Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday while addressing convocation at Lucknow University spoke about his teacher, who used to cane him and his classmates in school and waited on the roadside to garland him when he became a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. An emotional Singh remembered that when he was traveling to his hometown, he saw the "Maulvi sahab" holding a garland to welcome him.

But as a tribute to his teacher, who was particular about discipline, the minister garlanded the Maulvi sahab instead. "When I was in primary school, a Maulvi sahab, who was our physical education teacher, used to cane students if they indulged in indiscipline. After the punishment, we would do the right thing.

"When I became education minister of Uttar Pradesh... On the way to my hometown... Near Chandauli, I saw a 90-year-old man on the roadside... I immediately recognised he was my teacher.

"I got my vehicle stopped. The Maulvi sahab was holding a garland to welcome me ... I garlanded him instead, touched his feet and sought blessings. My teacher started crying and that made me emotional too," the minister said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh urged students to maintain "maryaada" (dignity) in life as he exhorted them to take a pledge to make India "Vishwa Guru".

Addressing the 60th Convocation of Lucknow University here today, he said, "I am the Home Minister of India, even then I do not lower my dignity. Maintaining dignity in life helps a person to become great."Singh said, "The law of gravity and Pythagoras's theorem were given by India to the world. There are many things which India had given to the world. All we have to do is to take a pledge to make India a 'Vishwa Guru' (mentor of world)...And to make India a 'Vishwa Guru', the youths have a major role to play."

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The home minister was also honoured with a honorary degree of DSc. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma were present at the ceremony."I had even asked the vice-chancellor not to bestow upon me the honorary degree as I do not consider myself 'laayak' (worthy) of it. But, when the VC cited tradition, I agreed to it," said Singh, who represents Lucknow in the Lok Sabha.