Introduction
Lakshman Prasad is an inspiring lecturer from Bangalore, India, who has helped many realise their goals and has taught many students the right way of living. His unique way of teaching style is what makes him different from others. Teaching became his first priority of life. He says teaching is his passion. His inspiration is Annaiaha, he says. Let's have a glimpse of it here.

I was a very average student when I was in my Grade 8 and 9. I got just 277 out of 600 in my Grade 8. I got just 36 in Mathematics. If they had given 2 marks less than that, I would have flunked and wouldn't have been able to do or reach to this post today. I would not have been what I am today. In my Grade 10, I scored 54.23%. So opted for science in my college. I felt science is never my cup of tea and so jumped to commerce. When I entered commerce, there was a lecturer by name Sujata. She did influence me at that point of time. You can never predict twists of life. Once she was taking class and she happened to ask a question that is a little science based. I was the only person who answered it, as I just had come from science and had learnt that while I was there. She totally appreciated me and she said one thing- "If you can excel in one thing, you can excel in anything." A statement can change your life like anything, I realised. That was really a turning point of my life. I felt so encouraged. And a new kind of energy was getting generated, I could feel. That statement of hers made me feel that nothing's difficult and I can do it. Surprisingly in my second year PU (Pre-University) I topped my college. I never expected that.. When I entered my first year degree, there were some friends of mine. We used to do combine studies. I used to help them solve problems and used to teach them while studying. Thence they started asking me to teach and they used to say that I teach well and they could grasp easily when I teach them and they also appreciated the methods that I used to adopt while teaching. I am not sure, whether they were genuinely praising or they were praising because I shouldn't get hurt, I am not sure. But somehow that boosted my confidence. I started feeling that even I can teach. I started giving them different problems with new adjustments. Also used to help them solve those problems. I continued doing that. There were few people in the first year who flunked in Economics. We all sat together and I taught them some chapters and helped them solve some problems. Fortunately they got all similar problems in their exams and they cleared it. From that day all my friends started telling that I can teach and I can be a good teacher. We completed our B.Com. I was sure by then, looking at the encouragement that used to receive from my friends that if I stay stuck to the same set of people, I am sure to achieve something. Then some of the Juniors in my college became my friends and they started asking me to teach them accounts. So I started going to their houses and teach them accounts. Though I was teaching them the problems given in the text book only, somehow they were able to grasp it really well. They also started telling that my techniques are good and I can be a good teacher. My parents wanted me to do CA. My brother wanted me to do the same and even I had that desire of doing my CA. I felt encouraged and had little confidence that I can do CA. I did my articleship. I started attending classes. I wasn't doing well nor was I keen. There I understood that I can't survive here anymore. My friends got me application for M.Com. I had to go to Mysore for Audit. My friends only got my application as I was in Mysore. I filled it. I got admitted. I completed it successfully but in second class. I couldn't pass with flying colors. I was not so confident about my teaching. But the belief that my friends had in me and my style of teaching, compelled me to believe that, yes even I can teach. When I joined the college as a lecturer, I decided the very first day that if I am doing something that is going to be teaching and nothing else. Students also started accepting me and my teaching.

Not one or two.. There are so many people whom I have to be thankful today. Whatever I am today, it is not because of me but because of them all.(Question: So you don't have any role models?) From the day I started, I had one thing mainly on mind was that I should be into social services in any form possible. I believe that humans are created by god to help others. Even in negative things there are lots positive that can be derived. It is all in what you perceive. Well to give you an example, there was a lecturer whom I came across in the initial days of my profession. He always used to say- "This job is so boring.. Neither the students are interested nor am I." Whenever I saw him saying that, I always reminded myself that I should never become like that. I somehow should make this field more interesting and should encourage stu-dents to come forward. All it demands is an attitudinal correction. Like I said it all lies in one's perception. If you exist, your presence should be respected. You will be respected for the same reason. In any profession the content that you have inside is what earns you respect, not the head weight. Knowledge lightens the person and never allows one to build ego. Money did not drive me so much. I never said it is not important. By God's grace I am 1000 times richer and popular than what I deserve. I keep thanking God for that.

It was then, the early part of my college days, where there was no concept called as tuitions. Even if there were, we had no enough money to go for tuitions. More than money, we were not allowed to go and nor were we interested and so keen to get admitted there. Then how do we learn.. There were so many gaps that were not filled in the college. Then we got to know about an institution called Yuvaka sangha. Then all we friends joined there together. There we got to know about "Annaiah".

Talking about my inspiration, Annaiah is indeed one of my inspirations. Yuvaka sangha was founded by Annaiah and a friend of his by name Krishna in the year 1944. (Yuvaka Sangha is an institute cofounded by Annaiah. This institute coaches students free of cost) struggle. He had his parents though, he started living in Gandhibazaar (the area where Gandhi ji gave speech) itself. He some-how felt that education is the way to bring positive changes in the society. The same reason what driven him to start "Yuvaka Sangha". If you go to Yuvaka Sangha in Basavangudi, you can see a long queue of students waiting for their next class. I don't know how peculiar an idea can people get. He got this idea of starting coaching classes for School students. With some well-wishers he started a coaching class in HB Samaja (Name of a party hall). Then he started free coaching in Abhala ashrama(place for disabled). When I joined as a student, I never could understand his value. But today as one of the volunteers, I realized the quality of that man. The kind of work that he is doing is definitely not an easy thing. Yuvaka Sangha is popularly known as "Annaiah University". Annaiah was closely connected to many big shots of the country. If earning money was his motto, he would have earned it in uncountable Crores. But he always wanted the betterment of the society and has always worked hard for it. He dedicated his whole life in serving the society. He didn't even get married. He had hun-dreds of acres of land and he sold one by one to bear the expenses that were incurred on students. Today he is 80 plus and cannot speak much. But in spite of that he ensures everything's going right. And students are benefited. His years of committed work have gained him many followers and today there are many well-wishers who support his vision. He says he is happy to serve stu-dents for their betterment always.

He adds - "Today people are behind power and what they have forgotten is to strengthen the actual power of nation and that is what I believe in doing. Students are the real future and we need to empower them to see a better tomorrow."

I am also one of the volunteering faculties of Yuvaka sangha. There are many renowned professors, lecturers who come down voluntarily after their jobs and teach students. I feel I am nothing in front of Annaiah. I salute him for his legendary work. I have never seen such a selfless man in my life.

Each one has an individual role to play. You can't play mine and I can't play yours. The world is full of competitors. But remember there is no bigger competitor to you than yourself. You have to compete with yourself daily and work hard to get better. Never compare yourself with others. Most of the people are living dead and depressed because of this whole wrong idea about the concept competition. Let our perception grow by our age and not decline. Think noble.