MUMBAI : It is said that everyone, in some respect, is a teacher, some just work harder to do it better. And we couldn't agree more. A teacher doesn't necessarily have to mean someone teaching in school or college, and a teacher can be that one person who taught you the meanings of life, or who pushed you and motivated you and encouraged you, to do better. So on the occasion of Teacher's Day, celebrated on September 5, celebs talk about their teacher, mentor and guru. Read on:

Rishina Kandhari : People who teach me life lessons - good, bad or ugly, all are my mentors in a way. Whatever I am today or whatever status I’ve obtained in my life are all because of life’s learnings from various types of people. I call my self ‘Eklavya’ and every other person for me is ‘Dronacharya’. Currently, I’m doing a show for which I’ve to speak in a Rajasthani Marwadi dialect and my director Dharmendra Sharma and my co-actor Neelu Vaghela are teaching me how to speak in it. So for me, they are my gurus on the set.

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Shashank Vyas : Every teacher has played a marvelous role in my life, but my mother was the biggest teacher. She is the one who teaches you how to walk and walks along with you. She taught me how to read people. She is one who doesn't discriminate between kids, whereas in schools teachers discriminate between kids. Once a teacher told my father that your son has no ambition, no goal in life, as I got very less marks in the exam. I feel teachers should give more attention and warmth to students who are weak in studies, it will help them more. Instead of numbers they should teach the kids how to deal with failure. It is a far more important thing to be taught.

Nishant Malkani : I think a guru or mentor is somebody who stands by you wants to help you grow mentally, physically, emotionally in every possible way. They are someone who tells your mistake and criticises you when you are wrong. He always has your back to support you, protect you and guide you. I have many people who have been teaching me and helped me grow and I am lucky to have some very good mentor. But I think the best thing happened to when one of my mentors explained to me why I need to professionally learn the art of acting and that inspired me to go to an acting school. Honestly speaking that changed my life completely. I remember we went to Goa on a school trip, and on the way during the journey I started liking a girl and she also used to like me a lot, so we started spending time with each other on that trip which the teachers obviously did not like much. Ao one day all the teachers called me and I got a very good scolding for breaking the discipline and not being part of any activity on that trip. When everybody was scolding there was one particular teacher who was looking at me with motherly instincts in her eyes where she was feeling that I am being scolded for no reason. Later I tried to get guidance from her as I thought she will understand me and she did and also guided me towards the right path. I usually used to score 60 to 70 percent but just to make her proud as she became a very important part of my life, I studied so hard in my class 12th exams that I scored 92 percent. So mentors play a very important part your life if you are lucky to meet the right people.  

(Also read : Rishina Kandhari: I can play anything from tough cop to sexy siren)