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Students write to school to stop transfer of beloved teacher
The letter, shared by his parents online, quickly struck a chord with people across Maharashtra. A video showing students crying and hugging their teacher as she prepared to leave the school was widely circulated, prompting an outpouring of support and admiration.
Pune: For eight-year-old Hameed Suyog Bendre and his classmates at Sadhana Primary Vidyamandir in Hadapsar, the news came as a shock: their beloved teacher, Sharda Dawade, was being transferred. What followed was an emotional farewell that moved not just the students and their parents, but also thousands on social media.
Hameed, a Class 3 student, wrote a heartfelt letter hoping to stop the transfer. His handwritten note, addressed to the school’s management, captured the honest sentiment of a child who couldn’t imagine the school without his “Tai”, as Dawade is affectionately called.
“My class teacher is Mrs. Sharda Dawade Tai. Today I came to know that she has been transferred and will not teach us anymore. I started crying after hearing this,” wrote Hameed. “Tai teaches us very well. She never shouts at us. I want her to continue teaching in our school.”
The letter, shared by his parents online, quickly struck a chord with people across Maharashtra. A video showing students crying and hugging their teacher as she prepared to leave the school was widely circulated, prompting an outpouring of support and admiration for Dawade’s dedication.
“She’s like a second mother to him,” said Hameed’s father, Suyog Bendre. “The letter was written by him on his own, inspired by a conversation we had. He was writing about our trip to Sinhagad Fort in his diary when we noticed he had also written this note. It was overwhelming.”
When contacted, Dawade chose not to react about transfer.
Parents of other students echoed the sentiment. “She has been my daughter’s teacher for five years, and I’ve never seen anyone like her,” said Kalpana, a parent. “She checks each notebook personally, uses her own smiley stamp, and simplifies math in a way children love.”
Another parent shared, “She eats her tiffin with the students, checks what they’re eating, and even advises us not to pack junk food. That level of personal care is rare these days.”
Namrata Jagtap, another parent, said, “She treats every student equally. Instead of praising one child, she includes everyone—‘We all drew good paintings,’ she says. She doesn’t take phone calls during class. Her commitment is unmatched.”
