Sister Monica and Prof. Reena Mathur

Lovely Gervasis is a Superintendent of Central Excise at Ahmedabad. Born in 1967 at Jaipur, she did her schooling from St. Angela Sophia Higher Secondary School and graduation in Science with Zoology and Chemistry from Maharani’s College, Jaipur.

The Angel at Sophia

Being educated in a convent school I got the experience of having nuns around as our teachers. I remember one such teacher named Sister Monica. She was taking classes in the primary section of my school, St. Angela Higher Secondary School, and taught English, Moral Science and Crafts.

She was a good soul. All the students liked her for her kind and loving persona. She never ever got angry and could tackle any situation with ease and care. She was well over 60 years of age when I was in the school. She was the kind of person who would be crying in the pain and sufferings of her students and regardless of her age; she would become one with the kids and teach the children with action, sounds and emotions that made learning a very easy task

Although she passed away before I left school, l remember her vividly. In fact during our reunions where we never fail to talk about the teachers of our days we never forget to mention Sister Monica - Our Angel.

Zoology Craze at Maharani’s College

This was the year when I had just entered college; apprehensive about what the college life would be after the pampered and protected school life.

Upon admission than I got a lecturer in Zoology by the name Prof. Reena Mathur. She was a contemporary teacher and her dressing also was a kurta with pants and a jacket on top. A very unencumbered person and did what she knew best i.e. teaching. It was surprising to see that during her lecture the Lecture Theatre would be dripping students with almost double the number of students than the original zoology students, but she would never ask the ones who were extra in her class to leave as she knew that they were there because they liked the lectures delivered by her.

She used to teach with such zeal and enthusiasm that there would be pin-drop silence in the class in spite of the fact there being double the number of students in the class. She would give such neatly labeled diagrams which made the learning a good experience for the students. She was an inspiration for many of the girls in Maharani’s College, Jaipur.

Among many other things she is into taking counseling sessions in Jaipur Jail. She still continues to be very active in her own way. Truly, a gem of a person and an inspiration for many.