When we try to recall our school days, they tend to blur into vastly happy memories, with some sad, some inspiring, and many inane moments that stand out. There is one particularly strong memory of Mr. Shekhar, my history teacher in class XII, and the school vice principal. Known to be authoritarian, he had a very stern demeanour and was generally considered a terror. He was ruthless in admonishing boys with long hair and missing top buttons on shirts, and in those days when capital punishment was considered a necessary part of disciplining wayward school children, he did not shy away from wielding the cane (figuratively!). But Mr Shekhar was a vastly different person as a teacher, on a one-to-one basis. He was demanding, yet very gentle in getting the best out of his students. We were never afraid to speak our mind in his class. Above, all he was an extremely fair person.