Dubey, a mathematician-philanthropist

Sailaja Kumar, Contributor/Karawang

What is the sum total, the meaning of life? Ask a certain mathematician and he will tell you this. Add sports, healthy food and music for recreation, divide your troubles with logical thinking and multiply your joy with friends. The sum of this equals life.

So says Manoj Dubey, the Principal of Texmaco DPS International School (TDIS) in Karawang.

Living by numbers, Dubey's career has been a series of discoveries, of incrementally increasing awareness and knowledge.

In the field of education for more than two decades, he began teaching in DPS R.K. Puram, New Delhi in 1983; one the best schools in India, and shifted to TDIS Karawang in 1999.

The school follows the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum. TDIS Karawang is affiliated to the Delhi Public School Society, which groups more than 100 schools, and CBSE has over 7,200 schools based in India that are internationally recognized.

Mathematics for Dubey is not merely a hobby or profession but a passion, he says, and he has developed an intense love for the workings of numbers.

The subject scares off many students and Dubey says much of his job involves passing on his enjoyment and mastery of the subject to his classes.

"Do not allow mathematics to take you over, you must take over mathematics...," he frequently says to his students.

His analytical approach teaches them not only how to solve specific problems in steps but also how to find solutions logically to other problems they face in life.

A veteran of math seminars and workshops, Dubey has a deep insight into the teaching of math. A keen reader of technical literature, he has written more than 10 text books on math published by Tata McGraw Hill for sixth to 12th grade students.

Learning math, he says, teaches one analytical and logical approaches, which can be applied to any problem. Students should always question things and never banish the "hows" and "whys" from their minds.

"Doubts signify an intelligent mind. Speak them, empty your mind -- and make room for more doubts to surface."

The school of ancient Greek philosopher-mathematician Plato had a motto: "Students having no interest in math are not welcome here." This is a maxim Dubey says he also he follows.

However, Dubey is well-known among his colleagues for leaving no stone unturned in his search to find interesting new ways to teach math concepts.

He is equally known for teaching economically disadvantaged students outside of class hours for free.

But life is not only mathematics. Sport, he says, helps people make friends and keeps them fit. A self-confessed badminton and tennis freak, he spends his evenings playing lawn tennis, badminton and table tennis and coaches his students.

The mathematician also has a love of classical music, which he says inspires him to action.

An environmentalist, the principal feels it is his responsibility to encourage the respect and understanding of nature -- the theme of the school's environmental club, which has made students aware of pollution and the need to plant more trees for cleaner air.

At his behest, other welfare programs in the spirit of community service have been organized in the school, including a blood donation scheme.

Dubey is pained by the religious extremism currently prevalent in the world and the ruthless massacres that occur in the name of different gods.

A proper understanding of subjects like science and math would definitely enlighten the intellect and reduce fanaticism, he says.

He feels the success of Indians in the field of information technology internationally can be attributed to the strong foundation of Indian students in math.

Like his favorite subject, Dubey is multifaceted, and he can be complex. But it is possible to sum him up. One part each philanthropist and mathematician, with a dash of sportsmanship, a touch of creativity and an eco-friendly heart that is powered by a teaching fervor, Dubey is also a man of peace.

A strong believer of Gandhian philosophy, he feels that all the problems faced by the world can be resolved through nonviolent means, like negotiated settlements. Violence, he says, only brings more destruction.

"There is no way to peace," Dubey quotes Gandhi, "... peace is the only way".