Latest update January 29th, 2025 1:18 PM
Latest News
- “Now is the time to take more loans”-Sport Minister
- Oil-rich Guyana would be bankrupt if it gave $1M to every family – Minister Bharrat claims
- Five-year-old among two killed in Israeli attacks amid Gaza ceasefire
- Introducing biometrics without legal framework would be unconstitutional – GECOM
- Brutus wants High Court to quash PSC Tribunal
Raj Mangal cremated after stirring tributes
Honest, incorruptible, accountable, preserving, patriotic, reliable, dedicated, committed, a man of values and principles, outspoken and someone who believed that the impossible can become possible.
Those were the attributes that referred to veteran educationist, Rajkishore Mangal, as hundreds gathered to remember his life on Friday at his Philadelphia Street, New Amsterdam residence.
“Sometimes when you had no faith in yourself, he believed in you, and he had faith in you. He saw possibilities, where you saw impossibilities; where you saw hindrances, where you made excuses where you said it is impossible, he said it can be done, it’s possible”, said Michael Hackett, UG lecturer and one of Mr Mangal’s friends. 
As the tributes flowed, many remembered Mr Mangal as a man who “has brought you from crayons to perfume”. Many said he literally brought his former students and teachers whom he trained at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) in Berbice, from nothing and shaped them into something.
“You are what you are today because of Mr Mangal. His life is living through you. His body may be dead; his spirit and soul may be going, but the values and principles he stood for, they continue to live through you,” said Mr Hackett.
Mr Mangal was also remembered as a man who was very up- to date with the times. It was mentioned that during the last few years in his life, he joined Facebook.
“At heart, Mr Mangal was a young man. He was very active on Facebook. His last message was on September 18, when he reported the death of one of his BEI students in New York. He was so concerned about his former students. That was his last message on Facebook,” one of the tributes said.
Regional Education Officer, Mrs Shafiran Bhajan, called Mr Mangal a “trailblazer”. She recalled in the early 90’s when he and other educators fought to have training of secondary teachers in Region Six.
She said that the need for lecturers for CPCE Rose Hall Centre arose and Mr Mangal did the impossible. He started a Diploma in Education (Dip Ed) Course at Rose Hall and he selected six graduate Head teachers. They then graduated and began to lecture at the CPCE Rose Hall centre, with Mr Mangal selected by the Ministry of Education as the Head –of- Centre.
“We can stand in awe and look at this man; this man who stands tall, in the national, and I dare say international landscape. He saw only the golden people. He did not see the mud in them”, she posited. She noted that Mr Mangal believed in people and made them what they are.
She extended sympathies on behalf of the Education Ministry as well. Also in attendance at the gathering was CPCE Rose Hall Head-of-Centre, Mrs. Norma Stuart; Principal of CPCE, Ms Debra Thomas; past Principal Mrs Permaul, and other CPCE staff from Georgetown.
Past and present teachers who were trained at CPCE Rose Hall Centre also gathered around the casket and sang their College Song for Mr Mangal. Past and current staff of Berbice Educational Institute, as well as school children from various schools also attended.
Earlier in the day, his body was taken for one last visit to the school he served for many decades, the Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) where the students lined the corridors and observed one minute’s silence.
A representative from the Office of the President also attended and a Guyana Defense Force (GDF) guard was present to ceremoniously hoist the Medal of Service that Mr Mangal was awarded in 2002.
The body was cremated later at the Reliance Arya Samaj Crematorium in Canje.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
A warning to President Ali on U.S. Overtures
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- It remains unknown what President Ali told the U.S. Secretary of State during their recent... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
