The poem on the professor was written on 06 April, 2004. She is a professor with the Centre for Political Studies (CPS), JNU, New Delhi. This is being published without her permission. Photo Courtesy: JNU website. Click here for her faculty profile (JNU). Note: the poem may have grammatical errors/typos.
1
I think we should acquaint all with professor number one
Yeah! Good guess! I indeed mean her – Gurpreet Mahajan
She is very different from others under the sun
The enviable neighbour of professor Zoya Hasan.
2
She is our teacher – political philosophy – semester second
So in Marx and Kant she gives us a friend
All those obstinate thinkers she tames and bends
And our attitude too which often needs some mend.
3
Whole class held her in awe before meeting her
And lo! She turned out to be soothing like fur
Shh! Shh! Speak softly! Just a murmur
Or we may make jealous any of her peer.
4
In the very first class she told all of us
Not to come late and make any fuss
That is okay. Class is not a blue-line bus
Allowing all to board – those on time or those on rush!!
5
No! No! Wait. I think I have this to add
That those ten minutes late will not drive her mad
She said we can enter then though it is bad
Ah! She knows procrastinating ways of young ladies and lad!
6
She comes to our class an hour after eleven
And delves into Hegel etc. probably now in heaven
And unravels them – the thinkers – some six or seven
Explaining and critiquing necessary as and when.
7
She attaches importance to the Tuesday’s tute
Inviting all for discussions – gabby or mute!
Tutorial is for real. It has no substitute
It is indispensable for all – ordinary or astute.
8
In one of those tutorials she has just discovered
That the whole idea of it is being clobbered
Perhaps lacklustre attitude! No progress, we hovered
So she will ensure that no aspirations are being lowered.
9
In many seminars she is there to be seen
You may have seen her if you have been
She listens attentively like a child or teen
Whosoever speaking – foreign dignitary or local dean.
10
In one seminar when all of us there
Came James M. Lyngdoh – an EC so rare
Discussed democracy and its ills – us he scare(d)!
And Gurpreet checks next day how in listening we fare.
11
She asked us what were the important issues -
To determine if we really understood his views
And she replaced with new – our bulbs – that did fuse
And tightened here and there our screws getting loose.
12
I saw there is someone who hugs her like a child
And makes our professor look so innocuous and mild
Perhaps her one time teacher? – professor emeritus Bhambhari. C. P.
They are fools who say she is fierce and creepy.
13
Enough of the professor – let us now discuss the woman
Who will indeed give many – for their money a run
Do not mind if the byproduct is some fun
I will speak the truth and shall stick to my gun.
14
When she dons western looks like a CEO
Who only means business – friend or foe
Straightforward. No ambivalence. Either yes or no.
Sophistication written all over – from head to toe.
15
I must say she has a very tall stature
Which transcends beyond any physical feature
You may confuse her for the Mother Nature
Oh! The professor! Lovely, sweet, power-packed creature.
16
Now I will deconstruct the name – Gurpreet Mahajan
‘Gur’ is jaggery – so sweet! ‘Preet’ – love! Wait, not yet done
and ‘maha is great and ‘jan’ is a person
so “Sweet love great person” is Gurpreet Mahajan.
17
It is sex appeal when a woman attracts a man
It is style when a woman attracts a woman
But there is something profound in Professor Mahajan
For she has charm which attracts both man and woman.
©Vikas, JNU, formerly at CPS (MA).
Click here to read a poem on Professor Madhavan K. Palat.
Well done Vikas Sir…every single word u penned is so true about her!!!
Wow…. @
But there is something profound in Professor Mahajan
For she has charm which attracts both man and woman.
She must be truly special (:
Well done Mr. Vikas
The way you portrait Prof. Mahajan is worth praising.
Though I’m from Panjab University and has had heard a lot about her. And ur poem beautifully tells me that whatever I have heard about Prof. Mahajn is true.
I wish in near future I may have the chance to met her as well as u who penned such luvly poem.
Vikas,
I am not acquainted with you, but certainly thank you. For a scholar and thoroughly student-minded teacher like Professor Mahajan, no praise is enough. New M.A. students may be a little shaky in her first few classes – let them be! Sometimes, a mild whip needs to be cracked when the reward is going to be great and manifold. She loves Social Science, she serves Social Science and she is certainly a bright example for generations of students.
Sujay,
Thanks for your insightful comments. You are absolutely right.
Hello Sheeba,
Thank you for the comment; glad to know other people also think like me about her! And you can call me just Vikas! Welcome to the blog.
Thanks Rohit. Feel free to contact me when to come to the campus. You can leave me a mail from the contact page here when you visit.