Wit Wisdom and Whoop

The Closest I have come to studying abroad - World Leadership Course at WPI, Massachusetts, USA - given my childhood "dream" Harking back to my childhood for a minute, I had this uncle who I used to pester to tell me stories in the post lunch session while he wanted to sleep. So he used to start a story & then the protagonist would decide to go on a journey. I would be told that until he reached his destination the story could not continue and he would go to sleep. The bird brain I was I would be sitting next to him waiting for the story to continue. One day I noticed that his ears had been pierced but the hole was now blocked with something. Wanting to be helpful by cleaning and opening up the hole, I obtained a nail and a hammer to do the needful. Some noise and before I could do my good deed of the day he woke up. When he heard what I intended to do I got thrashed for trying to be helpful and since then he finished his story, threw me out of his bed before going to sle...

The message at the entrance of the school says it all - Discipline is the most important Emergency 1975 was the reason that kindled my interest in politics because for the first time the fear was palpable. Looking back, I realise that you could cut the atmosphere of fear with a knife. As 14/ 15 yr olds we talk without thinking and suddenly some random comment would see the 20+ yr old seniors, teachers physically shut our mouth with their hands and a – Sushhhhhh. Interest in politics was kindled and for the first time in my life attended a political rally when Morarji Desai addressed a large crowd of tens of thousands one evening in 1977. When he rose to speak – no exaggeration – there was pin drop silence. Even the traffic went silent. His opening sentence was – THIS is the kind of discipline we want, not THAT kind of discipline. The crowd went into raptures, and I spent the next many days listening to the All-India Radio news as result after result was announced and the Janata Party ...

Soon after the 1971 tour of England/ West Indies, developed interest in Cricket and this was taken in 1971/72 when I joined 7th class in Davanagere. Playing with cork balls, we needed protection !! In about a weeks’ time, I hit 60 and can now earn higher rate of interest. This seemed like a good time to just think back on some – random thoughts – as they came to me. Here they are. Do not ask me why – from a young age I was keen to study in Glasgow university. Never mind I did not even know where it was or even what University meant. I actually wrote in books my name and below that Glasgow University. The only explanation I can think of is that I likely confused it with Glaxo the popular baby food, but the university bit is still a mystery. Both grandparents, an uncle and an aunt, couple of cousins were all Doctors. Watching my maternal grandfather create concoctions in his back-room pharmacy as he ground them together in porcelain bowls was fascinating. The line of patients in the ...