Teacher's Day 2011 - A walk down memory lane

Gurur Brahma gurur Vishnu gurur devo Maheswarah |
Gurur sakshat parambrahmah tasmi sri gurave namah ||

Technology has a funny way of taking us to the past.  Connecting up with Sulochana Miss (literally my first teacher, along with Kamala Miss) on Facebook and visiting the CV Group (thanks to Shobha) presents a wonderful occasion to take that walk down memory lane every so often.  MCC School, of course, continues to be my backyard…a place with so many fond memories, one which had a large part in my childhood.  So, what better occasion than Teacher’s Day,  to think of all the teachers who have shaped and moulded my life.  Not all of them were “teachers” in the classic sense of the term, but looking back, I realize they played very effectively the role of a teacher.  So, this post is dedicated to all of them.

The fondest memories of school are of course reserved for the days at Chinmaya Vidyalaya; those were still the days when Engineering or medicine was not the raison d'être of school education.  This was primary school and we were far removed from the usual worries of jobs and careers.  I distinctly remember Sulochana Miss and Kamala miss receiving us very warmly at the school gate, and actually carrying us into class, sometimes.  (It was a pleasant surprise to discover that the same teacher, now Kamala akka, taught my son too in Class I)  These were teachers who really cared for the children, and made us feel really happy coming into school.  All through my school life, I can never remember an occasion when I thought school was drudgery.  The other teacher from school days, who remains firmly embedded in memory is Shri K N P Nair – the school principal.  School Assembly was something he lorded over…a disciplinarian who gave us some very valuable lessons today…that I still believe are the foundation stones of who I am. One story that will never go away from my mind is his description of Arjuna taking aim and seeing only the bird’s eye – a lesson in focus.  As we moved into Class V, Ms. Prema Mohanraj and Mrs. Jairaj are two teachers who remain etched in memory.  Mrs. Mohanraj, took the liberty of telling us the story of The Count of Monte Cristoe, even though she handled Science.  Laxman used to break into tears every time he got up to read about the troubles Dantes had to endure, while we went about endlessly repeating ao to get the right pronunications in Ms. Nirmala Jairaj's class! :)

Moving into MCC School in Class VI was a given – my father was a teacher in this school.  Mr. Clement J Felix with his charismatic personality was perhaps the most impressionable figure at that time.  Mr. Loganathan is another teacher who carried on where Mrs. Mohanraj left.  He used to read to us Papillon and Henri Charrière kept us company through the three years that Mr. Loganathan was class teacher (Class VI, VIII and VIII).  The best memories of school, however, were on the playfield where as an athlete and footballer, we kept winning laurels for the school.  Mr. John Mark, was the football coach and PT master who inspired and encouraged us, as we went on to win the State Level Football tournament.  The first of the informal teachers was my brother who coached us and who was an inspiration to the entire team.

Mr. P Viswanathan, my Chemistry teacher was the person who I should thank for helping me get into BITS, Pilani.  It was he who convinced me that I should go to BITS, Pilani.  Of the days in BITS, I can’t actually remember any one teacher who has been a great influence on me. Well, I probably spent more time on the play ground of BITS, Pilani… BS Shekawat the Physical Director (for make-up permission letters), Kamala – the Asst. Mess Manager of SV Mess (always making sure I ate well), are people who I can remember having helped me. As a friend and co-athlete Tanvir Ali Khan was perhaps the biggest influence on me at that time.  The football team was wonderful…and we went on to win the GD Birla Memorial football tournament.

Dr. V S Rao, is perhaps the only teacher who during our thesis semester used to spend time with us in the Chemistry lab (don’t ask me what I was doing there…it had something to do with how Insulin got absorbed in the body..) I got to meet him much later in life…and I carry very pleasant memories of my interactions with him.  He has since, gone on to become the Director of BITS, Pilani at Hyderabad.

I don’t believe education ends when you leave college.  Learning is a lifelong process, and you tend to learn from everyone.  There have been ever so many people, right from my first Boss, Venkat, to Hari (who continues to be my mentor), Paddy Iyer, my colleagues and friends who have at various times played different roles as guides, mentors and teachers – all of them ultimately influencing and helping shape who I am!

To all those teachers, by profession or by role, I thank you, for guiding me through life.

Hiding with the Pandavas!

‘Ah silence at last!  Poor things! They must be really tired after that long trek to the waterfall and back.’   Ayush walks back to join his friends at the Bey Stadium after checking that it was lights off in all the rooms.  If you thought an active day out was a good summer vacation idea to keep your kids engaged, take that risk only if you think you can outlast their energy levels! While parents nursed weary limbs and aching backs, for the little ones it was just another ‘regular day’.  So, for once the kids had a peaceful night just doing what they pleased while the parents slipped to silent and not-so-silent slumber.

When Ecologin (http://www.ecologin.org) helped organize a holiday for us, we never imagined it would be a test of endurance, but it turned out to be heaps of fun too.  For someone who has tried to steer clear of conducted tours and preferred to use my vacation more as a retreat, it was not with a little trepidation that I had agreed to go along.  However, much to my delight, it turned out to be a whole lot more fun than I could even imagine.  Having missed the earlier outings with this group (the parents and children of my daughter’s class), this was the first time that my schedule allowed me to join this group.  While the previous trips had been short ones to locations not very far from Chennai, this was the first time, the group had ventured into something a little more adventurous.  And it was also the first time that an external team had also been included for organizing this trekking holiday.

Marayoor was the destination http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marayur).  And nearly 30 of us in the group (adults and children in almost equal number).  We got down at Erode and the folks from Ecologin were there to receive us.  After a meandering drive which took us past the Tamilnadu border and into Kerala’s Idukki district, we stopped for what would be our first trekking adventure on this trip – to a waterfall, which was about 3 km, as the crow flies; however, not being crows, it seemed more like 30 as the bunch of mostly 30+ (and some 40+) trudged heavily through a narrow trail carrying backpacks that suddenly seemed to weigh a lot more than when originally packed!  Lunch on the way helped transfer the weight from the backpack a little closer to our center of gravity, but I don’t think that helped much.  By the time we saw the waterfalls, there were at least a few people who were already worrying about the trek back!  It is peak summer in Kerala with the mercury touching 40⁰C, but feeling more like 45⁰C.  And so to see a waterfall at this time of the year was indeed a welcome surprise.  Except for a minor mishap when one of the parents slipped and hurt his head, having the water beat down our backs was like a Kalari massage to loosen up the stiff muscles.

The next couple of days too were spent walking with backpacks up and down hills and through gravelly narrow trails.  Marayur is famous for its dolmens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolmen) a portal tomb that apparently dates back to the stone age.  Marayur itself is a small hamlet, part of five tribal villages in the area (also called anju nadu).  From an educational standpoint, this was very significant from two aspects:

·         A lot of us learned the existence of muscles we didn’t know we had – and the more it hurt the more acutely aware we became of it.

·         If you want to go on a trekking holiday, head to the gym first – at least a month in advance!

While the visit to the dolmens was interesting, it was also sad to see that what can possibly be considered historical evidence that connects people across several countries has been so neglected.  It was also interesting to see mud-houses in the tribal village.  Arul also managed to teach the kids a couple of rope tricks. 

The food was light on the stomach, the living quarters Spartan but comfortable.  The folks from ecologin were friendly and quite well-informed; perhaps a little too fussy about maintaining order – you can’t expect that from 10 year-olds. Or from tired and weary 40-year olds either! Especially when you have come with the intention of enjoying a break!

Certainly a fantastic break! I do look forward to doing something like this again.   And oh yes! The kids enjoyed it too…for all the wrong reasons!  I could hear five-year old Kaveri complaining “What is this walking walking…why can’t we go in the bus (I know at least one other person who would have loved to say that) ! I don’t want to see the birds..it is so boring”.  And yet, she was perhaps the one who didn’t seem tired at the end of it all!!! J

Caught in a time-warp!

For the old-generation Banker, internet banking is still something that befuddles him each day!

“Do you know”, the Bank Manager went on, “in the 1940’s in Tuticorin, where I was born, as a student, we were witness to an extraordinary coalescing of two cultures.  In the town we lived in, a few important people used to walk around wearing a dhoti, pointed shoes, a broad black belt, a linen shirt and a black coat; some would even wear a turban. It was the most grotesque attire I have seen.  This was a period, when the more affluent people, especially those working for the British Government, attempted to imitate their British bosses.  Unfortunately, they ended up looking like buffoons to us – neither in proper British attire nor in our more traditional Dhoti and Angavastram”. 

I had visited the bank to open an internet banking facility for my fledgling business, and was wondering where this  story was headed…when he finished off with a self-deprecating remark about his current dilemma! “You know what…I must be looking like one of those people to you, na!  I am the manager of this branch, and they have given me a computer! But, there is so little I know about this thing!  Can I please check with the IT department and then call you back! We will definitely resolve this issue tomorrow.  You see, we offer this facility to all our SB Account holders, but for business, the procedures are quite different.  Since we have not handled too many of these, I am not sure how to resolve your issue!”

After such a remark, I could not even get upset at the delay! I went back thrice, and after office hours, we patiently went through the procedures manual figuring out how to get to the next step, whenever we hit a road-block.  We finally managed to get this working! An achievement of sorts! I wonder how many more years will need to pass before we will be actually able to take internet banking for granted! 

William Miller awaits a facelift!

The first time I stood there, I was a nervous wreck! Holding a piece of paper in which I had copied out the headlines of the day, I stood there nervously awaiting my turn. I had created mental images of myself, standing there and reading out the news, full of confidence, with a deep resonating voice of Kabir Bedi. However, the final product, when my turn came was something in-between a squeak and a squawk – a part-consequence of my voice choosing that most inappropriate time to graduate into adulthood! I managed to stutter out the contents of the page to a hapless audience, who by the way had little choice in the matter – when it came to listening! The ordeal finally over I dashed back into safe anonymity of another 300 pairs of legs that stood and shuffled in uncomfortable silence.

The weekly assembly in the Miller Hall was an ordeal that stays fresh in the mind, almost a quarter of a century later. But not all memories of this wonderful building are so macabre. Many were the wonderful Christmas dinners that we enjoyed in the company of several other families of school teachers. Memories of Avarachettan serving us generous dollops of freshly-made ice-cream also come to mind; as do the several memorable plays and music performances that were staged in that hall.

The Miller Hall has, for several decades been a memory-laden landmark for those students who have passed out of the portals of MCC School. A multi-purpose hall, it was a canteen by day, a dining hall for the hostel students by night, and transformed itself into several other things during the course of its fifty-plus years of existence. For those old students who visit school, a peek into the Miller Hall is a must-do activity as part of their pilgrimage to the alma mater. Talk to any old student, and they will have a story to tell about the Miller Hall.

"And so the Miller Hall Project, I thought, would be the most appropriate way to celebrate 175 years of the existence of our wonderful school. What do you guys think?" The Headmaster's question brought me back into the present. Mr. GJ Manohar, Headmaster of MCC School was presenting his vision of transforming the now crumbling edifice into a more modern 'designed for multi-purpose' building that would serve the students of the future. We hope to hear more when he announces his ambitious plans for the school as part of the 175^th year celebrations.

If you are an old student of MCC School, take that walk down memory lane. I would love to hear your stories about the school and Miller Hall in particular.

Reservation, women empowerment and Microfinance

There is a huge debate going on about the women's reservation bill. While some of them who are genuinely interested in not seeing this go through, have taken recourse to the extreme step of disrupting assembly proceedings, the vast majority still belong to those who seem to be indifferent to the whole issue. However, there are still others like my good friend Sukumar, who wonders whether this reservation can be extended to other walks of life too, including corporate life. The microfinance movement in that sense has been a great leveler. With women being the preferred clients of more than 99% of the microfinance institutions, urban and rural women among the poorer sections of society seem to be wielding greater influence in their own lives as well as that of their families, and to some extent the societies they live in.

I was privileged to be one of the guest speakers at the recent Business Line Guest Lecture series conducted at the Saveetha University's School of Management. Mr. Vasudevan of Equitas who was presented the special address spoke of the role of microfinance in empowering the women in these societies. While Microfinance may not actually alleviate poverty, what it certainly has managed to do is to make women go beyond the portals of their homes and become even more independent. It was quite a revelation to either discover that more than 60% of the women who are part of the microfinance movement are widows, or have been abandoned by their husbands; the vast majority of those who did have husbands living with them, were probably worse off than those who did not have a male member supporting the family! And in a society where the woman has predominantly been viewed as someone who cooks and cleans, microfinance has been their source of deliverance – given them new respect in their families, and in society. They are now independent, and thanks to their ability to bring home the money, have started having a say in their personal lives.

Why are women preferred over men for offering microfinance services? Well, according to most MFIs, women are more reliable and trustworthy. They are a lot more responsible than men, and have a better understanding of how to stretch the rupee to meet their monthly expenses. More importantly, women are more conscientious about returning the money they have borrowed – which perhaps accounts for the incredibly low default rates we see among MFIs.

How does this translate to reservations or women empowerment? Microfinance has allowed women to start playing a role that extends beyond the fireplace. They now are beginning to have a say in how the money is spent, and are able to influence decisions on savings, education and healthcare for their children. More importantly, some of them assume leadership roles in the SHGs, and this in turn is giving them the power to voice their opinion in community meetings. This is surely transformational in nature, and with SHGs forming clusters, these women will begin to expand their circle of influence. If the MF experience is anything to go by, then we should definitely see a positive impact of women getting into politics. And until such time that this does not happen through a process of natural selection, it may be necessary to introduce legislation to create that momentum.

Yatra Naryastu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devata

Where women are worshipped, there live the Gods.

I believe that we do need reservation, if nothing else to help in restoring balance…or help tilt the scale a wee bit to the feminine side.

The journey continues…..on the run!

How deluded we are, those of us who set the clock 10 minutes ahead, so that we can get to a place on time. It is the same kind of delusion that, after coloring one's hair, allows us to believe that the person staring back at us in the mirror is ten years younger! And the recipe for disaster? Attend a BITSAA event where you take a trip down memory lane; meet friends after twenty-five years. Allow them to convince you that you have not changed one bit in all these years! And then, full of nostalgia and the heady spirit of the evening, accept an open invitation from Vignesh to be part of the Chennai leg of BITS2Marathon the following morning!

And so it came to pass, that on what would have been an otherwise lazy Sunday, I was up at about 5.30 AM and dashing off to Marina, to be part of a motley group of runners. I did have a few fleeting moments of misgiving – those early hours of dawn when they say your head is at its clearest. Did I really want to go and test the limits of my already weak knee? But, I had mentally committed myself to this. Well, I can always stop at the slightest discomfort, I reasoned. And it was in that frame of mind that I landed up in front of a bunch of really eager runners!

I was glad for company – there was Ravi of the '75 batch who made me feel young again; and KKB of the '86 batch, who had ragging not been banned, might have run the risk of getting ragged - being mistaken for a fresher. How fit he was, we came to realize when he ran the 10K stretch with effortless ease, and then went on to cycle back home – a good 15 km away, while I staggered back into the car, grateful for a Sunday traffic, that did not require me to keep my legs pressed on the clutch for long periods!

We decided to run on the inner road adjacent to the beach, which thanks to the new enforcement was bereft of the beach cricket teams – I really miss them. BK had taken the effort to measure and mark out the 5KM route, which meant that we would be running from near the Lighthouse right up to Napier's bridge and back. The threesome who had planned to do the 10K run, got off to a brisk start followed by the rest of us. I discovered that 2.5 km can be really long when you have to cover that distance on foot! When I figured out I could not see the end of the road, I settled down to a more easy pace of one step at a time…one foot after the other…and remember not to land heavily on your left foot! Well, like the story of the tortoise, I can actually claim to have overtaken Vignesh at the end of 2.5 Km!!! I'll let him explain how! J

If there is one person who definitely needs to be thanked (apart from those who helped organize this event, of course), it is Suman, who very cheerfully, cycled up and down and made sure none of us felt dehydrated. The run back to base was far easier, as I drew comfort from actually being able to see the finishing point. As I looked up and saw the lighthouse, I allowed myself to be tricked into thinking that I was almost at the end of the run, and therefore need not stop for a breather! I must say, that really worked well for me!!! J After all, if one illusion can trick you into this run…why not use another to finish it manfully!!!

And so friends – I did it!!! After almost twenty years, I actually did something other than walk on a treadmill! And completed a five kilometer run! Of course, I'm dragging myself to office this morning! I have become aware of muscles in the body that I did not know existed – all of them vie for my attention – equally! Yet, I'm glad I got out there and did it! Conquered my paranoia about the knee!!! And actually enjoyed every moment of the run. Thanks Vignesh! And everyone else who helped organize this! And to KKB, the only familiar face – and the exaggerated stories to make my huge effort look quite normal!!! J

I was amazed to see mails pouring in from all parts of the world! And the kind of amazing response this has generated! But obviously - proud to be a BITSian! Anyone want to convince me about going the full distance?!! J

Independence Day celebration

It was a long weekend and I happened to be spending it at my in-laws' house in Lakkidi, Thrissur district. For those of you unfamiliar with the name, this place is about 25 kilometres from Palghat town and is famous as the home of some literary greats of Kerala – including Kunchan Nambiar. This is also famous for the Sri Rama temple at Thiruvilvamala, and more importantly for Aivar madom – a temple where you perform the last rites to propitiate the soul of your deceased family members.

And like the rest of much of Kerala that I have seen, this is a place that is soothing for the eyes with its verdant landscape, traditional "nalukettu" houses, and pretty women!!! And with practically no industry to speak of, Kerala is an idyllic place – one that has an absolutely calming effect on the mind and soul.

And so it was here, that Independence day found me, off on a long walk, enjoying the cool breeze and overcast sky – one that prevented the sun from coming up and making it a hot and humid day! I set off from home, taking the paths less trodden, in an attempt to get familiar with the terrain and allow my legs to meander in synchronization with my mind.

And this sight, this picture that you see stopped me on my tracks. Here, in this sleepy village, on an obscure corner of a road, which no google map will be able to show you, was a small celebration of Indian Independence. There were about fifteen or twenty villagers, mostly kids, with one of the older boys (the almost man) organizing a street-corner event. Very solemnly they stood around, sang the national anthem, hoisted the Indian tricolor and distributed sweets. I stood in proud silence while they sang the national anthem, watching in amazement the very voluntary and uninhibited show of nationalism. There were no chief guests, no one gave any long speeches about the freedom struggle, no politicians trying to gain mileage out of this…just a bunch of kids having fun!

I was reminded of a recent lecture by Ramachandra Guha which I attended – where he talked about why India was one of the most exciting places to live in. He had mentioned five different revolutions that were taking place … all at the same time! And how we were fortunate to be in such a time…a rare occurrence, which no other country had witnessed before. I remember he talked about nationalism and patriotism being two of the revolutions – along with things like the industrial revolution and the green revolution. I guess, I did not quite get what he was talking about at that time. But standing now, watching this event unfold, I just might have begun to make sense of what he meant.

I accepted very gratefully the chocolate and the flag they offered me, very proudly pinned the flag on to my t-shirt, and resumed my walk. Jai Hind!