At first there appeared to be nothing wrong with Indar. He was a charming well-brought-up boy who was great fun. He and I got on very well together. 

I had been brought to India because he just did not seem to be doing well enough to pass his entrance examinations to Pembroke College, Oxford, where his father had been and wanted his son to go. 

There was nothing wrong with Indar’s intelligence; he was a responsive pupil and a quick learner. 

After teaching him for about three weeks (and playing squash with him etc.) it suddenly dawned on me that Indar’s problem was that he had no self-confidence; he did not believe that he had any abilities. As soon as I realized this, which his parents hadn’t, I was able to help him. 

He didn’t need teaching or coaching; he simply had to be made to believe in himself, to believe that he could excel in things if he gave them his best attention. Slowly, over a period of about two months, I changed Indar’s attitude about himself by concentrating on the things that he was good at and glossing over the areas where he was not so strong. He became much more confident and believed that he could excel in anything if he really set his mind to it. He had never been lazy – it was just that he did not have enough confidence in himself. 

For me the results were very gratifying as his character did not change in any way whatsoever – he was still the same charming well-mannered boy, not at all cocky or over-pleased with himself, but his work improved enormously; he had the confidence to write really incisive essays and reviews. And he seemed much happier. 

I had become his mentor and it was wonderful to see the change in him – which no-else would have noticed. 

Needless to say, Indar passed his entrance exam to Pembroke and is happily installed there. MD