Honoring dedication: Sylvia Geetha D'Souza celebrated for inspiring generations on Teacher's Day
Sylvia Geetha D'Souza, a veteran science teacher at St. Joseph's High School, has dedicated over 35 years to shaping the lives of countless students. Known for her commitment to education, she has continued teaching even after her retirement, serving as a true inspiration for the entire school community. Her remarkable contributions were recently recognized during a Teacher's Day ceremony.
D'Souza, who began her journey with the institution from its founding days, has been teaching various subjects across the board. Her unique approach goes beyond textbooks, involving students in co-curricular activities such as writing and performing plays, often with the aim of creating social awareness. She has also guided her students to achieve success at the national level, including in the prestigious Inspire Awards.
Recently, D'Souza visited a healthcare facility due to some health issues, including breathing difficulties caused by prolonged use of chalk and blackboard in her classroom.
During her interaction with Dr. Haroon Hussain, a, it came to light that she had been using chalk to teach, despite modern alternatives like marker boards. D'Souza explained that she continued to teach with limited resources at the school where she serves. And inspite all the limitations was giving her 100% to bring out the best in her students.
The team of employees, including Mr. Rakesh, Mr. Dhruv kulai Mr. Lokesh Mugher, Mrs. Priyamvada, Mrs. Jayshree shetty, and many others, alongside Dr. Haroon Hussain and Dr. Sameena, unanimously felt that Mrs. Sylvia Geetha D'Souza's decades of dedicated service deserved recognition. They believed her unwavering commitment to educating children, even after retirement, exemplified the essence of a true educator. In recognition of her invaluable contributions, the team came together to honor her, acknowledging not only her long years of service but also her extraordinary passion and perseverance.
In a special ceremony, Mrs. D'Souza was honored by all those present and gifted modern teaching aids to replace the traditional chalk and blackboard, reflecting a small but significant upgrade to support her continued efforts. The gesture symbolized the appreciation of the community and her peers for her tireless work, despite the challenges she has faced.
Mrs. D'Souza stands as a living example of how one can make meaningful contributions to a healthy and educated society, even in the face of limitations. She has consistently gone above and beyond her call of duty for the sake of educating and inspiring countless students. Her life is a testament to the power of perseverance, dedication, and a deep-rooted belief in the importance of education. Her selfless service continues to impact not just her students but the entire community, demonstrating how one individual’s commitment can inspire positive change in society.
In her response to the honor, Mrs. D'Souza expressed heartfelt gratitude and reaffirmed her commitment to continue her mission of educating future generations. She encouraged others to follow their passions and serve society in whatever capacity they can. She remains a beacon of hope and an inspiration, reminding us all that true service is not bound by age or circumstance but by the desire to make a difference.
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'Traitor' jibe: HC issues notice to police, Sena MLA on Kamra's plea against FIR
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to Mumbai police and Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel on comedian Kunal Kamra's plea challenging an FIR lodged against him for allegedly passing a "traitor" jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
A division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and S M Modak said it would hear Kamra's petition on April 16.
The comedian has failed to appear before the Mumbai police for questioning despite three summons issued to him.
Following a complaint by Sena MLA Murji Patel, the Khar police in Mumbai last month registered the FIR against Kamra under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation).
"Issue notice to the respondents (police and Patel). They shall take instructions and respond to the plea," the HC said.
Three FIRs registered against the comedian at Nashik Rural, Jalgaon and Nashik (Nandgaon) have also been transferred to the Khar police.
Kamra's counsel Navroz Seervai informed the Bombay HC bench that the Madras High Court on Monday extended till April 17 the earlier interim transit anticipatory bail granted to the comedian.
The petitioner has offered in writing thrice to the police to allow him to appear for questioning via video conference in light of the dangers and threat to his life, Seervai said.
"It seems that the police authorities are not so keen on recording his statement but more on bringing him here physically," the senior counsel claimed.
Kamra is presently in Tamil Nadu where he has been residing since 2021, as per his plea.
"This is not a case of murder. It is an FIR that has stemmed from a stand-up comedy show. He (Kamra) is ready to cooperate with the probe but through video conference," Seervai said.
The bench said it would consider all issues on April 16.
During the show, stand-up comedian Kamra had taunted Shinde, without taking his name, using a modified version of a Hindi song from the film "Dil To Pagal Hai" where he called him a "gaddar" (traitor).
The comedian went on to joke about how Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership (in June 2022).
In his plea filed on April 5, Kamra claimed the complaints against him were violative of his fundamental rights of freedom of speech and expression, right to practice any profession and business and right to life and liberty guaranteed under the Constitution of India.
He sought for the FIR to be quashed, claiming the allegations, even if taken at face value, do not constitute an offence.
The comedian also sought the HC to protect him from any coercive action including arrest, seizure of his personal electronic devices and examination of his financial transactions and accounts.
"To permit the investigation to continue would constitute a frontal assault on the freedom of speech and expression. Should a citizen's right to comment on the political developments and actions of political leaders be criminalised in this manner?" the petition said.
Kamra said his remarks made regarding the split in the Shiv Sena, Shinde quitting Uddhav Thackeray's Sena faction and being sworn in as the chief minister at the time (in 2022) are all part of records.
The plea said the FIR has been registered on a stand-up comedy performance, which provides satirical commentary on various social and political events of the country.
There has been a gross abuse of process and the malafide deployment of the criminal justice machinery by a member of the state's legislative assembly, resulting in a patent violation of a citizen's fundamental rights, it claimed.
As per the petition, Kamra wrote the show's script in July 2024 and performed it on 60 occasions between August last year and February 2025.
A recording of the show was uploaded only in March 2025, pursuant to which case was lodged, it said.
