My Dad

When I try to go back in time and recollect the oldest memory I have of him, I see a very serious, strict and honest Mathematician plainly dressed in formals teaching a bunch of kids. He had a passion for the subject and that's the only other thing he loved besides me and my mother.He was a man of principles.He didn't talk much though. And ergo, I didn't know many things about him that he should have told me long back.

The story that amazes the most me is his bicycle trip from Gwalior to Srinagar.Hell yeah, me not kidding.It's true to the core.He and couple of his school friends decided to make the most of the summer vacations.They planned a road-trip to Srinagar from Gwalior which rounds up to 1200 kilometers.Easier said than done.Sometimes i wonder how did he convince my grandparents. So, after everyone was on-board, they started their dream run. Every one in the gang was pretty excited.It didn't last very long though. Most of his friends gave up when they reached Agra which is like 100 odd kilometers from Gwalior.They returned to base camp.But i still cannot believe that my dad and one of his best friend Srikanth, decided to complete what they dreamed. They moved on. Cycling all day long and then haulting at some random house in some random village.In those days, people treated guests like gods. So it was easy to knock any door for food or shelter.Imagine doing the same today.

Keeping the momentum high, they finally reached Srinagar. I remember he showing me a certificate which he got from the Governor of Srinagar appreciating their amazing road-trip. They were also interviewed on the Radio which was quite a thing in those days. When I asked him how much money did Grandpa give to him when he started for Srinagar.Fifty rupees, he said. I spend the same amount when I take an Auto from office to my residence.Changing times.

Once I was talking to him about Jawaharlal Nehru. The topic came up as I was preparing to play Nehru in the Fancy Dress competition next day in school. He shocked me saying that he met Nehru once when he was in school. He said he was fortunate to get into this bunch of kids who were going to Delhi to see the parade on republic day. They all went their hoping to get a glance of that great leader.Disappointed then, they all decided to stand outside his residence. And when his vehicle arrived, Nehru seeing these many children awaiting him, came out to them and greeted them. That would have been some moment for him.

After completing his graduation, he went to the Vivekananda temple in Kanyakumari. There he used to teach Yoga and do a lot of social work. They used to provide food and a place to stay. He then went to the places in Assam and West Bengal for the same. I recently came across a book authored by a person who was then heading all such operations in Kanyakumari. It a collection of letters that he wrote to several people in his tenure. In one of the letters he wrote to my grandfather. It was more of a reply to my grandfather's letter who had requested them to let my father attend his sister's wedding.To my surprise, he was not willing to let my father go. He even praised the fact that my father didn't ask anything to him regarding this.I guess he was impressed by the commitment level.

My dad then after a couple of years, left that place. He developed this interest in teaching and wanted to pursue that as social work but the organization didn't accept his proposal.And given the pressure to start a family, he moved to a place Katni and joined a school.And then spent all his life teaching.Not just the subject.I always felt he was never after the money. He just wanted enough to fulfill our needs.He has given me whatever I asked for.I remember seeing him really excited at the thought of building a house of our own. He was so into making rough sketches of the plot, how the rooms will be and the garden of course. It was for this reason that he started taking tuition's as he realized his dream would require some money.For a couple of year he worked really hard for this. And then his dream started taking shape. We used to go there in the evening to water it everyday. He was so happy then. So were we.I was really proud of our house that he had build. He used to go there everyday. He always wanted to move there permanently when he retires.

But sadly that never happened.He was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.A blood cancer. In spite of finding that out at an early stage, in spite of trying for almost two years, in spite of numerous sleepless nights which my mother spent, in spite of her giving away everything, in spite of we doing whatever we could have done, he left us. I had so many dreams for us. I wanted to give him all the happiness he deserved. He had worded so hard all these years so that i could have all that i asked him for. And when it was my turn to do all that, he left us. I am sorry dad, for what all I could not do. I will take good care of her. You need not worry.

Rest in peace.