A Rare Re-union with an old student after 25 years
I had been a teacher in an engineering college for almost forty five years.But I have very few friends among my students, may be because a strict disciplinarian in my class and may be a ‘taskmaster’ for those who worked under me as a guide and student. But, people who have understood me may not hesitate to certfy that I had been fair to all my students and have helped to the extent possible within my limitations. Very often teachers help students in getting suitable jobs, but here I am writing about my friendship with a student who had been instrumental in getting my first assignment abroad. The other day I could meet him after 25 long years. This note is on our reunion.
I
had completed my PhD from I I T Delhi in 1981 and was trying my best to get
at least post-doctoral
position in some of the universities abroad but nothing really clicked. Years were flying by
and our children were compketing their high school
days. As I was not very sure
whether my wife along could give them
the necessary guidance
for their career, I had stopped
all attempts and had almost bid farewell for a placement abroad. However, as a bolt from the blue, I received
an email from a former student of mine
in Regional Engineering College (1986 batch) stating that he is working in Data Storage Institute Singapore and they in Servo-electronics
division are looking for a person strong in th fundamentals of Control Systems and further asked me to send
my biodata if I am
interested in a short assignment as
Visiting Professor in his Institute. I did
not have much hope but somehow
prepared a biodata and sent to
his boss. IN a few days time, reply came
that they are looking for a person like me but I have to appear for an
interview with them at Singapore.
Fortunately for me, I was planning
to travel to Honolulu, Hawaii for
presenting a paper and I promised
them I will take a day stop over at
Singapore on the way back and meet them
at their place. There was no formal
interview except informal discussion on what they are doing over
there and they were happy to
accept me as a Visiting Professor. By
this time, our daughter had already in USA
on an IT job and our son wa doing his
MD in Calicut Medical College. With
no worries about our children, myself and my wife reached Singapore on my first assignment abroad at the late age of 52 years.
As the assignment was
for one year at the most, getting
a flat furnishing etc was a difficult job. But my students
friend Sivadas came
up with a proposal that we can
stay with him as a paying guest. He had
a two bed room flat on the seventh floor and his wife and young daughter 4 year
ols were the only occupants
other than a maid servant of Tamil origin from Sri Lanka. On assurance
that he will take the money for accommodation and food at the normal rate, we accepted his offer
gladly.
Gauathri(
Ammu) necame our first
grand child as our daughter though married had not a child yet . Ammu called us grandpa and
grandma and my wife enjoyed the company of the child and Priya
his wife. We had a spacious bed room and the maid servant was always willing to learn some special
Keralite cooking from my wife. We two families were almost perfectly compatible
in our choice of food and other
things. Priya had a job in an
embassy and my wife used to take the child to the play school and both of
them enjoyed the company of each other.
We had a wonderful six months in
Singapore , travelling together to the Institute for work, shoping and
entertaintment etc all together. AS our contract was
not extended beyond six
months due to some administrative
decision, we returned to our parent institution. I rejoined
the college after cancelling the unavailed sabbathical leave
granted for one year.
Sivadas
and Priya along with the child moved to
California, USA after a few
years. Of course, we were in
contacr occasionally through whatsapp and email once in a while. The little girl
Ammu grew up to be a big girl and got married to another
Indian professional and are
settled in Seattle.
After so
many years since 1998, we had an
opportunity to meet Sivadas and Priya. They had come to an Ayurvedic Nursing home in Ponkunnam for some preventive treatment. Ponkunnam was hardly 50
KMs away from where I am staying now and
my brother in law was also staying near
this hospital. So, I decided to go there
and meet him and thought could make a courtesy visit to brother in law
and his wife too. I started in the early
morning on 19th and my
brother in law took me in
his car to Sivadas. We had a
wonderful time together chit
chatting for almost 2 hours reliving our
good old days in Singapore. Only missing
person wa my wife who left for her heavenly abode almost an year back. Siva
appeared a little tired after
the strenuous Ayurveda treatment
but Priya was at her best taking
care of him. Siva has retired from active service but Priya
is still working with a legal firm. They have
completed their course of
treatment and are leaving for USA today.
Let me wish them the best in future.
God Bless
You two and Gayathri and her husband.
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