A Life Lived on Her Own Terms

A tribute to Armaity Desai - teacher, mentor, changemaker, and a life well lived

- Farida Lambay

I still remember the very first time I saw Miss Desai. She walked into the classroom in a crisp blue Kota saree, a string of elegant pearls around her neck, and delicate gold-and-pearl earrings — the same pair she wore all through her life. In her hand were several files and notes. She carried herself with quiet dignity and unmistakable presence. That day, she began her lecture on research methodology.

Her clarity of thought, sharpness, and poise left a lasting impression on me. Before ending the class, she looked up and said matter-of-factly, “We have ten minutes for clarifications.” It was my first glimpse of the woman who would shape my professional and personal journey for the next 52 years.

Her subject — field instruction and curriculum construction — remains fresh in my mind even today. Those lectures were not just about concepts; they were about building a way of thinking. Later in my career, I began teaching these same subjects — education, learning, and training for the trainers. Much of who I became as a teacher was shaped in those classrooms with her. From her, I learnt the importance of good listening, empathy, and respecting learners. She taught us to start at the pace of the learner, to acknowledge the learner's presence and perspective, and above all, to be relevant.

Desai didn't like the phrase curriculum construction. She felt the word construction implied something static and fixed. She preferred to call it curriculum development, because for her, education was dynamic, alive, and must respond to changing social reality. That subtle shift in language reflected her larger vision — education must evolve if it is to truly empower.