GROOMING FOR THE DECEMBER INTERVIEW
“If you want to leave
your footprints on the
sands of time, do not
drag your feet.”
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Three of my favourite
people – who I, always, admired -- and even idolised –- come before me, today.
And, all three of them are no more now. Let me talk a bit about each one of
them…
R. K. Laxman, kept
us all enthralled and inspired for long decades as a gifted cartoonist. Like
millions of people in this country, I, too, would eagerly look forward to each
morning to see his everyday political satire, and, yes, his famous ‘Common man’
saying so much without uttering a single word… What a genius R. K. Laxman was! The
legend has it, that the famed ‘J. J. School of Art’ of Bombay rejected him as a
student, saying, that he lacked talent. In other words, according to the
selection panel, he wasn’t worthy to be a student of this ‘coveted’ institution.
Ironically, today, you walk into this very college campus to witness a statue
of this ‘rejected’ student’s finest creation -- ‘The Common Man’.
R.K. Laxman sketched
his cartoons even when he was paralysed and confined to wheelchair…
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam was born and raised in the temple town of Rameshwaram in coastal Tamil
Nadu. His father owned a boat that ferried pilgrims to the Rameshwarm temple.
To support his poor parents, as a boy, Dr. Kalam delivered newspapers house to
house in his neigbourhood. He studied in a local school, and went about doing
his further studies in Physics and Aerospace Engineering, followed by a
doctoral degree. Through his sheer grit, dedication and genius, he became ‘The Missile
Man of India’… and, finally, became one of India’s most loved and respected
Presidents…
Dhirubhai
Ambani’s story began with the first office of the Reliance Commercial
Corporation, which was set up (in 1958) at Narsinatha Street in Masjid
Bunder (Bombay). It was a 350-sq-ft room with a
telephone, one table and three chairs. Initially, they had two assistants to
help them with their business. He, at a young age, had been to Aden (a city of
Yemen) in search of better pastures. It’s reported, that, in Aden, he worked as
an attendant in a petrol pump. He couldn’t afford to study beyond Matriculation
(Class 10). But, like my other two heroes in this Post, he never stopped himself
from dreaming big, and dreaming original… Thus, after returning to India, he
founded the Reliance empire… He was only 26. And, it needs no more description
from me, here…
Meanwhile, you
may be curious to know, as to why am I remembering, today, these three super
achievers…
More than a
month ago, Anuradha* called me. Her son, Vishruth* studied in one of the
well-known IB schools in Mumbai. She said, the boy was a super achiever and
exceptionally well-mannered. But, she was keen to enroll Vishruth (for class
X1) in Dhirubhai Ambani School in BKC. Post that, she wanted to prepare her son
to pursue further studies in one of the best universities in America (where she
and her husband had done their higher education and worked for many years
before returning to India).
Well, this kind
of dream from a parent doesn’t look a misplaced one. The young boy, as the
mother said, is absolutely a bright kid, and, importantly, well-mannered. Then,
what was that Anuradha wanted from me?
“Sir, Vishruth
has to face an interview in this December to be selected as their student in
Dhirubhai Ambani School. It’s very tough to get into this school… I want you to
groom my boy in whatever way you can. We trust you,” said Anuradha, sincerely.
The trust had come in Anuradha, because, at Vishruth’s age, Anuradha’s sisters had
attended our PD programmes. All of them, presently, have settled abroad and are doing very well. But, unlike Vishruth, all of them, including Anuradha, had
done their schooling and initial college studies here in our local schools and
colleges (State Boards).
So, knowing the
family well, I honestly advised Anuradha not to place excessive importance on these so-called ‘great institutions’. “Vishruth is a fine boy, and, trust me,
he will go places,” I keep reminding her, even after four Sundays
of ‘grooming’. I tell her, that, neither Dhirubhai nor Nita Ambani had to go to ‘such
schools’ to be where they are, today. I keep giving her and Vishruth the examples of R.K.
Laxman, the ‘J. J. School reject’… and, Dr. Abdul Kalam, who went around in his village delivering
newspapers to support his poor family. I quote the ‘Missile Man:
“If you want to shine
like a sun, first burn like a sun.”
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: 1. www.newindianexpress.com 2. stutterstock
3. thepersonage.com
Video: Srikanth Ganapathy
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