Its A Small Small World !! Part 1

Sangeeta and me walk about 7/8 kms , 5 days a week .That makes it between 35 to 40 kms a week .The walking tracks  are lovely .They are beautifully manicured and have lots of trees that flank the brick layered path .The path winds its way around a lake which  has lovely British type of benches dotting it (like in Hyde Park! ).Since ours  is not a crowded locality ,one starts to recognize the people who walk .They are mostly foreigners and they usually walk with their dogs.The thing i noticed about them is that they always greet everyone .To that extent they appear to be friendly !Some of them jog –even in the afternoons !! .One gets to see very pedigreed dogs ,and all of them are remarkably well trained .They never veer away from their masters and I haven’t heard them bark .Quite the opposite to our dogs who start to bark and pull their lease towards any dog ,cat,or a duck –much to the surprise of the foreigners and  to our emabrrasment.

About a week back , while on a walk we a saw a Indian couple .From a distance I could make out the they were middle aged  –the man was wearing  shorts , with balding grey hair , and looked fit .He was bespectacled ,had intelligent eyes and spoke impeccable English .His wife was even slimmer (as we leaarnt later ,she is a yoga instructor).A dog was tailing them .He looked a like any stray dog looks in India  .But he was walking with a twig in his mouth !!As we passed each other ,we smiled at the dog  and remarked “He is so cute “.It was enough to set up  a  conversation .

The gentleman and his wife we learnt  were Indians from Gurgaon , they had Canadian citizenships ,and their son was studying at the Toronto University .I told them  that my son was was also in Canada and studying at the Dalhousie University in Halifax . I was pleasantly surprised to know that he knew so much about Halifax and Dalhousie .
“It’s a beautiful place.And its a very prestigious University.I go there very often”,he said .We introduced ourselves and exchanged our addresses and mobile numbers .He was Avijit and his wife introduced herself as Promilla .She was from Neemuch a town on the Madhya Pradesh /Rajasthan border .Neemuch is a part of Ujjain Division.
“I have been to Neemuch once”,I told her . Neemuch is well known for the its special Moharram processions of Tazia. The tradition of Tazia procession is almost 150 years old.I had gone to Neemuch because it has a Aditya Birla School at Khor .I had worked in the Aditya Birla Group in the late nineties as the Principal of DPS at Jagdishpur in their Birla Township at Indo Gulf Fertilizers  .
“Oh that’s very nice .I feel so good .Most people haven’t even heard of the place .And imagine you have been to it “,she gushed .
“We must meet soon”,Avijit said 
“Why don’t you come over for dinner and drinks tomorrow”,I offered .""

“No ,we will make it  some other time  .Aur yeh  ,dinner winner kee habbit  ko chhorow.We will drop in for a drink”,he said with a smile.
 We departed . Joey the dog ,stood silently all the while –with the twig in his mouth. Like us ,Avijit had transported his dog all the way from Toronto .He had put him in  dog hotel in Amsterdam since his journey involved a night halt .!!

His house is just a 5 minutes walk from my place .It felt nice to meet someone from Gurgaon , who was familiar with the University my son was studying in .I looked forward to catching up with him –Gurgaon and Dalhousie University were good enough reason for me to feel more at home and excited  than saying hi and bye to Karen and John our British neighbours !!

Sure enough ,we got a call from him .It was Thursday (weekend ),and he called up to invite us for a drink on Saturday evening .

”Does that suit you Kulbhushan?” he queried .I asked Sangeeta whether it was fine by her and answered in affirmative .

“Yes ,and we really look forward to having a great time”

“Same here” he answered ."See you at 7.30 pm “ he said .We hung up our phones .

On Saturday we went to the mall and  bought a pot with flowers in it and carried it  to his house .We rang the bell .It was 7.30 pm .Joey took off barking inside the house  .We waited for Avijit to open the door .

To be continued –Part 2 . 

Memories of A House -RB 506 -Part 2

We also interacted with Mr W.Pradhan who was the Chief Workshop Manager  in the Railway set up at Nishatpura .Bhopal.The previous CWMs were one Mr Anil Mishra (who i could neither respect nor abhor),and Mr Sinha who was a blunt and intelligent man ,who compromised more than needed in the job i felt .But Mr Pradhan was a great guy -very grounded and tough. .I have never come across such a fine and honest officer as him .He was pedigreed –Don Bosco School ,and IIT Delhi .And his father was a retired MD of a British firm .We spent some wonderful evenings with him .My only problem was as how to serve him Scotch –it was not available  easily those days and though he never made a show of it –I knew he only drank Scotch !!

I also made friends with Dr Mishra and Dr Srivastava who were my neighbours .Dr Mishra( and his very charming wife Manisha ), was a nice middle class man and  a terrific badminton player. One of the saddest moments of my life was when his young  son Raja, died in a accident , while travelling in a local train in Mumbai after Dr Mishra was transferred there .The Correas  moved into his house –and were a fantastic couple.Both are doctors  .Tilden  was never short of tales and words and I wondered  how the pretty and gracious Marylou could smile so much all time .Wonderful couple –with two wonderful kid boys .Just behind my house (you can see it in the photograph ),were the Thoasens –Ajitha and Sujoy .Ajitha is a doctor in the Railways and Sujoy is a IPS Officer of MP Cadre (now a ADGP level man ).They were great company as well and we shared  many evenings with them .Sujoy was the SP of Bhopal , a product of JNU , and hence  there was plenty to talk about  Flanking the Thaosens were Amar Singh and Mr Saxena who had a Alsatian dog who barked quite a lot!!  .I am in touch with most of  them –though I have lost track of Dr Mishra .

I tried to beautify the house .I  remember planting each of the Ashok trees that you see in the photograph .They took a long time to grow up .In particular the second one on the left as you enter the gate .It never grew .Then Jagdish dug a deeper pit –only to find a lot of rubble buried under the spot which was hampering its growth .It still does not seem to have grown to its full potential .I planted a Ashok tree over the grave of Sneezy –but its on the other wall which cant be seen in the photograph .I hope it is still there –it was planted because Sneezy was allergic to heat and sunshine –it was meant to provide a shade over her final resting place .

There are many memories of RB 506.I spent 5 years in it . It’s not that I quit Bhopal  one day, but it’s how many things that I had  to quit all at once: friends ,students ,teachers , music, laughter,the beauty of  falling leaves, ,holding hands,the scent of rain , the concept of  trains... if only I could leave Bhopal slowly and leave one thing at a time!!
Obviously it was very special because it was a residence of a Founder and first time Principal .It was also special because I was a young man when I moved into it .We used to socialize a lot and made a lot of friends –Sharmaji (MBD Books ),the Pondas ,the Trisals (Jawaharlal Nehru School),my only relatives in Bhopal- the Berrys(Baghira Apartments )Jugal Sharma (from Sonipat )the Vermas (from Sanchi )and many many more .We have memories of Pratique growing up and going to school for the first time  from  RB 506 .It was also the house in which we had his "mundan" ceremony when Sangeetas Dad came for the first and last time .I also  remember staying up 2 whole nights swabbing Pratique as his temperature would not drop below 102 and he became delirious.I remember the intense pain when I lost my pet companion Sneezy .RB 506 made me experience  agony and ecstasy .

But the one memory that stays etched in my memory is of the Shatabdi Express which connected Delhi and Bhopal and on which we usually travelled  .From RB 506 ,the railway track was about 200 metres away .And whenever we travelled ,  we never had to ask the railway inquiry about its arrival and departure status.We would sit in our drawing room and look out from its huge window .Its arrival time was 2 pm everyday .We would wait for it to thunder in –huffing and puffing .With a piercing whistle we would see it make its way into Bhopal Station(Habibganj Railway Station was being built at that time ) .Only after that  would we put our luggage into our car and drive to the station because the same train would leave at 2.40 pm .And by the time we would settle down it would start to chug away in the opposite direction to make its way to Delhi . I would always  look out of its window in its first minute of departure .Through the glasses I could see a big huge bungalow .It was RB 506 !!I can still see it as I write .I hope I am able to see it once again –especially from the Shatabdi Express .But I am sure some building must have come up blocking the view .After all –I left Bhopal 15 years back .However there is hope that the view hasn’t changed –because RB 506 has not changed –the pillar of the gate is a testimony to the fact !

( Concluded )

Memories Of A House -RB-506.Part 1

An  old student(Sangeet Khandait) sent me a photograph of the house I occupied as the Principal of Bal Bharati Public School in Bhopal .It was not the first house that I stayed in when I was the Principal in Bhopal .For a month(when I was alone ) ,I stayed in the Railway Guest House whose  caretaker Sain looked after me well .Once he realized that I liked poories –he made them practically everyday .Once in a while ,I would walk into the kitchen and put “tadka” to the dal he boiled –with lot of tomatoes ,garlic and ginger thrown into “jeera” and “dhania” seeds .I also bought and gave  him a packet of basmati rice –because I was not happy with the rather thick rice he used to cook .But the food was good and the dishes were made on demand,and he served me in my bed in my suite (no 2) .

Once Sangeeta joined me –we shifted into a family accommodation –RB/4 .The railways had a system of classifying houses according to the size .So RB/I was the smallest and RB/5 was the biggest .Usually the numeric denoted the number of rooms that a house had .I was entitled to a RB/5 accomadation ,but the house allotted to me was incomplete because the contractor - Bindra –had stopped work due to delay in payments from the railways .But ,I was more than happy with a 4 bedroomed  house which was double storied .My immediate neighbor was the very amiable  Dr Tandon .He was a Punjabi and we felt comfortable and secure with him next door .Pratique was crawling and cutting his first teeth and was prone to get fever .It was reassuring to have a doctor next door .And he would call us for pakoras and samosas when it rained – his wife made lovely “elaichi” chai to go with it.Sometimes she would send “kadi”!! .It was during one of the  tea get togethers  that Pratique took his first step .Mrs Tandon shouted in glee “Look he is walking”.I still remember that day .And the setting .It was one small step for Pratique –but one huge stride for us –his parents .It is a feeling I cant describe –so I wont try .

We stayed in RB/4 for a year .We were well settled but we were asked to move to RB/5 .Mr Bindras’ payments had been cleared and he completed the project –though not the gate .If you notice the photograph carefully ,the pillars are incomplete .Its amazing that after more than 20 years ,the finishing has not been done .

RB/5 was a big house .4 huge bedrooms and a big drawing cum dining room .It had a big garden in the rear and a decent lawn in the front .But obviously the workmanship was not good enough –it had a huge crack in one of the rooms and it leaked during the monsoons.But Mr Gupta ,JE Maintenance was a fine man  .He always responded whenever we had any problem .Later a student from Rai ,Anand Swaroop joined as the Divisional Engineer in the Railways .And a word from him was like a word from God !!

RB/506  had a garage and a nice outhouse in which Jagdish and his wife Kamala stayed .Jagdish and his wife looked after the kitchen ,the garden ,the washing ,and most importantly Pratique .Jagdish travelled with us everywhere –Ujjain ,Pachmargi,Jabalpur ,Indore ,Sanchi,Sehore ,Raisen ,Delhi ,and even Dehradun and Mussoorie .He was my Jeeves !!

I have many memories of RB/5 .Of regular parties with Mr Puri and his family .We would meet every Saturday –in each others houses alternately for dinner and drinks .Mr Puri was a senior Railway employee and he stayed in the same colony .He was never averse to non vegetarian food and a healthy dose of whiskey!! .He also had a Burma background and we would laugh and talk into the wee hours of the next day .He had a wonderful wife (sadly no more )who hailed from Datia in MP .She was addicted to  Video Games and very good at  Contra and Mario !!And she liked to see Arnold Schwarzenegger films .She had a slightly nasal voice .She was a very lovable human being .  Their sons “rishta” with the Verma family  was finalized in RB/5 .It was a great occasion and we served sumptuous food and good drinks .!!


To be continued .

What Sneezy Taught Me .

We never got Sneezy ‘married’(I don’t like to use the word ‘crossed’).Somehow we  could not find a mate good enough for her .We did see a very nice dog of a teacher of our school-Dr Usha Ajay Singh -,but Sneezy did not like him  She would not let him come near her .She was getting on in age and was more than 7 years old –we decided we would not try it again.We knew we were denying her two very basic instincts of any animal –sex and motherhood .But it was just one of those quirks of life that we could not help. She aged gracefully –she had put on weight ,but her movements were slower .She was no longer chasing the cows and the squirrels with the same speed as when she was younger .But she appeared to be fit for her age.And very ,very beautiful.

However, one day we found her unusually lethargic. .We took her to the vet .He checked her  and told us that she was running high fever .He gave her a injection and some antibiotics .She was up and about .We were very happy and even took her to  the Campion School Fete.We thought the problem was over . But it was only temporary relief because she again became  lethargic and lazy after a  couple of days .And she would not leave us even for a minute  . For the first time we started noticing traces of fear in her eyes .Normally,Sangeeta ,Pratique and me would go to the school ,and everytime we came back ,Sneezy would be standing on the sofa next to a big window which overlooked the gate .One day she was not there .We were worried and opened the door .She was waiting for us just behind the door .We hugged her and asked her what was wrong .Why was she not waiting for us near the window ,as she usually did ?She was very ill we realized –because she could hardly stand and had not been able to climb the sofa .We immediately rushed her to the vet .She was running fever again .She wasn’t eating .She woulnt leave us .Her eyes followed us wherever we went .We refused to go out of her sight .The doctor told us that she needed to be put on the drip .If you do not  know Spitz’s well, look at their legs .They are really thin .The vet looked for her vein in her hind leg .It took him some time to locate it.It was a terrible sight to see her with a needle –all tied up .We did all we could to make her feel comfortable .But deep down in my heart and in the dark crevices of my mind I was thinking –must she be wondering why we were putting her through all this ?Yes , she did not know the vet ,he owed her nothing .But to Sangeeta ,Pratique and me she had given everything she had .Why were we silent spectators to her pain?Some questions never get answered in life .But that does not mean you never ask them .

After a few days her condition deteriorated further .She started passing blood in her stool and urine .Her time was clearly up.She was suffering from the dreaded disease parvo.But I refused to give up .I took her to a different hospital .The vet told me that we needed to give her blood transfusions .And that ,that facility did not exist in Bhopal .Dogs unlike humans  have 13 types of blood groups .More injections and more drips for my Sneezy .She had more or less been reduced to a skeleton now.She had completely submitted to us .She never protested to anything we did to her  .But she never dirtied the inside of the  house even at that  stage   .When she wanted to respond to natures call ,she would whimper .I would pick her in my arms,hold her from the stomach upwards and she would pass out foul smelling urine and stool .And then I would wash her .When ever I did that ,she would look the other way –she hated the ultimate dependency –someone else cleaning her  up .It was December and we would wrap her up in  a blanket .I could feel her bones through it .She obviously could not jump onto the bed on her own .She had become more or less paralysed .The calls and visits to the vet became more frequent –sometimes 5 times in a day .One day he asked us –‘Should we put her to sleep?’.’No’ ,I answered aggressively and spontaneously. ‘You seem to have given up.We haven’t’.Please treat her as if she is going to live and not as if she is going to die .Miracles do happen Doctor”,I almost yelled,with tears in my eyes . 
 We charged him with  disinterest and changed him .We  saw something very precious being taken away from us and we appeared so helpless .We realized how small we were .We did everything that someone like us could do . We clutched onto to the last straw .We had not given birth to her .We had no right to take away her life .If it was her and our karma to suffer ,so be it .We would not run away from it .She had stopped eating the matars and gajar. .But she wagged her tale feebly everytime we called her name .She was not dead .

I remember the day on which she passed away .We had put her in the room on the floor,lest she topple over the side of the bed  .It was decided that after every hour we would go and check her up .The school was just about 5 minutes from our house .We said goodbye to her and when I came back after a hour I saw the strangest thing which I have never been able to explain since .Sneezy was sitting on the bed .There was no one in the house .How on earth had she got onto the bed ?It was as if she was waiting for me to come as she sometimes did on the bed .I was absolutely delighted and asked her how she had managed to jump onto the bed ‘Good girl’,I told her ‘You have recovered’.As soon as I said that, she collapsed .She was limp .I phoned up Sangeeta and told her to bring Pratique along .I told them that the end was near .They both rushed home .By this time I had put her on the floor, where a patch of sunshine filtered in .It was 23^rd December 1997. .The sun rays  fell on her once magnificent coat –it still looked very sleek .But unfortunately she was not sneezing.She appeared very still ,though breathing  .I reached for the phone and phoned up the vet .He asked me the position of the tongue .I told him that it was drooping from the side of the mouth .And that she was very still.And that the eyes were starting to look stony At that moment, while I was talking ,she convulsed  ,Her head turned towards me.Her tail wagged  feebly once ,and her her semi stony  eyes met mine.One last time .Then she stopped breathing!! .She had said her final goodbye .The curtain fell and ended a great relationship .

We lowered her into a grave dug quite deep along with lots  of rose petals , gaajar and matar!!.We propped her head on her favourite cushion.Sangeeta put a beautiful red ‘bindi’ on her forehead .We thanked her for the lovely times we spent with her .We apologized to her for any inconvenience that we might have caused .We thanked her for teaching us that those who cant speak ,can shout through their silence .We thanked her for teaching us how to live inspite of losing someone whom one loves dearly .We thanked her for teaching us that true love is never calculating –it is spontaneous .We thanked her for teaching us that you are  smallest  when you are selfish,and you can be larger than life ,when you give , –no matter what  your size  .We thanked her for teaching us ,that it is better to have loved and lost ,than never to have loved at all.We told her that we  hoped we would meet again somewhere .And till that happened ,we said goodbye .We planted a beautiful Ashok tree over her grave .And within 5 days time ,we had got another pup exactly like her .We named her Sneezy 2 .Till today Sneezy is still with me –now it is Sneezy 4 .And don’t I dote on her ?You bet .I can stake my life for her.I continue to learn from my best friends –my dogs . .

Starting a new school -then and now !

Yesterday ,Credence High School took to wings (that’s how the advertisement went !!).As I stood in the foyer and waited for the crowds to come ,a number of thoughts flashed through my mind .Least of all comparing my feelings with the feelings when I started the first school for the Child Education Society in Bhopal in 1991 .Bal Bharti school was a school which was run in collaboration with the Indian Railways and the atmosphere there was completely different from the one here at Dubai .The building was not all that swanky (infact even by Indian standards it was just average ).Construction work was still on and we  were happy when our cement boards were made !!It still does not have a multipurpose hall.The clientele was different .It was catering to the needs of the kids from the Indian Railways Coach Repair Workshop factory at Nishatpura .Majority  of the parents belonged to the working class .And lastly –the reception we got as a school was one of hostility .We were a private public school in hotbed of Indian Trade Unions –the Railways .Within a few days ,and even before I could prove my credentials –I was gheraoed   as I alighted from my red Maruti 800 .It was baptism by fire .We never had a formal opening ceremony .We just slipped  into our various responsibilities  –of teaching ,managing or managing  accounts .I was able to build a team of fabulous teachers who put up with my sharp tongue,temper , and youthful impatience .

The Founding Staff.

It  is  completely different here .There was a sustained and creative build up to the start of the school which  even by Dubai standards is really swanky .I alighted from a Honda Accord with a uniformed chauffeur ,and though my hair still refuses to settle in place it is all grey .I stepped into a airconditioned school and onto  corridors that are spotlessly  clean and reflecting light .The classrooms have Hitachi smart boards ,the auditorium has telescopic seating arrangements –the seats just slide out and occupy the multipurpose hall.There is  more than one library and a cafeteria .There is a synthetic running track and a green football field .There is a fabulous swimming pool ,a wonderful kindergarden play area and even the toilets are airconditioned with air driers  . .The catering was done by a Five Star Hospitality Group  .I was  rubbing shoulders with the international jet set .!!(can you imagine my discomfiture !!)The clientele is upper class and you know that the kids belong to rich and educated families –mostly professionals .

Having said that ,I am fully aware that a good school is never the one with good buildings and rich children .(The flip side is even truer -schools with substandard infrastructure are certainly more likely to be bad schools ,irrespective of the clientele.A school that gives peanuts as salary to its teachers will only attract monkeys !!).A good school is one in which the teachers have a passion and ambition to teach and be looked upto,and in which they  themselves looked after well  .It is a school in which if you ask children in the assembly, the question “how many of you want to be teachers”,you see at least 20 percent hands going up because their role models are teachers  .It is a school in which the Principal is not only literate but educated and wise .It is a good school if the Principal stands up and says “no” many times instead of “yes” everytime  because its not about his bread and butter (and jam!!),but about the future of the globe .

As I looked at the hordes   of well heeled  men and women walk in and out ,I wondered  whether I would be able to help create a good school .That question  may never be answered in my lifetime .But I promise ,I am giving it my best shot and it requires a lot more effort than when I joined as a Principal in 1991.!!Welcome to the world CREDENCE HIGH SCHOOL .

What Makes Vijay Kain So Special -Part 2.

What  is it that makes  Vijay Kain so special ?

Vijay Kain is the well known bureaucrat who joined the IAS in 1974 and was allotted the Punjab Cadre .He was born in Burma and  like with  all his siblings my Dad sent him and my sisters to the Mount  Hermon Residential School in Darjeeling .It was a practice for all Indians in Burma to send their kids to India to study since there were no good schools in Burma  those days .But when Dad relocated to India in 1960 ,Vijay and the rest of us studied in Dehradun which was  (and is ) ,famous for its schools .Like me he studied at St Josesphs Academy and excelled at academics .He took the IIT Exam ,cleared it ,was allotted IIT Kanpur –but his heart was in Physics .So he went to  study Physics Hons at Hindu College ,Delhi University  and topped the college .He also  did his Msc fom there (Gwyer Hall),and had plans to do research in solid state Physics from the US .Among his contemporaries  at Delhi  University was Ashok Misra ,a brilliant Physicist as well  who  was to later marry my sister Indu .He  too took the IAS Exam ,cleared it and was also allotted the Punjab Cadre .So both friends became bureaucrats  within a couple of years of each other .Unfortunately Ashok became a victim of terrorists bullets when he was handing over charge as  Excise and Taxation  Commissioner and taking over as Divisional Commissioner Jalandhar .It is a incident that we  have never had  the courage to openly discuss in any family gathering .It hurts too  much to do so .I  .And how we drove in a state of numbness into  the town which was like a  city in siege .For the terrorists it was a big catch –they had managed to gun down the Excise  and Taxation Commisioner  of Indias richest state .And for the first time in my life ,I realized how fragile life is .And how illogical it is –one does not get killed because one is bad .One can be killed as well if one is a saint .And when they got Ashok (my brother in law) , it was rumoured that  the terrorists  had  made a announcement that they would kill 5 Hindu IAS Officers in Punjab . That’s the time I saw Vijay carrying a pistol with him to office .It was such a painful sight that still  raises  a lump in my throat .A man who would never harm a fly was being expected to pull a trigger on a human being in self defence  ?We were scared to death –we knew that incase of a  situation arising –my brother would always lose .Luckily –God was kind .Though I am sure it must have rattled him .He is not the type who can take things non seriously .Unlike me  .

Always with a pen and paper .!

He coped up with the scary times well .He was not a greenhorn  to the world of tragedy and problems Tragedy  had struck our family much earlier  –we lost our parents in a space of two years and everything fell on my brothers shoulders .At that time , he was just out of college and was a probationer at the Forest Research Institute .He was our anchor .He was our Rahul Dravid –a wall ,that refused to breach and topple in the face of storms .Jobs don’t reflect a mans character .Committment to family and ability to battle adversity - do .For us –we were still in school- ,he became the father figure .I picked up everything looking at the way he conducted himself .Not once did I see him ever loose his composure .Not once did I see him complain about life .Not once did I see him sulk or lose his temper .He was like the Rock of Gibralter –immovable .Not consciously though –but what he did was always taken as good and right by me .When I started smoking in college ,I remember I always felt  guilty because Vijay did not smoke !!When I drank –I always felt guilty because Vijay did not do so .When I did not clear the IAS ,I felt extremely bad because I did not do what he wanted me to do .When I made a careless mistake ,I felt bad because he never did seem to make one .I remember  going with him to buy vegetables and fruits –and how he would examine every tomato or apple to see if it not a bad piece  .One day I saw him chewing and biting his nails .It was late at night and he kept looking  at a small piece of paper on which written in very small print (in hand –those days one did not have computers ),were  a lot of things with figures(it was a shopping list of essentials along with the prices) .He was very disturbed and I  asked him what the matter was  .He would not answer and later on came to my room and told me with a sense of great relief “ I was not able to reconcile my account for the day.I just did not know where the 5 ruppee note had gone .I finally found it in one of my shirt pockets !!”.Once on a train journey to Bareilly during winters ,someone walked away with his  warm head cap while he slept .God –it was as if the heavens had come down  and hell had broken loose .He was so disturbed .Clearly here was a man who did not like finding or losing money  and things .He liked respecting it because he  earned  it the hard way .Its a habbit which I tried to inculcate and to some extent have  picked   up .(till as late as last night ,I was trying to look for a 5 Dirham note in all my pockets !!)I learnt how to respect money .But I can never be as meticulous as him .

But there are other  things I picked up from him .From him i learnt  that we become wiser by adversity; prosperity and ease destroys our appreciation of the right.I learnt that if one is  thankful for what one  has  one will end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.I picked up my love for cricket and  for buying and reading books from him .He is a encyclopedia on cricket . “I don’t know why they don’t leave the balls outside the off stump alone .Where was the need for Dhawan and Dhoni to flirt with them”,he said visibly upset at India losing the Test match to New Zealand  when we were just 40 runs short of victory .His knowledge about the game is phenomenal .

He is a voracious reader .He introduced me to westerns -Max  Brand and Oliver Strange ,P.G.Wodehouse,Biggles ,Enid Blyton  ,Agatha Christie among others He introduced me to Time ,Life ,Readers Digest and Sports and Pastime   .All the books he read –he  coaxed us to read . “Here read this book .You will enjoy it .But don’t read the ending .When you come to the last 2 pages come to me .Dont read them”,he told me many many summers back .The book was “The murder of Roger Acroyd”,by Agatha Christie .And when I came to the last two pages of the book ,and the name of the murderer was to be revealed ,he read them(the 2 pages) and asked “who do you think the murderer is?”.And then finally read out the name !!It is one of the finest murder mysteries written by the great lady and whenever I re read it I am always reminded of my brother .

Concluding part soon .

What makes Vijay Kain So Special .!!(Part 1)

We were sitting in the drawing room of Mr Hari Dang,the legendary Principal of many schools in India .He was also a Padamshri having got it in the field of sport because he was among the pioneers who tried to climb  Mt Everest .”I thought I reached the summit .I planted the tricolor there .I looked allround .I felt on top of the world “,he reminiscence  in his imitable  style as he sipped his whiskey .”Later I was told that I was a few meters short !!.But I left behind on the mountains a Indian flag and my toes .I lost them due to frost bite”.We(3 of us) were listening to him on a cold evening at St Pauls Darjeeling as we ate into the wonderful kebabs and sipped whiskey in front of a magnificent  chimney fire .Formally dressed bartenders with gloves and good manners served us .It was obvious that “Harry” as he was popularly called was accomplished man ,a stylish man ,a great talker and had been exposed to the best the world had to offer .

Then he looked at me without blinking and asked

“What did you say your name is”?

“Kulbhushan Sir”, I said .He was a celebrity for all of us and we were in awe of him .

“No ,what did you say your surname is”?

“Kain , Sir.I know it’s a unusual name but that’s it”

He looked quizzically at me .Had I overshot the mark ?What was he going to now say in response ,I wondered .He was the kind of man who never let a conversation thread die without a proper burial !!

“Are you related to Vijay Kain .No?”, he asked and answered .

“Yes Sir ,I am his younger brother.”.

He got up with a effort (he was a big man and had  sofas in which one just sank in ),and and embraced me .

“Where is Vijay?He was keen on taking the IAS Exam .He must have qualified .He was such a brilliant man .Such a brilliant Physics teacher  .And such a gentleman”.

And from  then onwards ,the conversation veered around Vijay .After completing his Msc ,my brother Vijay,had taught for a few months at the Air Force Central  School  ,Daula Kuan ,New Delhi .His Principal at that time was Padamshri Hari Dang,in whose drawing room we were now seated  .And as Hari Dang narrated ,when Vijay  was about to leave ,the whole school requested their Principal to hold him back .

“People tell me I have the gift of the gab .I was quite confident that I would be able to convince Vijay .But he is such a determined man and so clear in his thinking that once he had made up his mind ,very few could change it .”He pause for a while and said

“And since you are his brother ,I am sure you must be a good  teacher as well .Genes have a role to play .But don’t mind it ,but I don’t think you can  ever be  better  than him.There is a difference  between good and great .He belonged to the latter category .We lost a great human being in the field of education”.Coming from someone like Hari Dang ,it was a big compliment .And whenever I have received awards ,the words of Mr Hari Dang ring in my ears – “I don’t think you can  ever be  better  than him.”

What  is it that makes  Vijay Kain so special ?

To be Continued .