78. First permanent job as a school teacher

Thousand Moon: Sushila Vishnu Biwalkar (82).

Contributed by: Rohini

I had planned to visit my Kaku (aunt) who lives in Malad, but the heavy rains during my India trip made me alter my plans and I had to be content with the phone conversation. 

Thousand Moon: Sushila Vishnu Biwalkar (82) 

Sushila Vishnu Biwalkar, was born in Medhegao, Kulaba in 1931. She comes from a big family of 13 siblings, seven brothers and six sisters. Her father was a school teacher. She was raised in Girgaon and got married at the age of 16. After marriage she and her husband lived with her husband's maternal uncle at Dadar in a small two room flat. When her first child was born she and the baby had to go and live with her mother-in-law in their ancestral village Asud. She wanted to be with her husband but could not due to a shortage of space at Dadar in a small flat. She and her husband were able to get a place of their own in Malad when her son was three and a half years old. She has lived there ever since.

A very joyous day in her life was July 24^th 1967, the day she got a permanent job as a school teacher. She had done teaching jobs at several different schools but they were all temporary positions. She was happy to get a permanent position as she was able to help out financially in running the household. The Primary Teacher’s Course training that she completed while raising three little boys, while staying up till two am to finish her college work had finally paid off. 

As she had gotten married early, her education at the time was only till 9^th grade. After 16 years of being away from education she went back and got her matriculation. It was not easy catching up on all the course work after such a long break. But she was determined. Her primary goal was to pass the exams, which she did. The education streak continued. She did the Secondary Teachers training course and went on to get a BA degree at the age of 48! 

Her husband worked for the Indian postal service and also acted in Marathi Theater. She narrated yet another incidence that gave her a lot of joy and contentment- Her husband was rehearsing for a play produced by Chitralekha. After one particular rehearsal the entire cast sat down for drinks. Her husband did not join them as he was a teetotaler. But the cast and crew insisted that he joins them that night or else he would not be considered a part of the team and will have to quit. He chose to quit and came home to her and the family. That was a memorable and gratifying event for Kaku…

We chatted for a long time that day as I realized that each life is like a river. It has its rough and turbulent times and calm and tranquil times. The river must flow till it reaches its destination.