66. There was no girl child born in his family for a 100 years...and then along came his granddaughter!

Thousand Full Moon: Shri. Lalit Parikh (81+)

Contributor: Shri. Lalit Parikh

Editor’s Note: My brother met Shri. Lalitji on an airplane from Mumbai to Newark. After exchanging some pleasantries they exchanged email addresses and parted ways. After a few days my brother wrote to Lalitji informing about the Thousand Full Moons blog and asked him whether he too could contribute by sending a narrative of a pleasant event from his life. My brother received a prompt email from Lalitji where he shared many joyous and amazing experiences from his accomplished life.

Here are some excerpts in Lalitji’s own words:

I was only a lecturer and my Head of the Department challenged me by saying that "Forget Professorship, you won't even become a reader, as you're not a Ph.D. Believe it or not, I started writing my thesis and completed in exactly six months and got my degree soon. Then I not only became Reader, even became Professor, Chairman and Head of the Department. I am proud of being Indian, More proud to have taught Hindi, our national language. I am happy and content with life and its achievements.

I enjoyed giving tuition to school students of all classes going to their homes for paltry fees. Eight-nine tuitions a day! I taught Jain Sadhvijis at five o'clock in the morning. I'm proud and felt honored that they gave me so much of respect and studied in the long veranda of their Hall in the bright street light. Normally they would not even see a male face at that early hour. But they as well as trustees of that Jain Organization had full faith in me. I used to run to my Morning College immediately after that. I would not take even tea at their charity breakfast kitchen meant for all devotees and visitors. I had to start after getting ready at 5 o'clock in the morning, catching the first bus to reach there, walking a lot too. Any way I enjoyed.

I visit India, my motherland every year with lot of excitement, taking tours to places in India as well as some foreign locations with Kesari Tours and Travels, the best organized Tour Company. When I introduce myself with a comment that I don't have a brother or a sister, to all my co-tourists, they immediately say in chorus:" We all are your brothers and sisters. We welcome you."

I keep myself busy by walking for 30 minutes morning and evening and writing short stories on computer. Computer and I-Pad are my best friends. With God's grace and inherited good genes (thanks to my respectable parents)  I don't have any medical problem so far, nor do I take any medicine. Being positively positive I am cent percent sure that I would celebrate my Hundredth year after just another 18 years.

Well now, I have to narrate the happiest experience of my and my late wife's life, my parents' life too... they were eighty plus at that time. There were no daughters born in our family for more than 100 years. My father had no sister. His father too had no sister.

A Jain Sadhu Maharajshri, whom I used to go and teach every day had told me three true predictions out of which one was: "No girls in your family for last hundred years and now a baby girl will be born, bringing real Good Luck to you all.

His words came true when my second son and daughter-in-law got a baby girl-whom I wanted to name Shatabdi, but as per her parents' wish she was named Shruti. Her arrival made all of us so happy that we all danced together spontaneously. She proved herself to be goddess Lakshmi bringing Good Luck to us.

65. Joy and Pride when her husband received his M. Sc. Degree!

Thousand Full Moon: Dr. Sushila Ram Sathe (81+).

Contributor: N

Sushila Ram Sathe (Sahasrabuddhe), (interview Oct 14, 2012)

Sushila has been practicing Ayurvedic Medicine for over 55+ years. She devoted to the wellbeing of families of Textile Mill workers in the heart of Mumbai. When I met her she was in great spirits and had many events to recall.  During our conversation her memories revolved mostly around her mother (now 99) and her late husband Dr. Ram Sathe.

When Sushila was young her family had moved from Girgaon in Mumbai to Dadar. Her Father was a school principal and always pushed for modern and non-religious ways for educating children.   Her mother being only 16 years older than her always treated her as a friend and became her mentor.  Sushila had a happy and contented childhood.

After completing her high school, she was accepted for the Ayurvedic (BAMS) degree studies in Potdar College.  Just before the second year examinations, her father passed away very suddenly.  It was a shocking and depressing event in her life. Her mother encouraged her to complete the course work.  With the family now facing a mountain of difficulties her mother rose to the challenge and started working part time at a nursery school. As a result Sushila could complete her BAMS degree successfully.  After graduation and a few years of work in hospitals, it was time to find a suitable groom.  Ram Sathe’s proposal from Bhusaval turned out to be an astrological match.  Sushila traveled to Bhusaval alone (a girl travelling long distances alone was rare in those days) to meet Ram.  The display of independence made her look like a typical ‘forward’ person from a big city.  Sushila was a working girl standing on her own two feet while the "boy," although had exceptionally distinguished academic success till B. Sc., was not financially independent.  She managed the meeting and associated questions-answer session before returning to Mumbai.  She distinctly remembers that Ram’s parents had asked her if she could sing!  She later asked Ram if he was interested in pursuing higher education after marriage and put a condition that in that case he will have to move to Mumbai to which he agreed.

After their marriage Ram and Sushila stayed with her family. Her mother and siblings got along splendidly with Ram.  He started working at Ruparel College, close to home, as a chemistry lab demonstrator, much below his level with a BSc degree, experience, and distinguished educational record.  It however gave him stability and an opportunity to take classes towards a Master's degree.  He studied hard for the course.   After many hardships he reached his goal. She remembers it to be the most memorable, joyous, and proud occasion for her when a Master of Science degree was conferred upon him. 

Although subsequently, he obtained a Ph.D. at Royal Institute of Science in London and later attained dazzling success by attaining distinction and standing first in his class of IAS(Indian Administrative Service) officers that Master's degree which was achieved after many hardships seems to give Sushila a deep rooted joy and satisfaction!

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