GRATITUDE….
Preamble:
As I have entered my 80th year, I think it is
time to record my gratitude to all the people who have been instrumental in my
career/life progression. And I don’t propose an Oscar Acceptance starting with
my dear parents, grandparents, brothers,
sisters, sons n grandsons; in laws n out laws and a few v v old friends.
Although they all made signal contribution and those of them who are still
around, represent the most solid social foundation on which I rest in my
fragile old age.
Chapter 1
Col PS Bhagat VC
PVSM Commandant, Bombay Engineers Group Poona. (aka Bombay Sappers).
After a colourless one year in N Wadia College, Papa ji was
looking for a career for me. He put me up for selection as an Apprentice in
IAF. Thanks to his efforts, I got selected; but had a problem with the medical
examination. The Doctor found that I had
Varicocele. The Doc asked me to get operated and join the batch which was due
in couple of weeks. Unfortunately (V fortunately as it turned out to be) for
me, the surgery at Sassoon Hospital went septic and I was in the Hospital long
enough to miss the batch. Papa ji’s finances were not in a position to bear my
unemployment for 6 months, when the next batch was to be formed.
So Papa ji went looking for a something else.
He was a supplier of sports goods to the Military. Hence his
approach to the IAF; where he had gifted Bibi ji’s precious shawl in order to
get me a chance. That had gone in vain.
Then he approached Col PS Bhagat VC PVSM who was then the
Commandant of the Bombay Engineer Group (aka Bombay Sappers) in Kirkee Poona.
The good Colonel got me a position as (temporary) Lower Division Clerk i.e.
Civilian in lieu of Combatant n the
Record Office.
The Military doctor who ‘medically checked’ me, must have been impressed by my lanky almost 6
foot frame and recorded that my apparent age was 19. That cleared me for employment in a Govt office.
Bit of stretching the truth, but for a good cause.
I got the job on a princely salary of Rs.105 on 23 July 1951
at the age of 16 yrs 4 mos.. I learnt the basics of office routines, improved
my typing and drafting skills under the watchful eyes of the ‘unformed’ NCOs n
later JCOs who were my supervisors. The job was in the Non Effective Section of
the Record Office which dealt with problems and issues of the ex servicemen. In
a way that was my real induction in to the profession of Employee Relations.
The job lasted me a little over five years till I joined the
Stanvac Bombay Refinery in Bombay on September 5, 1955.
Thereby hangs another tale.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
GRATITUDE – A Tribute
Tribute to many who helped in my development
in Early Years.
My first assignment in the Record Office was in the Dispatch
Section. Our task was to dispatch correspondence to the Ex servicemen. We wrote
the addresses on the envelopes and stuck postage stamps on them. I learnt names
of obscure towns all over the country. Of course at that time Trichinapoly had
not become Tiruchirapalli. The boss of the Dispatch Section was Havaldar
Pillai. He was a balding bespectacled middle aged soldier: kind hearted but a
task master. At some stage I expressed a desire to learn Tamil language. He got
me a primer n a note-book and made a beginning; calling out the alphabets and
writing them one at a time. My undoing was the pronouncement. I could not say
Tamil as he wanted… The L sound would not yield space to ZH sound that was needed.
He announced that I have to eat a pound of salt each day, if I were to learn
Tamil. The matter rested there.
There was a bit of let down when the office did not pay my salary for the 8 days of July and told
me that it will be paid with August salary. Little did the Babu know how
precious those 25 odd rupees were to my family. Thankfully the canteen contractor gave us credit; so I could
feast on his spicey Missal and piping hot Poori and Patal Bhaji. Idli Dosa had not yet overtake these Poona
snacks. Bless your soul wherever you are.
There was a Civilian Clerk named M Vijay Kumar. He was much better
educated than Im His MA to my FY Science. We became good friends. We spent many
an evening together and he taught me
finer points of the English language and inculcated in me the love for
reading. So also the love for late shows of
Hollywood movies at the Liberty Cinema (note 1) in Poona Camp area. Five
anna class.
In some ways associating with him gave me the idea of advancing my
formal education. I gave up hope of ever getting back to college. In course of
time I took the Intermediate Arts Exam of the Punjab University as External
Student. I stayed with my Mama ji in Ludhiana for over a month for this purpose.
I basked in the love of my Mami ji.
I passed in ‘higher’ 2nd class!
Also to improve my earning capacity, Papa ji had got me admitted to Pitman’s Institute on
Centre Street in Camp. For a fee of Rs. 3 p.m. I learnt Qwerty typing. This is
one skill that remains relevant in to this age of computers n smart phones.
Soon I took to learning Shorthand. With Papa ji giving me dictation practice at
home in the light of a kerosene lantern, I got some proficiency in it. Soon the
good Principal Mr. Basant appointed me Shorthand Instructor and I could supplement
my income. The Institute has survived and has diversified its offering. (note
2) )
Back at the office I would volunteer to type the letters drafted by
other NCOs in the Section. I was proud to add my initials to their’s;- XYZ/RBS.
Armed with additional skills of Stenography, I started looking
around for better jobs. Interviews at College of Military Engineering and at
the Virus Research Institute did not bear fruit. Next came up a call for Test
n Interview from Maharashtra State Road
Transport Corp at Bombay…
State Transport? That is another story…. Another day..
In a spirit of GRATITUDE, I pay heartfelt tribute to the kind
Havaldar Saheb, my friend Vijakumar and Principal Basant for the encouragement
n help they gave me and the anonymous canteen contractor for nourishing my
body.
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Notes:
1. https://www.here.com/india/pune/cinema/liberty-cinema--356tek93- 2a721d9b173c49d49869ba974de19a35?map=18.51893,73.88734,16,normal&x=ep
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