‘A caring mentor’: Remembering Prof Raymond Aubert, the former French teacher at SPPU who made Pune his home

Professor Aubert joined the Department of French at the then University of Pune in 1974 and taught BA final year and MA students until 1980. A respected academic and a beloved teacher, he considered Pune his second home and left an enduring mark on both colleagues and students.

At the gathering, his former students recalled him with immense joy and nostalgia.

“He gave me a lot, the one who made me who I am as a teacher,” said Sudnya Athale, professor at the Department of French, SPPU, and the Alliance Française de Pune. “He gave the department much more than just academics — he gave his students the wealth of culture,” added Surekha Kher, former Head of the Department of French at SPPU, and former president of the Alliance Française de Pune.

They remembered him as a caring mentor who not only taught language and literature but also introduced them to French culture, often bringing magazines and encouraging them to explore beyond textbooks. With a keen interest in drama, he directed and acted in plays, making French learning lively and memorable.

Students fondly recounted his unique bond with them—taking groups to movies, sharing meals, and embracing Indian culture. Known as a lover of good food, the iconic thali at Rupali was his favourite. Known for his warmth, he forged lifelong ties with his students that went far beyond the classroom.

Even after returning to France, Professor Aubert stayed closely connected with his Indian students and colleagues, often visiting Pune and Bengaluru, where he stayed with his adopted son James and his family.

For Pune’s academic community, his death is the loss of not just a distinguished professor but also a cherished friend whose generosity, affection, and passion for teaching will be remembered for years to come.

(Ruta Patil is an intern with The Indian Express)