64. Of Paper Boats, Scholarships and Bachelor Headquarters

Thousand Moon: Shrikrishna Ramchandra Joshi 81+

 Contributed by: Rohini Abhyankar

Shrikrishna Ramchandra Joshi (Nana as we call him) has had a long and successful career at the Central Govt Secretariat, New Delhi. He currently lives in Ratnagiri and is actively involved with the local chapter of Lions Clubs International. He also has the Lion's share in the establishment of Lions Eye Hospital in the area.

I took the opportunity to chat with him about some of his fond memories when he and his family visited my parents in Pune during my recent trip there. After telling me his full name and date of birth for the record, he began narrating a couple of his fond memories. Here is what he had to say:

The school education system in those days was structured a particular way. Our education was in Marathi medium from grades 1 to 4 and after that we attended English medium grades 1 to 7 (or say grades 5 to 11).After finishing Marathi 4th grade, my father was transferred to Guhagar and that is where I had to study for another year in Marathi medium 5th grade which means I effectively lost one year. The following year, after coming to Ratnagiri, I attended a private school and did two English medium grades in one single year making up for my lost year.

He paused a little to make sure I was following what he was saying and then continued again.

Not only that, I had appeared at the State Scholarship examination while in Marathi medium school without any specific preparation and when I went to see the posted result at the Govt Teachers Training College at Ratnagiri, it was a bit surprise to me that I had received the only scholarship meant for Forward caste students in the Ratnagiri Revenue District. The Principal of Patwardhan High School knew of it and he gladly granted me admission directly in English medium Grade 3 after my one year in private school. It was a prestige to have a scholar in the school, particularly when school inspector came to our school for annual inspection.

I remember once I had written an essay, the topic was "Seasons First Rain" and the school Principal liked it so much that he read it to the whole class. I had written about how little streams started to flow after the first heavy rain and I would float little paper boats in them.

One more fond memory comes to my mind. It was when I migrated to Delhi in 1956. I had appeared for UPSC examination and had cleared it and I went to work at the Central Secretariat. I was not too sure about how everything will be at Delhi being so far away and in a new land, But there were others like me from Maharashtra who had come to Delhi after clearing the UPSC examination. The common link was Dada Sarpotdar's 'Poona Guest House' where all of us used to take food. Some of us including me stayed together in a rented flat in Karolbagh. We all became close friends and our group became known as BHQ- Bachelors Headquarters. The ties of friendship continued even though after marriage we lived at separate places - mostly in Karolbagh. Our group then became MHQ- Married headquarters. I am proud to say that the bonds of friendship formed all those years ago are still intact and we after retirement now living in Pune, Mumbai and other places try to meet each other and such a meeting is a very joyful occasion in our life. I am happy to say that our children whom we called CHQ- Childrens headquarters were also friends with each other in Delhi and I hope wherever they are at present, their friendship will also remain and grow further like ours.

 After talking to Nana and many other accomplished yet humble thousand full moons like him, I have come to believe that the taller the peaks of success the deeper are the valleys of humility…

63. Convocation Day

Thousand Full Moon: Shri. T. K. Ghosh

Contributed By: Dr. R. Boradkar

Eighty three years old, Shri. T K Ghosh stays in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Mr. Ghosh, has a son who is settled in US and a daughter who lives in France.    Shri Ghosh joined the Department of Atomic Energy [DAE], which was BARC at that time in 1956, under the chairmanship of Dr. Homi Bhaba.

After Dr Bhaba he worked under Dr Vikram Sarabhai who had him sent to Canada for training for construction, commissioning and operation of first Nuclear reactor, Cyrus.

Subsequently he was sent to England to be attached to Atomic Energy Research Establishment [AERE] at Harwell close to Oxford to study the effect of radiation on metals and ceramics under the guidance of the then metallurgical scientist in the world Professor Dr. Allen Cottrell.

After completing this assignment there was a brief sojourn back in India and then he was sent By Dr Sarabhai to France to represent India as In Charge of the Europe Region for the department of space [ISRO] for development of the first rocket India was to send and as the liaison officer for DAE in Europe.

After spending 14 years in France he returned back to India and eventually retired as Executive Director, Projects.

He having spent a greater part of his professional life in France speaks French fluently.  

He maintains a fairly good health and spends his time doing his daily cores and listening to music. He is a fan of Amir khan Saheb.

Cooking is one of his hobbies. The Walnut cake that he makes is my favorite. Here he narrates one of his fond memories on my request. So here it is.

Like every second Sunday of the month of June a big pandal  was built in the sports ground of the National Council of education, Jadavpur, Bengal to seat about one thousand guests who will witness the convocation of the graduating engineers in the fields of Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical engineering for the year 1951.

NCE, Bengal held a very dear spot in the hearts of educationalists of the then India as it challenged the British Raj to impart technical education to young aspirants on equal footing. Jadavpur University, as it is known since independence, stands tall among universities that impart education in all disciplines including CHEMICAL engineering, which was considered a rarity, somewhat unknown and ill understood among the aspirants and the public at large in the pre independence days under review. The scenario is very different in the advancing India of to day.

The ceremony started with the strike of a gong at 3P.M. The podium adored the luminaries like Dr. Hiralal Roy, A B Hervard and Head, chemical engineering division, DR. T. C. Sen Doc-in-engg., Berlin and Principal of NCE, Dr. Bidhanchandra Roy F.R.C.S., chief Minister, West Bengal and also Rector of NCE , Bengal. The convocation address was delivered by none other than Dr. Sarvapally Radhakrishnan, the icon of Indian Philosophy, the universal Teacher who was also the Vice President of India at that point of time. The aspiring graduates were dressed in the simplest of simple in whites without gowns or caps.

The certificates were handed over in sequence by Dr. Roy to Dr. Sen and then to Dr. B. C. Roy, the towering tall luminary who announced the names in his deep baritone voice and handed over the rolls  with intermittent witty quips that delighted the audience.

The recipients came from all over India including one from North West Frontier Province.  20% of the recipients were from outside Bengal with two international students, one from China and one from Indonesia.

Being unwell Dr Radhakrishnan delivered his very brief speech while sitting. As the Head of the University Grants Commission he has been following the steep ascent of NCE, Bengal under the able guidance of Dr. T. C. Sen , who later became successively the Education Minister and the Petroleum Minister at the centre .

Dr Radhakrishnan was moved with the simplicity of the convocation function. He spoke about the faculty of whom he had heard much about their nationalistic approach to teaching, to the delight of the teachers, the large alumni that was present and the guests. It needs to be a philosopher and a good student of English language to understand fully what Dr Radhakrishnan spoke that afternoon. There were few sentences but loaded with big meaning that provoked thoughts. He concluded advising us to remember our teachers who were the nucleus and the catalyst of an academic life that continues to enrich the soul as life progresses. How true he had been as I see myself as a humble student Of NCE, Bengal.

In the evening of my life, when I sit back and think in my pensive mood the proceedings of the convocation day afternoon  on that Sunday of June 1951, still continue to enthrall me, as the most memorable and joyous event of my life.

[The writer was a student of Chemical Engineering at NCE Bengal during 1947 to 1951.]

Shri Tushar Kanti Ghosh

62. The goodwill I had earned had borne fruit

Thousand Full Moon: Dr. Vasudev Laxman Vaidya is 86 years old.

Contributed By: Dr. Raghunath Boradkar 

Dr. Vasudev Laxman Vaidya is 86 years old. He lives in Pune with  his eldest son. He leads a happy life with his Son, Daughter in law and  his grand children.His second son who is a doctor, lives in Gantham UK. His Daughter lives in Mumbai.

Here is his life story in his own words.

I became a full fledged Ayurvedic Doctor in 1947. That was when I got my D.A.S.F. degree. As was customary then I started looking for a job and finally got it in 1952.I was appointed as S.M.P. in Daspati Area District Ratnagiri Tahsil Chiplun.The region was totally unknown to me. I started on 17^th June  to join and take charge of the post. Monsoon had already set in and it was raining heavily. By mistake I got down at Pimpli Khurd rather than at Pimpli Budruk. I lost my way. I had to cross a river to reach a village Pedambe. By Gods grace I met one Babaji Shinde Pedambkar  He helped me in crossing the Barbahi pass and saw to it that I reach Kalkavane. The village belonged to Shindes, Kadams and Palandes.  Every house in the village had a member of the family in Army. They were all agriculturists. This experience was quite thrilling.

Daspati had a temple for the  local Deity  called Ram var dayini on the banks of the river Vashishthi.  Kalkavane had a government dispensary

  There were five villages under me and I had to visit them.I was allowed private practice. The region was hilly and I had to walk at least ten to twelve miles every day.If any one came to call I had to go. It was like being on emergency service for twenty four hours. There was a Bamboo Bridge on the river[ Sakav]. In Monsoon the river used to be in spate and crossing it became an ordeal. I was in a way cut off from the world. I used to  get the newspaper Kesari twice in a week. That was my only contact with the rest of the world. I did not earn much but got a lot of love and good wishes from the local people. To me it was a very satisfying experience..

I got married on 17^th June 1953. We had our first child in 1955.  It was a baby Boy.When he was four and a half months old he fell from the second floor of the house but was un harmed by Gods grace.

In 1962 we were in Pune and witnessed The Panshet floods and the fury and destruction it leashed on Pune. After that In 1963 I started my Dispensary in Parvati Gav. Mine was the first dispensary in that area. My wife Mrs. Sumati looked for  after the house and children so I could devote all my time for the dispensary and people. I did very well in practice and feel that the good will I had earned had borne fruit.

 In 1977 I built my own House Siddharaj and shifted there.On 7^th March 1977 the Vastushant ceremony was performed. All was well bit on 9thmarch there was a theft in the house. Luckily whatever was lost was recovered.

I had a happy life but the finest moment in my life came after my retirement. Some friends of A very well known Ayurvedic Doctor Suhas Parchure , decided to celebrate and felicitate him on his completing 61 years of life by organizing an’ Eksashti ‘[ ceremony. Three Ayurvedic doctors were to be felicitated in that ceremony. I being the oldest practitioner was the first to be honored. The ceremony was precided over by Shri

Patangrao Kadam M.L.A.  I was presented with a Shawl A Puneri Pagdi and a Ganpati Idol. I had experienced  the best moment and the highest satisfaction and Joy in my life.

I still treat the patients who come home and derive great pleasure in helping them.

DR V.L.Vaidya

61. Shower of Pure Joy

Thousand Full Moon: Shrimati Sushila M. Paranjape (84+)
Contributed by: Dr. Raghunath Boradkar 

Shrimati Sushila M Paranjape Lives with her younger sister in Pashan Pune. She is 84 but hardly looks her age. She spends her time chatting with her sister and reading books

Here is her account in her own words, which she calls  Anand-Varshav .

It so happens that sometimes you feel very hot and uneasy and somewhat later there is a mild drizzle and a cool breeze that takes away the ill feeling and calms down the mind. A similar thing happened in my life. From 1955 to 1957 I was under a malefic planetary influence of Saturn [Sade sati] and nothing good seemed to happen. There were all sorts of obstacles in my appearing for the Final B.A. Examination. Destiny had it that I should get my B.A. degree in November 1957 and its then that I got it.

My elder sister was a Maths and Science teacher in a school in Nasik. She was B.Sc B.T. and very popular amongst students. There was a vacancy for a Physical Training Teacher [generally called P.T. Instructor] in her school and they wanted to fill the post. The Principal of the school was a very nice man and he offered me the post in his school if I could get a Physical Training Diploma from the Kandivali School of Physical Training. That was a time when Arts Graduates like B.A.B.T. or even M.A.B.T. were not in  demand and many were jobless.

I there fore decided to get the Physical Training Diploma from the Kandivali School and applied for the prospectus/information and obtained it. The Kandivali School was the only school that offered a Diploma in Physical training, in whole of India. It was Government Institution from the time of the British and was a well renowned school. The Principal, Vice Principal and a few Professors were British till 1950. The school was known for its strict discipline .The course offered was from September to May.

The school was in Kandivali West and was situated on a Hill slope. It had beautiful surroundings and was a scenic spot. Teachers from all over India used to come there for training. Most of the trainees used to be on Deputation and their expenses were borne by the institution .Very few teachers opted for the course at their own expense.

Admissions were given after testing the Physical Ability and some physical skill. The candidates were merit listed after the tests depending on their performance. Some of them received a the stipend. I found out what physical abilities and skills they test and started practicing.

A medical certificate of physical fitness from the Civil Surgeon of the District was to be submitted along with the admission form. I was really physically fit but was under weight. I was 23 then. I consumed lots of tonics to increase my weight.

I was overjoyed when I got admission for the course. This time the course was from August to April. We all appeared for the physical ability and skills test by the end of August. I did well in the test. But there was a Marwari and a Punjabi girl who were better than me and they had really done well. After the test I applied for the stipend the next day as I knew that it was mandatory.

It was September 24^th a lucky day for me. Before the lecture the Principal Shri Kothiwale came to the class and he read out the list of students who had qualified for the stipend. Out of 20 girls two had received the stipend, me and the Marwari girl.

As a matter of fact I was third in the merit list. The Marwari girl was first. The Punjabi girl was second and I was placed third. I and the Marwari girl had applied for the stipend but the Punjabi girl did not and that was to my advantage. Had she applied I wouldn’t have gotten the stipend. Luck had favored me at last.

The stipend was 40 rupees a month and the money was my own. Now I could pay for my expenses. The greatest satisfaction was that I was able to complete the course on my own without any aid from anywhere. This was a moment of Joy and I remembered a Marathi poem Anandi Anand gade ikade tikade chohikade.

Shrimati Sushila M Paranjape

B.A.B.Ed. D.PED