Today was the last day of my training program for Kolkata Shoppers Stop. Though I was not well for last couple of days I worked hard to make it a success. Post my session while I was packing my laptop, I saw my students discussing something and they asked me to wait for some time. I was to meet a friend on the way back to airport and it was not possible for me to wait for long. I told them about my plan and left the training room. When I was about to enter the lift a couple of students asked me to come to the training room. I walked back to the training room and to my surprise there was a big cake which they arranged as Guru Dakshina for successfully completing the training program. I invited everyone to hold hands and cut the cake together.

Post the cake cutting ceremony they gifted me a big greeting card and a couple of gifts. I was in dilemma as I can’t accept gifts from my trainees. Shoppers Stop Unit Head and Unit HR asked me to accept the gifts as Guru Dakshina. Usually I don’t accept gifts from my trainees but on my colleagues from Shoppers Stop’s insistence I accepted the gifts. While I was about to leave the training room a couple of students tried to touch my feet. I stopped them from doing so, hugged them instead and thanked everyone for their kind gestures and left the training room.

Guru Dakshina for me

I started my journey for the hotel and all my way I kept thinking about my students, the respect they showered and the ‘Guru Dakshina’. As a professional I get my professional fees for the training programs. Do I have any moral right to accept such gifts as ‘Guru Dakshina’? I don’t have the answer and I doubt there can be any answer for this question. The only thing I want from my students as Guru Dakshina is wherever they go and whatever they do, they must do it with Belief, with Passion, with Enthusiasm and with keen Desire to excel in their lives. My proudest moment would be to see all of my students having accomplished their life goals and helping others accomplish their goals as well.