Memories and nostalgia......and the connect and excitement they can create in the present.
The Deccan Herald last week carried a picture of my dad's college farewell, way back from 1954. And it acted as a cause for not just excitement, but as trigger for a lot of them to get in touch..... after 60 years !!
The Deccan Herald last week carried a picture of my dad's college farewell, way back from 1954. And it acted as a cause for not just excitement, but as trigger for a lot of them to get in touch..... after 60 years !!
I was quite amazed to hear how the network began to develop. I understand, my dad, who is almost allergic to phone calls, actually spent three days literally on the phone catching up with all his classmates and friends. He even called the Deccan Herald and got the number of the author, Mr. Vasant Kumar, who happened to be a very close friend. It went to the extent of my dad again having that feeling that he should have settled in Bangalore instead of Hyderabad :).
From the write up itself, I really liked one line: 'During 1953 we were extremely fortunate to listen to the lecture of Sir C V Raman, the Nobel Laureate in Physics. As a preamble to his lecture, he cleverly highlighted the diverse physical state of compounds of some elements, saying "Silicon dioxide is a solid (quartz), Hydrogen dioxide is a liquid ( peroxide), but Carbon dioxide is a gas", and quipped, "any result oriented scientific research entails hard work, creativity and in depth analysis of data.". We were all inspired by his profound knowledge and his words ring in my mind till today'.
That's real inspiration, and it's great to be able to hold onto and recall those moments, lines and people who make that difference to ones life. We can leap frog learning through awareness of those experiences.
I also liked how the author lists so many names of friends with details of the prestigious institutes they joined and served ( that includes my dad too, who served with the Geological Survey of India for a good twenty plus years).
That's real inspiration, and it's great to be able to hold onto and recall those moments, lines and people who make that difference to ones life. We can leap frog learning through awareness of those experiences.
I also liked how the author lists so many names of friends with details of the prestigious institutes they joined and served ( that includes my dad too, who served with the Geological Survey of India for a good twenty plus years).
It even percolated down to me.....his saying even college excursions were about rocks, rocks and more rocks....realized where my affinity for rocks must come from :). It then enabled me to acknowledge what a super exciting childhood it gave us......we've experienced loads of travel and adventure, including living in Srisailam for four years, living in tents in the Anantagiri hills, surrounded by the wild, a snake dropping on to our makeshift eating table, getting stuck in the middle of river Gomti in flash floods, my brother and me standing curious right next to a huge python who couldn't move, as it had just swallowed a whole chicken or goat or something, and many many such.
Grateful to Mr.Vasant Kumar for evoking fond memories, not just for my dad and his peers, but down a further generation, to even me :)
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