Arvind Kejriwal
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Star debater as a student, now CM
Yogesh Kumar,TNN | Dec 31, 2013
Moved by a young boy's oratorial skills, Asha Srivastava had adjudged him best speaker at a debate competition in school. He subsequently became her student. The next time she came face to face with him was last week, the same skills amplified manifold, as he spoke at Ramlila Maidan, drawing people in droves to a political pulpit he had just reincarnated.
Sitting in front of the television in her Gurgaon home, the septuagenarian watched Arvind Kejriwal, the boy she had taught history to in classes IX and X, change the course of Indian political history at his swearing-in ceremony as chief minister of Delhi, capping a phenomenal debut for his Aam Aadmi Party.
Srivastava taught Kejriwal during his academic years at Hisar in the early 80s, at the Campus School in CCS Haryana Agricultural University. "As a teenager, his sincerity was touching," she said, speaking of her former student the same way the common man now speaks of the new Delhi CM. "I always knew Arvind had a brilliant mind and he would do well in life," added Srivastava, who retired in 2001.
Like his political journey in Delhi, Kejriwal was an outsider in the Hisar school as well because it mostly admitted children of university employees. But with his meritorious academic record, Kejriwal got admission there. "He was part of the school's debating team, participated in various events, and won many competitions," said Srivastava, who had met Kejriwal before he came to Campus School.
"I first saw him as a boy participating in an inter-school debate, where I was the judge of the event. I adjudged him best speaker. Now, when I see him speaking on TV, I recall the same firmness and sincerity I witnessed decades ago," Srivastava said.
In class, she recalled, he used to ask questions relating to politics, history and the passion he had for debating was worth noticing. "I always asked him to read books outside the usual course and syllabus which he followed as a student," said Srivastava.
Unfortunately after class tenth, she has not met Kejriwal but always came to know about his achievements. Being herself an AAP supporter, she is waiting for the party to fight election in Gurgaon and Haryana this year. "Everyone wants to get rid of corrupt politicians and system I am sure much like Delhi, people of Gurgaon will also support AAP for corruption-free governance," she said.
