It takes not just intelligence, discipline and commitment, but also a good human being to be a good teacher. Krishna Kannan has been all that and more for my little girl Gautami for nearly two years now.

An accomplished Hindustani Classical singer, Krishna is a gentle soul so full of grace and positive aura. Her aim is not just to teach the tunes to the child, but awaken the true joy of singing and learning, and hone that simple, yet difficult, art of expressing creatively.

Last year, Gautami was preparing for a singing event at school and I called up Krishna a few days before to check if she could correct mistakes in the tune, if any. Krishna said, “I do not like to correct the child. Let her simply enjoy singing, the music. If she loves what she does, mistakes will disappear on their own.”

I could then draw a parallel and realise what she actually meant. That if your child sits down to write a story, the first thing you should not do is to tell her to focus on her handwriting.

Whatever Krishna does, she does it with her heart filled with compassion, for the sheer joy she derives out of music. No wonder it’s not just my child, I have seen many other children in our community showering so much of love and affection on Krishna… hugging her, kissing her and jumping at her to get a peck on their cheek. Superior!

Her mellifluous voice is so instantly soothing and lovable. In our community gatherings, it ain’t over until Krishna sings. Period.

Happy Teachers’ Day, Krishna!