RESUMO
Background: As students spend a third of their time in classrooms interacting with teachers, thisqualitative study sought to understand the role of teacher-student relationship in the students’ subjectiveconstruction of academic resilience.Methods: Individual interviews were conducted with seven at-risk students preparing for the IIT (IndianInstitute of Technology) examination through the “Super30” coaching programme, which resembles thetraditional “Gurukula” system of learning in that the student (or “Shishya”) stays with the teacher duringthe preparatory period.Results: Findings showed that Turnaround Teachers engaged in democratic, identity-affirming and virtueprioritizing messages to promote academic excellence in at-risk students. It also brought to light the bidirectional, deeply caring relationships that were at the centre of these interactions. High expectations ofteachers as well as appropriate limit setting interventions played a significant role in strengthening sociallyoriented achievement motivation in students coming from collectivistic cultures.Conclusion:Findings emphasize the urgent need to strengthen these accessible protective forces by offeringnecessary educational interventions so that academic success becomes a reality for every child, regardlessof external resources.