Selfless service, discipline, approachable and lovable were some of the attributes of late Sushila Jagdish Surlacar who passed away on 8 August 2016 at ripe age of 78 years. She was the woman behind the man, late Dr. Jagdish Manguesh Surlacar, the founder of People’s Higher Secondary School and School for Appropriate Learning (S.F.A.L.). Being the wife of an educationist, she imbibed some of the virtues of her husband.
The glorious era of People’s High School in the last forty years has been primarily due to the yeomen service rendered by the duo who gave it their all to take the school to the pinnacle of glory. The chequered history of People’s in the last eight decades has seen the institute grow to an unprecedented level of progress.
Ms. Sushila Rao joined the school in the year 1965 and for the next three and half decades served it, first in the capacity of a teacher and then as a headmistress. Armed with a degree in Arts and a degree in education, she gave a new dimension to the teaching of Hindi subject. Having been a recognized actress during her childhood days, she dramatized many a topic to make the teaching learning process as effective as possible and thus carved a niche for herself in the teaching fraternity.
Gold house was her adopted home in the school and she strove tirelessly to give it her all to make it to the highest levels of excellence and glory. Dance and music was her forte and she would never shirk away from any duties be it even menial on many occasions. She was truly an epitome of an ideal teacher and a true role model for many an aspiring and budding teacher. Her legacy will be cherished for times immemorial by all those who came in her company on varying occasions. As we pray for her soul to rest in peace, we at People’s take a vow to move ahead in her desired footsteps and the path laid down by her.
