grade boards. Instead, she became a microbiologist and paramedic working in Jaslok Hospital. Through all this, though, she had already been teaching students. “Along with that I liked teaching, so teaching was going on right since I was myself a student”.
“I Want To Take It (Art) To A Particular Height”
Art is a large passion of hers, she has been doing it for a long time, however she did have a bit of a pause in that pursuit for about ten years. This passion was only revived in 2020. Art was how she was able to rediscover herself during that tough time.
"For my Happiness- like I started- but then it went on to professional level.” Her journey with art had started a long time ago but it has fully “revived” and become a huge part of her life. She is completely self taught- never having taken any professional classes or coaching and yet her art has been showcased at an exhibition and can be bought for as much as Rs.300 online! She does canvas painting using oil paints and acrylics. “But I always want to try new things, whenever I see I try to learn those”. One major hurdle in this pursuit however is time. Rita Miss takes classes almost non-stop from 2pm all the way till 9pm. Most people would be feeling highly demotivated to create a beautiful piece of artwork after seven hours of dealing with children but Rita reports the exact opposite.
"After 9:30 also till 1 o’ clock I go on with my artwork.”
Art is to her the perfect de-stresser from her busy and hectic day.
“I Want People To Fall In Love With The Stray Animals”
Rita has also written a book that she is looking to soon publish, a real story turned into a fictional one with animal characters, that hopes to spread her message of animal welfare. Now, before doing this interview the words ‘Rita Miss’ and ‘animal activism’ go hand in hand. She has a cat, two turtles and most recently a dog, and I’ve known her to be one of the people that feeds all the dogs and cats who live in our building. So, imagine my shock when I learnt that her love for animals did not always run so deep!
Rita used to have a fear of strays, often hiding when she saw a dog on the street. It is her daughter that inspired her to fight for animal welfare, it was her that brought the practice of helping the neighbourhood animals into the family. One of which was a little injured kitten that I know as their slightly spoiled family cat: Mewmew.
“Without asking me she got her up and then it was really difficult for me and my husband to accept and then we started loving that kitten so much that it became part of the family.” That was in 2012, but in 2023 the same thing happened again, with the small puppy being quickly added to her growing family, with much more preparation this time. Rita went from being scared of animals to being surrounded by them. She fed about fifty animals that lived on the street outside our buildings and they all became a vital part of her life. “A few years down the line I was so surprised when so many dogs jumped on me and I would hug them, which I could never (have) visualised.”
Rita’s story is nothing if not inspiring. She stands as a true testament to the fact that we can do anything if we give it time and put in the effort. Her story shows us what can be achieved by having a genuine love and passion for the things you do, and I am overjoyed to be able to share her story.
Written by Tista Sengupta
Tista wrote this article as a participant of the Media-Makers Fellowship's July'24 cohort.
This article was adjudged the 'Best Profile' created in Week 1 of the program.
Comments