Attempting to recall my first day at school yields little success, yet I do remember one of my initial days. My school, a Marathi medium establishment, was situated within a temple around 1965. The only supplies required were a slate, known as 'paty,' and a chalk pencil called 'kadi.'

Kindergarten, or 'opri' in Marathi, was one among five classes sharing one hall and one teacher - a recipe for chaos. Each class rhythmically recited lessons or tables, taking turns copying from the board based on the teacher's discretion.

During that time, education was primarily between students and teachers; parents played minimal roles. There were no parent-teacher meetings, and educators were free to discipline students as they saw fit - occasionally causing pain.

After studying in Marathi until third grade, I transitioned to an English medium school, repeating the third grade and losing an academic year. Comparing today's schooling with our past experiences reveals stark contrasts. While I cannot dispute the quality of modern education, our era's schooling undoubtedly fostered resilience for facing the future.