In Memory

Uma Prosad Gupta

 

Remembering Uma Prosad Gupta

Uma Prosad Gupta, or "Mr. Gupta" as he was known by his students at SXS, taught Bengali and Geography from 1970 to 1979.

Uma Prosad Gupta, teacher, social activist, writer, orator, sports enthusiast and tabla player, passed away on 01 September, 1981 just at the age of 50 after suffering from a massive cardiac arrest.

Uma Prosad Gupta was born on 01st August, 1931 in Burdwan, West Bengal, India. After finishing his Graduation (B.A., Honors) from Burdwan College he went on to do his Masters (M.A., Bengali) from City College, Calcutta (now, Kolkata) and later capped it up with a M.Ed. degree to take up a career in education and teaching. A conspicuously towering and imposing personality, he stood tall at 6 feet and 2 inches.

His first assignment as a teacher was at Duff High School, Chinsurah, Hoogly district in West Bengal where his mother, brothers and sisters had already shifted from Burdwan, sometime before the demise of his father, Haridas Gupta. He then moved on to teach at Mohsin College, also at Chinsurah where he spent a substantial period of his early career. It was there that he became a social activist, aimed largely at the education and awareness of the youth recently liberated from the British Raj, but still carrying the revolutionary hangover.

He got married on 15th March, 1962 to Aparna Gupta, also a teacher by profession from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand (then, Bihar) and later shifted to Hazaribagh in 1970 due to increasing political unrest in West Bengal. There he took up his teaching assignment at St. Xavier’s School (SXSH), where he remained everybody’s favorite, the very loved ‘Bangla Sir’ till the last day. He was also a great mentor to the seniors in the school, often fulfilling the role of a friend, philosopher and guide to the boarders. Though he carried very good relationships with all the teachers and priests there through his very amiable nature, he was particularly close to and influenced by Fr. Kevin Cronin SJ, who was also his first rector and principal at the school. After a substantial stint at SXSH, he went on to take up his next assignment with Annada High School and College, also at Hazaribagh. It was there that he took his last breath while still on an invigilation duty during the examinations for the students.

While at SXSH, he took avid interests in sports, games and extracurricular activities. He was a very good football player and was a familiar figure under the goal posts during the carnivals and the student versus teacher matches. He was also a regular in the weekends at Sitagarah campus, where he used to impart free lessons in tabla and academics to the needy and interested students. He was a good writer, whose stories and articles were published in the Bengali magazines and journals. His oratory skills also made him very wanted and popular at public functions and social events, both at SXSH and outside. A man of great integrity, honesty and humility, he respected all religions alike and used to visit the temple, church, mosque and gurudwara with his family and friends. He was also a very lively and humor loving person, who used to enjoy the company of others.

His two sons, Indranil Gupta (elder) and Avranil Gupta (younger) were day scholar students at SXSH and passed from there after doing their ICSE and CBSE in the years 1982 and 1987, respectively.

He is fondly remembered and greatly missed by all those people who were associated with him and influenced by his persona, in some way or the other.

Info provided by Mr. Gupta's son,  Indranil Gupta, Class of 82

View photo of Mr. Gupta as class teacher.



 
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06/07/12 02:04 PM #1    

Shanker Mazumder (1976)

Sir was a fastidious and natty dresser in giley kora kurta and pure white starched dhoti and gold buttons...he never wore his curly hair long ( always neatly trimmed)..and he had two pens..one in blue ink and one in red ink..his absolutely beautiful small and measured handwriting ..Muktor moton.. he knew Tagore inside out..and with his occasional grunts..he would transport us bengali students into a different world...he should have been HOD Bengali in a big university...in Bihar...Bhagalpur or Ranchi...instead we were all the richer for having him as our bengali sir..he was very honourable man of very high principles who could not brook any injustice or bad behaviour to anyone especially women..at home he dressed in the simplest of dhotis..I know Sir Samonto was very good also..however I have not met a more brilliant and qualified bengali teacher like Mr Gupta in my life who has left a lasting impression and given me the thirst for bengali literature...(my father's grandfather's younger brother is by the way Indranath Mazumder ...Srikanteyr Indranath..Sarat Chandra...Bhagalpur)


02/09/14 01:12 AM #2    

Indranil Gupta (1982)

Dearest Dad,
I again thought of you specially today, but then that is nothing new.
I thought of you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often pray your name. All I have are beautiful childhood memories of school, black-and-white snapshots in my family album and a big picture of you up there in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, from which I will never part.
God has you in his arms, the sky has you in it as a shining star and I have you in my heart.
I love you very much and will always miss you.
Till Eternity!


03/09/14 10:04 AM #3    

Sudeshna Sen (Chakraborti)

I knew Mr U.P.Gupta from the time he became our neighbourhood's 'jamai' having married Aparnadi. His gentleness and amiability were two of his most memorable qualities coupled with his very open hearted broad smile which reached his eyes. Not everyone can smile in such a child-like manner.

At school meetings he would often bring up issues related to the welfare of students that sometimes irked some of his erstwhile colleagues who were not entirely his admirers. One year, Rev. Fr. Currrie came down from XLRI to do a workshop with us over two days trying to sensitize us to the needs of the growing child.I remember Mr Gupta being a very enthusiastic participant.

Did you know he was an amateur palmist? He would often reassure my worried mother that I should have no problem finding (?) a good husband and so she should not sweat over it. He came over to befriend Ranesh when we were married and would drop in to chat every now and then.

I am glad that the HOXA Admin has started this In Memory page for Mr Gupta. He deserves to be remembered for his scholarship, his love for his pupils, his openness of mind, his sense of humour and his gentlemanly behaviour towards all ladies. Such qualities in a teacher, that too in a school in Jharkhand (then Bihar) were a revelation. Today when I see school children balking at having to study Bengali/Hindi and Math or Chemistry, I feel sad and remember teachers like Mr U.P. Gupta and Mr. B.N Tagore, another legendary teacher of Annada High School (AHS) and later St Xavier's. On the eve of Teachers' Day I salute these seniors as I do my father  Dev Kumar Sen, Headmaster, AHS, and Chemistry teacher par excellence, another legend in Hazaribag. Such men do not become teachers in today's India. 


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