Gerald D'Cunha

Pic.: Mansi Modi Bhuva Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone. This story is told by Dr. Stephen Covey in his famous book, ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’, where he tells us that it is an actual story found in the ‘Naval Proceedings Manual’. Through this story, Dr. Covey beautifully conveys that, in life, there are the Laws of Nature – the Lighthouse Principles – that govern our life, no matter who we are… and whether we like them or not, and, yes, whether we agree with them or not… I am a huge admirer of Dr. Covey’s writings. So, as a mark of respect, I wish to present this amazing story as it is. The only change i...

  There is a lesson I am still limping hard to learn: Not to be so adamant to correct some one, when he has just committed his mistake. As a teacher, the urge to correct someone comes instinctively to me… I get into the preaching mold automatically and try to bring to the attention of the concerned student his mistake – whatever be it – when, perhaps, he is dying to hide himself… Yes, I am, now, speaking about such a phenomenon, in retrospect. My earliest memories in school and at home, on committing my mistakes, are still fresh in my mind: I was ashamed and guilty every time I committed my own ‘little’ mistakes. And, I literally died in my heart to hide those mistakes from the public glare… I prayed that my teachers and parents did not make a mention about my mistakes when I was still under the shadow of shame and guilt… When I was scared, worried and defensive. But, then, my teachers and parents did exactly what I am doing today! Perhaps, I might be ...

A good friend of mine is a very popular lecturer in her college. Her students adore her as she does walk, always, beyond the call of her duty. When a student is weak, she calls them extra and teaches. When the students are good in studies, she talks to them about what they should do to become focused on their goals. And whenever there is a deserving student, she refers them to me for fine-tuning. Last morning, two young-ones came to me through my friend’s reference. Incidentally, I was free when they came to me with their respective mothers. These two students hailed from economically weak families… They were sincere; but, because they had studied through a vernacular medium, they had difficulty not only in understanding and writing, but also in self-confidence. Yes, they had low self-confidence… My friend wanted me to do my bit in this respect. As I was free - and I am, always, excited when it comes to helping someone struggle with self-confide...

Most of us know that Amitabh Bachchan was rejected when he had tried to join All-India Radio. The reason given was: He did not possess the ‘right’ voice! We, also, know that till his movie Zanjeer happened, this actor – who has stayed there on top as a Super Star as no other actor in Bollywood history has – was not taken seriously by anyone… They declared him as a ‘misfit’ in every respect… Super-stardom was the remotest of all his dreams! Yes, like the legend of Amitabh Bachchan, his stories of rejection and rising from their ashes, have already become India’s folklore. There are many like him in the film Industry - actors, singers, directors, lyricists, music composers, dance directors, costume designers, cinematographers, sound designers… you name them, they are there. Yes, the ones who were branded and discarded as ‘misfits’! Anil Kapoor could not even clear the entrance exam for the Film Institute at Pune. He not ...