Friday, December 4, 2009

When close-ones ditch !



When close-ones ditch !





Osho told a story :


Mansur was a great Muslim Saint. He realised the ultimate truth of the universe. One-ness of the world. He declared loudly 'unhalak', means 'I am the Bramha (God, Ultimate)'. People at that time did not accept it. They could not sustain the boldness and courage of Mansur. They grabbed Mansur and started punishing him. They whipped him, they hit him hard with stones and weapons. Mansur's smile remained on his face. People were further angry and violent. They cut his hands, legs one by one. Smile continued on his face. He started praying with his blood, called as giving vajoo to the God. Violent people removed his eyes piercing sharp pointed weapons in his eyes. Mansur became blind. Blood flowing out from everywhere. Still Mansur was smiling. He was in his own trance of divine pleasure. He was asked his final will before cutting his tongue. He said, 'Oh God, forgive these people as they don't know what they are doing.' People started stone-pelting towards Mansur.


There was a close disciple of Mansur namely Shivli. He threw a flower on Mansur's half-dead body. Immediately at that instant when the flower touched Mansur's body, tears flew out of Manur's eyes. Another Saint Juneid was present there. He got sutprised to see the tears. He gestured and asked Saint Mansur, 'When all others were pelting the stones and cutting his organs, you were laughing/smiling all the time. Now you are blind totally. Still when Shivli threw a flower on you, without knowing who did that, why did you start crying? How could the flower hurt you more than the stones?'


Mansur told, 'it is understandable the deeds of the other people who don't know me well, who don't know the real experience I got. So their deeds were pardonable. Act that could be ignored. But Shivli was well aware of me and my experiences. He has travelled on that path to a great extent. But still he lacked in courage to support the truth. He was afraid to be on my side publicly. He wanted to show all other public that he is with them. The act of throwing flower was an evidence for it. There is no need of eyes to recognise that person who threw the flower. At the same time he never wanted to hurt me by throwing a stone. He was in two minds. Outwardly he had no courage to back the truth, to go against the public. Inwardly he was understanding and in support of me and the truth. But he is coward. He could not go against the public, despite his understanding and knowledge. He travelled a lot honestly in the quest of Truth. He was in his last slot of the travel. But he failed in the final crucial test. And that is the reason for my tears. I feel pity for him. He turned his back to the Truth at the last moment.'


There is a similar story most of us know. Story of Jesus Christ.


In the earlier night of his Crucifixion day , Jesus gathered all his close-ones, few disciples and told them that,'today's night is crucial. The enemy are chasing him. They will catch me tonight.'. All his disciples were shocked and decided to protect him. One of the disciples wanted to show his courage and his total deep affection towards Jesus. He stood up and vouched that,'he will fight against the enemy and resist them to catch Jesus. He will die for saving Jesus.'


Jesus told,'before dawn, before the cock gives baang, you will deny thrice that you don't know me.' The disciple felt bad. He again vouched that he will resist tooth and nail and defeat the enemy even at the cost of his own life.


Jesus told everybody to go for sleep. He told that disciple to remain alert just outside his tent. Jesus wanted to pray the God in his last night. The disciple proudly boasted and assured Jesus not to worry. In the midnight Jesus came out of the tent. The disciple was dosing deeply. Jesus woke him up.


Jesus said,'you were ready to give your entire life for protecting me. But you could not remain alert and awake for few hours even.'


The disciple was ashamed a little bit. Apologizing he said,'it wont happen again.'


But it happened again and again. Jesus smiled every time. Finally the enemy caught Jesus when this disciple was sleeping deep. The enemy caught hold of this disciple outside the tent and asked his identity. They asked what he was doing there? Whether he was knowing Jesus. The disciple flatly, straightly refused that he was knowing Jesus. He told them that he was a free traveller and was resting there for a while. He doesn't know Jesus or anybody there. Jesus glanced towards him. Jesus smiled knowingly.


The enemy led the fierce procession of Jesus and this disciple under the pretext of he being one of the enemy-people only participated in the procession. Enemy was pelting the stones on Jesus. Kicking and abusing him while dragging him on the road. This disciple took part in the stone-pelting as well, taking full care that Jesus was not seeing his act. The enemy was asking him why he is participating in the crowd-led procession. He said that he has to travel in that direction and he is getting the benefit of the light of the lamps.


He denied thrice that he knows Jesus. Jesus meaningfully saw towards him and said,' before the dawn and before the Cock gave baang you denied thrice.' The disciple turned his eyes.


The disciple outwardly wanted to show the enemy that he is one of them. He forgot apparently what Jesus did for him in the past, how Jesus imparted the knowledge to him, how Jesus served him in his worst days. He wanted to protect himself from all the troubles, wanted to save his own skin from the problems. Therefore he kept his identity undisclosed.


At the same time inwardly he wanted to show Jesus that under that pretext he wants to give company to Jesus in his last journey. He wanted not to discourage Jesus. He was trying to establish his loyalty to Jesus, though in the most futile way.


तदितर खग भेणे वेगळाले पळाले,
उपवन जलकेली जे कराया मिळाले,
स्वजन गवसला जो त्याजपासी नसे तो,
कठिण समय येता कोण कामास येतो..


When all the birds came together at a Garden-lake for Water-games, one of them was caught into a trap. At that time all others flew away leaving the trapped bird (svajan) alone. Who comes to help when you are in real trouble? asks the poet.


SNN
4-12-2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009




For the sake of Love !





Please spare 2 minutes to read the ToI news-excerpt given below:

Times of India of 23rd Sept 2009 gave a news in connection with the dissatisfaction of the Highly Intellectual Community of IITs. It covered few illustrations given below :

1. "A PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bharat Seth has been a professor at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for the last 20 years. However, when he recently built his house--the first one he has ever owned--he had to borrow money from relatives and dig into his provident fund. 'I even asked my son to take a loan for higher education for the money,' he said."

His is not an exceptional story--like him most IIT professors are highly qualified and passionate about teaching but underpaid. They are in academics for the love of it, but it gets a tad difficult to ignore that their own students and also their friends in the corporate world earn far more than they do.

2. While Prof Soumyo Mukherji says he can't afford to buy a house after retirement, another teacher says professor will never be able to afford a home in Mumbai. "After retirement, all of us may have to return to the towns we came from,'' he says. But they do not complaint about the paltry pay, it's the love for their work that matters.

"We're not fighting over the difference in the pay scales, which works out to Rs 1,500. We're upset because this will create a hierarchy, which was not there. Currently, you move up the ladder based on merit in the IITs. Why should there be any cap on professors getting a higher grade pay? What happens if the 40% quota is filled and deserving candidates are left out? Do they have to wait for older professors to retire? asks Seth.

3. "Why does the ministry want to micro-manage the IIT?'' asks another faculty member.

4. Another bone of contention is the fact that the ministry wants 10% of all faculty to be in the cadre of assistant professors on contract. Their pay will only be Rs 26,000 a month. "How will we ever get bright young people to join the teaching profession?'' asks Mukherji. A young IIT graduate, who was earlier teaching at a private institution, had to accept half the salary when he joined the IITs.

5. According to the faculty members, while they're in the profession for the love of it, there should be a limit to which they're willing to let their commitment be exploited. Some of their quarters on the campus even have leaky roofs, to say the least. Many of them cannot afford to send their children abroad for studies, or even to international schools in Mumbai.

6. Mukherji, who has been teaching at IIT for 12 years, bought his first new car only three years ago. "Before that, I had a second-hand Zen,'' he says. While professors often joke over their wages, they know that at the end of the day, few people are as highly qualified and as lowly paid as them.

7. They point to a recent TV show in which an IIT alumnus and well-known writer said he would not want his own child to become a faculty member at the IITs, because if his child was good enough to make it to the IITs as a student, he could find more lucrative careers elsewhere.

_______

Have you carefully read the news? What did you observe or what did you conclude?
IIT professors chose this profession of their own, despite the low salary. Why so? For the love of it (teaching profession in IIT). It was their choice.

What happened now? Why are they repenting over their choice now?
  • Because they cant afford the expenses to be borne for sending their wards abroad for further studies.

  • Because they cant send their wards to International Schools in Mumbai for unaffordable fees.

  • Because it gets a tad difficult to ignore that their own students and also their friends in the corporate world earn far more than they do.

  • Because there will be hierarchy now-onwards.

  • Their roofs are leaky.
    So on so forth.

This is the classic example of highly intellectual and research oriented class who could not anticipate so many problems.

They claim that they have a vision for engineering and technological oriented fields and can foresee the results of their research and analytical work.
But when it comes to the level of materialistic day-to-day problems does this vision-skill disappear?

It is said that the Scientists can explore the tiny stars in the sky above, but they cant identify the huge pits on the grounds.

Without going into the details of their problems, let us assume at the outset that THEIR PROBLEMS ARE GENUINE, one conclusion that can be drawn safely is that they are dissatisfied today, despite their choice of profession and their love for the profession.

They are highly intellectual and research oriented persons. And they are comparing their salary with their students and friends in Corporate world. They are not comparing with the students and their friends on various parameters like the type of their work, the job-satisfaction, the risk of retaining their jobs, the self-appraisal and appraisal at various stages, freedom and independence level, insecurity level, the time they have to consume daily for the work, the time-constraints imposed by their higher management to complete the assignment, the salary to exertion ratio, the last priority to the pleasure of work, injustice on their Family members. In fact, that will be the rational comparison of benefits and losses on either side.

There was a lesson in our School Book. All the people approached god with a bundle on their heads. It was blunder of their problems faced in everyday life. they asked to give it to the God and Get a new bundle of shear pleasure from the God. God showed his inability to give a new bundle to each of them. But he gave an option to them. He permitted them to exchange the bundles with each other. Everybody agreed happily. After exchanging the bundles and getting rid of their original bundle, each one returned to his house. Next week there was again a rush at the God's door. The God asked them the reason of their grief. everybody said that they wanted their original bundle back. God smiled and returned their original bundles. Everybody realised that it is not true that our grief and problems are the only serious ones in the world. They realised it only after experiencing somebody else's problems. A nice story, isn't it?

Now let us first concentrate on the words 'Love for the profession' or Job-satisfaction'. These respected teachers claim that they chose this profession for the sake of love for it. They sacrificed high salaried lucrative jobs/careers and accepted this noble profession.

One can always say that they were either not satisfied by their earlier lucrative jobs or they found themselves misfit in their earlier high-salaried jobs. Let us rule out the possibility that they might have been kicked out by the earlier employers because of their bad performance.

Then can we say that just because they chose this profession, they thought or anticipated that they will get a package of all good things, essential amenities, good house, a good car, educational facilities to their wards in reputed international schools nearby and the expenditure for their studies abroad etc at that time?

In such case, what is meant by love for their self-chosen work?

We know many things about love like, Love means sacrifice, Love does not demand anything, does not expect anything in return etc etc. But here what we see is totally different thing. Why so?

Let us take an example of a youth and the girl whom he truly and sincerely loves. Will it be correct if the boy says after their marriage that alright he loved the Girl, but now he realised that he is badly in need of house, car, international school for kids, expenditure for kids to be sent abroad, a house in Mumbai and the father-in-law has to take care of the same. Can he tell the father-in-law that there should be a limit to which he is willing to let his commitment be exploited?

We will laugh at the boy if he says so. We will ask him the exact meaning of love. We will question his purity of love.

Now let us concentrate on their next word of 'hierarchy'. They feel that due to the provisions or limitations of the provisions there will be difference in the cadres or levels of the Professors. But IIT-professors always and all the time maintained their separate superior identity from the professors of other engineering colleges around. IIT was preserved as a paradise by them.The cadres of Lecturer, Associate Professors, Asst Professors and Professors existed within the IITs. Did it never lead to hierarchy?

While enjoying all the other facilities including the foreign visits there is separate yardstick for different cadres. Then at that time why are they not paying attention to hierarchy? Even there is a difference of Status observed by the families of these teachers for different cadres.

In fact, as most of them are PhD-holders, the professors started mentioning themselves as Professors instead of Doctors. This was meant for the sole purpose of distinguishing their higher status than rest of the faculty. Is it not another form of hierarchy?

What about their maintaining separate Identity from Teaching Fraternity from other engineering colleges around? Is it not another form of hierarchy?

The financial budget for each IIT is 20 to 30 times than that of any other Govt-aided engineering college under State Govt. Their funding agency is the Central Govt and till today there is no interference of any kind from the Central Govt in their functioning/policy-making.

The projects of huge amount ( in Lacs and Crores of Rupees) are directly entrusted to IITs. In many cases the certification responsibilities are assigned to IITs. Private consultancy is allowed in IITs of which 70% share is given to the individual teacher and 30% goes to the IIT. And there is no upper ceiling to the Individual share. There are lot many other sources of income for the IIT Faculty. Is it not another form of hierarchy, in financial terms as well?

So this point of hierarchy is also unfounded. It was existing before and will exist in future. It is the state of human mind and different measures are required to overcome it. Neither the Govt nor the Pay-scale should be blamed for this.

Thevile Anante Taishechi Rahave, Chitti Asu Dyave Samaadhan. said Sant Tukaram, the Mahaguru of all has categorically said so. He said this 350 years back. He never said this for ignoring the duty of your own choice or entrusted by somebody else. He is particular about doing the duty sincerely. In fact he is the best example of Total Sacrifice for the Pandurang. He left all the relations for the sake of his Pandurang.

At another place he said that 'Jodoniya Dhan Uttam Vyavahaare, Udaas Vichaare Vech Kari' . He never said not to work or not to earn money but what emphasis he gave on is, 'Chitti Aso Dyave Samaadhaan.'. Satisfaction of the mind/Chitta is more important. This is the ultimate result of the pure Love. All other things are immaterial. But this is the saying of Sant Tukaram, who never took formal Education at School or College, did not do PhD or any kind of research. and IITs could not have given him admission for any post as he was lacking all the qualities and qualification required for it.

So who will follow what he said.

But still we have to remember the words, 'For the sake of Love'. Easy to remember and use in day to day practice.

Bye.

SNN

30-09-2009





















Tuesday, September 15, 2009

What a change ! Paradigm Shift ?









What a change ! Paradigm Shift ?



Svabhavo Duratikramaha !

It is said that human nature is difficult to change. V V Difficult. And in case of an intellectual person it is still more difficult. One may say that it may because of strong ego, or because of the pride of his high intellect. But it may not be that much true. Sometimes miracle takes place. People change from one extremity to another.
the nature of the person takes U-turn. And we get stunned.


Let me narrate one case-study actually happened where I was directly involved.

Few years back, I was in some prestigious statutory inquiry committee as a member. A case cropped in. A student of final year MBBS appeared before the committee. The examiner made a complaint against this boy. The examiner was not an ordinary person. He was a reputed, highly experienced Heart-specialist belonging to Parsi Community. He was examiner for UG and PG examinations in Medical Faculty for n number of years. An old tough guy. While assessing the answer-book of this student he became suspicious of the answers. He arrived to the conclusion that the answers are paraphrased for him by some other reputed person in Medical Faculty. According to him, the answers were definitely not written by the student. He vouched for it. He further said that he referred all the text books and the latest journal of international repute for verifying the source of the answers. But he could not get any success. Further to it, he used some of the medicines, mentioned by the student in the answers, in his actual practice and confirmed with the results positively. He was very much sure of the copy-case. He decided to expose the candidate and hence made an official complaint to the appropriate authorities and hence this way the case came for inquiry before our panel.

The student was served the show-cause notice well before the inquiry. The examiner was also requested to remain present at that time. In fact, he was damn eager to expose this case for his own interest. Nobody could fool him for such a long span of examinership, may be more than 30 years, he said. So he remained present well before time. We called the examiner first. We asked for the reasons of doubt. He explained all the points mentioned above. We politely told him, giving due respect to his finding and his reputed career that, he cant take part in the proceedings of the Committee. However, we requested him to give us few questions to be asked to the students, which would be pertaining to the answers written by the student. He did so. He insisted that the student be questioned regarding the source of the answers. We cautioned him not to utter a single word once the inquiry starts. We asked him to sit at the backside before we called the student in.

We called the student in. We were prepared to ask the pertinent questions one by one and were also eagerly interested in the source of the answers. We tossed the first question given by the Examiner. The student promptly answered it. We asked the source. He immediately told the name of the journal with other details like year, article etc. Second question was thrown. Answer flashed immediately. Source also followed instantly. Examiner became restless. He pulled himself in to ask further probing questions. But we persuaded him from doing so with a clear distinct warning. Third question also got the same treatment. Now the Examiner could not hold himself. He shouted, 'enough, I am fully satisfied.' We asked the student to wait outside. We were literally worried by the behaviour of the Examiner. How could he break the norms of the Inquiry Committee's proceeding? Every member was furious.

Once the student was out of the hall, we asked the Examiner about his interference. Quitely, the Examiner asked for the Answer-book. He assessed it and declared the marks. Cent percent marks were given to the student. The face was the Examiner was totally different than the earlier. His attitude was totally changed. His expression was showing utmost respect for the student. He expressed his mistake before the Committee. In the unequivocal terms he accepted his earlier firm opinion, based on which the charges were levelled against the student. The Parsi Old man was literally on the point of emotional outburst.

We called the Student in. This time we asked personal question to the student. Now it was our turn to become emotional. The things are written in the student's words as :

'I was studying in XII (HSC), when I lost my father. My father died because of lack of proper medicines in the hospital. I was elder in the family, studying in the college. Our financial condition got worsened. My mother was at home only. Uncle was helping us financially. I could not come out of the shock of my father's sad demise. I gave promise to the soul of My father. "I will become a Good Doctor in Medicine and serve the people by giving proper medicine". I vouched to myself to specialise in medicine. I studied hard, day and night. I got good marks and got admission in reputed Medical College. I dedicated myself fully for my studies. Every time I used to remember the Scene of my Father's death and the reason of lack of proper medicines, I used to get more involved in my studies. Dr Kapoor, a renowned Doctor used to take free workshops for Doctors and Medical Students in Birla Matushree Hall every Sunday, from 7.00 am to 2.00 pm. I started attending these lectures regularly from my first year of MBBS. I was totally influenced by his lectures. It was a real source of my inspiration. The lectures for 4 years gave the direction to my studies. It expanded the horizon of my Medical Knowledge. I was taking special interest while taking the rounds in the hospitals or following the given duties in the hospitals. I was just in the last phase of the completion of my MBBS course and the notice disturbed me a lot. It was a shock to me and my mother. I never used any unfair practices at the Examinations throughout my academic life. But everybody in the Family circle, except my mother, looking at me with dubious sight."

We saw towards the Examiner. The old Parsi man was literally crying. His tears were expressing the seriousness of the matter and his face the repenting gesture.

I introduced the Examiner to the student. I told the result to the student in that subject. Now I was concerned for his mother. I asked the student about the condition of his mother. The Student told that she has not taken a drop of water even for last 7 days since when the notice was received by them. I requested the student to use the phone to inform his mother the result of the inquiry. He told her the things in short. I talked to her and personally requested her to break her fast by taking some fruit juice. Ultimately we Committee Members were also human beings. She was happy and agreed to take fruit juice.

The Old man came forward, held the student close to him He said, " Son. Don't worry henceforth. I am there with you now-onwards. You study further. I will take care of everything for the higher education. My clinic and my library is yours from today itself. (The clinic is in the richmost area of Mumbai and the Library contains thousands of Books and Journals of International Repute.). Henceforth I am your parent. Go ahead and I am always with you."

A Paradigm Shift took place. I was the witness. I experienced 180 degree change in the behavior of a Well Reputed, Experienced, Renowned, Professional Doctor. All my prejudices and assumptions vanished in a moment.

Yes ! miracle happens. The nature of a person can change. The ego can wither away. The attitude can take a U-turn. But when ?

Have you came across such miracles? What exactly happens which proves the saying that the human-nature is difficult to change? (Sanskrit :
'Svabhavo Duratikramaha.').
If it is so difficult, than when and what makes the sea-change.

Help me to solve this riddle.

SNN
15-9-2009

Saturday, September 12, 2009


Are people really self-centered and non-communicative?
What is your opinion?


Dear Friends

Everywhere we hear that now-a-days people are thinking of themselves. They are busy for 24 hours in their own world. They are not bothered about anything which is outside the bounds of their world. Let there be any catastrophe outside. They are shock-proof. Are they like three monkeys of Mahatma Gandhi? Nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to talk.

Let us see our experience. When any two unknown persons come together for any reason, say for example market, bus stop, train travel, plane, conference, it takes ample time to talk to each other. What is the problem? Ego? Lack of Initiative? Fear? Self-pride? Self-contentment? What forbids them to come out of the shell?

My daughter stays in UK after her marriage. She stays with Nilesh (her husband) in an apartment. After 8-9 months she doesn't know anything about the neighbors. When asked she told that in UK, privacy is preserved with priority and legal action can be taken if the privacy is disturbed. Even one has to take appointment of a friend to visit his place. There is a similar situation in the towers and flat-culture in our country as well. Few years back in my society, I remember that a case of suicide was revealed to others two days afterwards. To share the happiness or grief is a rarely seen incidence now-a-days. To appreciate a thing in public is a matter of history. To write a letter to relatives or friends or to a congratulation letter to the deserving person is a remote-chance of a thing. I have seen a society where people will go to the office very early than usual and come late in the night if they see any problem with the neighbor/s. No communication, no urge for it. A travel of hours and days will be passed without exchanging a single word. Everywhere there are many many independent isolated worlds with rigid boundaries difficult to pierce through.

My observation may be weak or limited. What is your feel?

Assuming, without accepting, this postulate, let us see a different picture now.

If people prefer no open communication, why do they resort to e-mail writing and chatting? Why they become restless if they don't receive the mobile call or e-mail from anybody? Why they keep their cell 24 hours with them, even at the time of their quite sleep?

Why people prefer writing blogs? So many topics, so many case studies, so many mind-blowing articles, so much thoughtful literature. Why do they want to share their thoughts with the entire world? Why do they eagerly visit their blog for the comments given for their write-up? Why so many smses? Are they choosy in their communication destinations and tools? Why the young generation is rebellious about no-communication tradition of the elders? I have read many of the excellent articles on the blogs of youngsters. Really excellent literature. Profound experience! Heartbreaking experiences. Thrilling case-studies? Why do they write? What is the purpose? What for they are thinking and writing? For what and whose benefit?

Some persons go ahead with a website of their own. My son is a computer savvy person employed in NSE. He is reluctant to read the literature. But the mail and chat writing is accounted for, it will turn into thousands of pages. And nothing of it is discarded. Many times it is either sharing the experiences or giving advises, giving solutions over somebody's problems, counseling to his PG students and so on. He has hundreds of his friends in touch with him. This is the Representative story for many other youngsters.

Then my first observation is right or second ? I am totally confused.

And a series of questions at this juncture is appearing in my mind. Why I should write this to you all and pass on my confusion to everybody. Do the world have time for reading and then thinking on it? What will happen to me if they don't send their comments? Whether I will discontinue to write? or will continue to write with stubborn attitude. Recently I read a news that PM is in touch with lakhs of people through his blog? Why so? Does he in search of something which he could not get even after becoming PM, the topmost position of the Country?

Why don't you oblige me by helping me to overcome from this dilemma? A sugarcoated request?

SNN
12-09-09

Saturday, September 5, 2009

What a teacher can do !

A Teacher can do wonder- A real story of my life !

Dear Friends

I was in Fergusson College, Pune in Pre-Degree Science in 1968. I was happy for 2 reasons. I stood first in my Taluka at SSC exam and second, I got admission in the most famous, prestigious Fergusson College, and that too in F division. At that time F division was known for the division of meritorious students having scored distinction at SSC.

But my happiness faded away instantly once the classes started.

My balloon got burst. My knowledge, my mastery in english (high score in english at SSC) , my understanding level everything what I was proud of got shattered. I was from lower middle class family. I had my set of 2 dresses, very shabby as compared to other students who were relatively from higher middle class families or rich families. Secondly I realised that I was very very poor in conversational English. I was thinking in Marathi, composing statements in Marathi and translating the things into English. A long process. My English vocabulary was hardly of 50 words. Fergusson college professors were Pure Marathi People but they never spoke in Marathi in the class or outside. So my problem was how to understand the things in the class which were purely in high-level english. I score 97 out of 100 in Mathematics at SSC. But even in this subject I was a big zero at the start. I used to cry in my heart every single moment. Most of the teachers were coming in the college with suit, tie etc. So to meet them in person to tell this difficulty or to ask for their advice in english was next to impossible. First week was a terrible week for me. I never saw huge laboratories, nor I was used to handle the costly equipments. What would happen if something gets broken. All the time I was worried and worried. A totally helpless guy !

My inferiority Complex grew to Himalayan Height. I decided to change the college or quit. I opened out this subject of change of college to my Father. He ruled out this idea. In fact he was proud that he could provide me the best college. He did not listen to any of my difficulties. He gave ultimatum that either continue Fergusson College or quit the further education. He was having lot of expectations from me. I cried but in vain. I continued for one more week. But the problem aggravated further. I was a back bencher. No friend to help. No teacher to help. Not a single word of theory going into brain. Fear of laboratories. What to do. I was at the peak of nervous breakdown. No way to get rid of this situation.

I decide to quit the college. Got totally tires. I started walking from the college to Shivajinagar. I was literally crying. And a miracle happened. It was a turning Point.

Somebody was calling me by name. she was my Highschool Teacher, excellent teacher of Mathematics. Karamarkar Madam. She was staying at Pune and was returning from my School at Talegaon--Nutan Vidya Mandir. I stopped at once, to respond to her calling. I saw her. She came nearer and asked me in most sympathetic , 'Suresh, what happened to you? Why are you crying?'. This sympathy exploded the gate of tears. I started sobbing heavily. I could not speak a single word. She took me to a nearby cafe. (remember, at that time to go to cafe was not so common.) She gave me a glass of water and a cup of tea (I am not used to take tea at all till date). By then, I cooled down considerably. I narrated my problems and told her my decision of quitting the further education. She was surprised and taken aback.

She told, 'Suresh, I know what you are. You are really a brilliant student. You cant run away like this. Nothing is difficult. I will tell you how to cope up with these poblems. I will give you simple Marathi Books for Mathematics, Marathi-English Science Dictionary. If required I will teach you the subjects. Don't get disheartened. Everybody goes through this phase. You gain confidence.'
I told her about my inferiority complex and the reasons for it viz. money, language, incapability of purchasing books... n number of reasons. But she was firm. One by one she ruled out all these reasons. Her consoling / counselling words developed a ray of hope in my mind. She told in a simple statements, 'excel well in the terminal examination and see that flow of friends will start. Have regular study of each subject. Prepare your own notes. Gather confidence. You are intelligent.'

These words changed my life. She provided me the material that she assured. My self-study started. I did not see back then onwards. My terminal examination was cleared with distinction. My engish vocabulary increase to more than hundred of words. My english improved a lot, though not to the mark especially on conversational level. I got very good marks in Maths. Surprisingly I got few friends because of my good result. My confidence level geared up. My regularity was commendable. Understanding of all the subjects was superb and it gave me real pleasure of gaining knowledge. I felt no need to approach teachers or students for solving doubts. I was using my self-thinking process for the same or taking help of college library and Footpath
scrap-books library. I got the examination technique improved. I started getting hunch of would be questions in the examinations. I started clearing the doubts of falling-behind friends. I started liking lending helping hand to the friends.

I completed 2 years in Fergusson and 4 years of COE, Pune with First Class/Distinction marks. Last 33 years I am serving this pious Institute ! All the credit goes to my Respected Madam, Karamarkar Madam. I cant imagine what would have been my fate if she had not met me at that moment of time, at that juncture of my life. A Teacher can do wonder. She did it. My grateful Pranam to her and hence an Ideal Teacher. I am in this field because of her timely help. A self-less help. Out of gratitude I am trying to walk on the path she has shown 41 years back.


SNN
5-9-2009, Teachers' Day

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Stability of a System !

Law of Inertia is a natural law. It is Newton's First Law of Motion. It says that a body in a state of rest remains in the state of rest and a body in a state of motion remains in the state of motion, unless it is activated by External Cause/agency/force. This law is applicable to the living organisms and the human-evolved systems as well.

Let us take an example of the present education system in the engineering field. The system comprises of Teachers, students and infrastructure like laboratories/workshop/library and other facilities/amenities. Indirect institutions linked with this are AICTE, University etc. Indirect elements linked with this are parents, coaching classes and Industries. Let us take a general model of an above-average Institute having good repute in the past. What we observe there in the present moment. Let us jot down our observations point-wise.

1. Teachers : In such an organisation cum model we selected, either there is dearth of teachers i.e. large number of vacancies or there is a deficiency of good experienced, senior faculty. Out of the appointed teachers, many of them are not sincere. They are not duty-bound. They are paid good salary as compared to that paid couple of decades back. But still they fail in delivering goods. They, however, generate the record cum documented weightage proofs efficiently so that they can prove at any moment time that they were punctual, regular and sincere in their duty. Their records are so nicely articulated that they will be ranked as number one amongst all the teachers of the Institute. They go to the extent of even managing the feedback from the students to the highest level. These teachers use the efforts on optimum level in teaching and examination level. They avoid to become extremist who fail the students unnecessarily or who gave very high marks to the students. In Autonomous Institutes these teachers play a very predominant role. Selective Teaching and Selective questions in question-paper. Loose and safe assessment. Such teachers always take efforts to be in lime-light. They get involved in publicity-type non-academic activities. They refrain from the duties under the cover of administrative duties assigned to them or under the act of pestering the authorities. They impress the Authorities for their political, social acquaintances and their inevitability in the smooth running of the Institute. Sometimes these teachers expose their nuisance power also, to generate the fear in the minds of the Authorities and make their position shaky. In all what we see that academics takes a back seat in the minds of the teachers or teaching community.

2. Students : Students in this model Institute enter with some dream in their minds. But slowly the dream gets shattered. They realise that they are not getting the knowledge upto the mark. They become nervous. But they find out an alternative. They don't grumble about the defaulting teachers and the inefficient teaching. They join outside coaching classes. No sooner the urge of gaining the knowledge dies down in these classes. However during all these efforts, they appear for the examination. The results declared make them happy. They are happy because the marks are good as compared to the knowledge gained by them during the term. First they conclude that the assessment is loose or liberal. But as days pass, people inquire about their marks/result and they receive their response, they start feeling that they have acquired knowledge which is equivalent to their marks/result. Once his phase is over, they also optimise their efforts and learn a safe and fast method of clearing the examinations. They forget the knowledge part. They concentrate on the technique of appearing for and clearing the examination. And their results they correlate to the knowledge acquired. Hence Rank 1 student stars assuming that his
acquiring knowledge gained is 100%. The students in the Autonomous college prefer to adopt still simple method. They do not feel to join outside coaching classes, knowing fully that this will not be of any help to them as every thing including rank and grade is in the hands of internal teachers only. So they give highest priority to remain in the good books of the Internal Teachers. For them the teachers become God. They accept from the teachers what they get and forget about its quality or quantity. They become perfect professional. They appease the teachers rather than approaching for clearing their academic . They shut their logical eye in the class rooms and accept without understanding what is delivered to them in the classrooms. They wholeheartedly remember every single word given in the class. Rather than self-study, they believe more on the notes given. No text books, no aspiration for knowledge, no curiosity for knowledge-gain, no initiative, no discussions and debate, no self-thinking. This becomes the path of least resistance to them. And they have a proven faith that this is the way to fetch success.

3. Infrastructure : It does not matter now as students are oriented to the system i.e. acclimatisation. The students will never grumble about poor infra-structure. The system does not permit them to complain against the deficiencies. And it has got nothing to do with the Examination System. Teachers also do not bother. Because this is of no use. They fail to establish the contact between theory and practical, the real knowledge through the books, the innovative ideas through the projects etc.

4. Parents : Parents have only one outlook i.e. they will provide money for additional facilities asked for by their ward. They don't have time if both of them are intelligent and well educated and hence busy in their highly paid jobs and responsibilities. They will not fail to provide facilities like computer, net, classes, tuitions, guides etc. They are the ideal facilitators. They will get contented by the good results and will curse them for the bad results. They will feel that they have their duty well as facilitators. They forget their role of parent. They are always worried about their prestige in the outer circle. They work as a bank for their children. ATMs, that is all.If the parents are not well educated, they will prefer to keep mum under their inferiority complex. They will curse the system rather than their wards. In every sense, whether educated or non-educated, the parents' worlds are totally separate that those of their children.

5. Industry : The people from Industry recruit the graduate students as per their requirement and not on the basis of their absolute potential. They know exactly what is the raw material and the process to groom as a product what the company requires. They fully understand the hollowness of the students as far as the quality of education in concerned and as far as other personality-skills are required.

6. Society at large is dormant.

So we see the real picture like this. Now the question occurs in our mind, whether the system is stable or unstable. Academic Answer will say immediately that is inefficient and highly unstable. But in reality the system looks like a perfectly stable system. Why so? Answer is every element is happy about the system. Let us see how !

Students are happy as they get the good marks/rank for very less efforts. Teachers are happy as they get their salary for very less efforts. Parents are happy as their wards are scoring high proving the efforts of the parents as fruitful. Parents are happy as their repute in the outer world is raised. College Authorities are happy as the college results are in time and very good. They immediately conclude that this is because of the high standard of academics prevailing in the College for which they are solely responsible. Coaching class owners are happy to generate large revenue in the minimal time. Industry is happy as they are getting cheap labour from these graduates. Society is happy as the repute of their constituents is raised. And as such as all the elements are happy, the system is felt fully stable. Every element shares the credit for this amazing thing.

Do you agree?

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Are Intellictuals Cowards?

Dear Friends

We are facing many problems in day-to-day life. Problems might be of different kind. Personal, family-level, Institutional, Company-level, Social, National and so on. The response or reaction to these problems, common to all, vary with the section, especially educational-level.

Uneducated people react or respond in more or less in an intense manner. Many a time s they come together to address the problem faced by them. They are ready to act on the problem for resolving. They can go the extent of sacrificing everything what they have, money, energy, physical efforts, family, property etc. Once they decide to resist the problem, their act follows in the devotional manner. Intellect nearly stops at that point. This can be described as they fight against the problem in a 'tooth and nail' fashion. They face the problem courageously.

While if we see the similar response of the Educated, Intellectual people, when the nature of the problem is same, our conclusion is shocking. First thing this intellectual entity does it he starts assuming or thinking that the problem does not exist. If he cant do that he starts thinking that the problem is there but not for me , it is for others. After this stage is also over and once he starts thinking that it is his own problem even, then he thinks that what others are doing. And if others' efforts can fetch the expected solution or results, I will also get the benefit. So he/she tries to avoid to participate in joint action. Or else he participates but in a safe way. For example, he/she gives mute consent, gives signature, gives frank opinion orally but in confidence, talks loudly in family or with unrelated friends, blames others who are fighting for the cause or sometimes/ same time who are against the fighting. He/she avoids to give even a logically correct opinion with reference to the problem. He exposes himself in the most mysterious way so that no one can conclude on which side he is telling something.
Ramaay Swasti, Raavanaay Swasti. He uses all his intellect to safe-guard his job, name, fame, reputation, wealth, property etc. He does not wish to take any risk. He wont participate in any open movement. But will use intellect to prove how he is correct and all others are at fault. How he is the only rational, intelligent person out of all. He will try to break the unity of the fighting people. He can talk to both the sides with equal zeal and competence, protecting his self-benefits. If any movement fails, he will be the first person to publically declare that he was telling everybody that this move will not work. If the movement yields success he will roar like a lion and project himself as if he was the only visionary to suggest and conduct that movement to its logical end. He will use his vocabulary to describe his sacrifice, his dedication, his courage and boldness, his total involvement in the most impressive manner. He will try to suppress his exactly opposite behaviour during his talks and speeches, public and private.

Why this difference exists between the behaviour of uneducated people and so-called educated/intellectual people? Do you at least agree to my observation? Is the social
system responsible for this? Is the educational system makes them Coward? Does the degree, wealth makes them condensed/narrow minded in their thought process? Is the selfishness directly proportion to the educational degrees they obtain? Is it the aim of the present education system to produce slaves or slave minded professionals. Is the examination system snatches from them Nirbhayata/Boldness or forces them to become horizontal throughout their life? Is it the pressure of the parents or family that forces them only to look after their studies when they are students and nothing else? You look after yourself only, why you are bothered about others? Is this slogan is literally followed in almost all the families? Competitions everywhere, right from admissions to employment is heavy. Is it responsible for the mentality of Parents and Their Wards? Is the present teaching-learning process is totally ineffective to develop or inculcate the basic qualities like 'Fight against any injustice?', 'Resist the unjust', 'Nirbhay Bano', 'Fight for the Right' etc? Are Teachers unaware that they are responsible for this type of development of the students as well? Are Social and political leaders a shear failure to inculcate such qualities in the youngsters or intellectuals through their own Ideal life?

When one will go for the answers he has to apply the same yardstick for
both the categories, uneducated and educated. If one logic works for one group, it should be logically true for other group as well.

Another thing which one may consider is that if we see the prehistorical days of our Nation, the leadership, a very influential and powerful leadership, of the nation was in the hands of highly intellectual people who sacrificed everything for the freedom of Our Nation. Some were reputed
Barristers, some were IAS/ICS officers, Some were Teachers in reputed Universities, Some were Educationists, Mathematicians to the level of Ranglers, Engineers and Scientists of High profile. Then where from all the courageous qualities emerged at that time? This study will also help you all to arrive to the right analysis and conclusion.

Will you please help me to arrive to a correct conclusion?

SNN

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Ideas about self !

Priy Vachak-Varg

One important thought occurs to our mind frequently. How to describe ourselves. A really difficult question and still difficult answer.

On the very first day of my Final Year Class, I asked my students to write about themselves. What they are? What they were when they passed HSC with good marks and got entry into the prestigious Institute and What is the change in them after nearly 4 years? I also told them that this is to be written in their own words as the information was pertaining to themselves. I further told them that this was not to be shown to anybody. Hence there was no possibility of fear to write true things and there was no possibility of mass-copy. This was to be kept confidential to themselves, not even to be disclosed to me also, as their teacher. But for first five minutes nobody wrote a single word. All pens were in air. I asked the difficulties for not writing. No answer. Class remained silent. I told the class that this was their own self-analysis to be done by them and that too for themselves only. After 10 minutes students gathered courage to scribble something in their note-book. Many started looking into their neighbor's notebook. I announced immediately that this is not fair as you cant analyse yourselves on the basis of your neighbor's analysis. The class took nearly 15-20 minutes to write about themselves. After inquiry I found that max lines written by the students did not exceed 10 lines.

I knew that this question is difficult for everybody including yogi. But I did not ask the students the spiritual inquiry or answer to 'who I am?' . I felt that my question was regarding the attributes or skills developed in last 4 years. But still students, at large failed to write even 10 lines. I started thinking for the reasons. I was restless. out of the thought process many reasons flashed before me.

First reason was the present Education System. This system did not train them to think about themselves. The students learnt dependability on Teaching/teachers, books, friends, question-answer type guides, coaching classes, class-notes, net downloads to find out answer to any question, technical or otherwise. If, for example, they got stuck to solve a difficult sum/assignment, they will immediately approach the teacher, or the friend or search for the guide/text-book or net etc for ready-made solution. They are impatient for hours and days and nights. But they will not think of spending few minutes relying on their own thinking process. Friend is always right, in fact, everybody else other than him is always right than himself. This is the slogan for them, though hidden within. Throughout these many years (from KG to HSC) they are trained by the system to rely on these tools only, external to them. However, all these tools really fail when the question regarding themselves needs to be answered. Because this question never occurred to them. To write Bio-Data or Resume is simple, as they are to be written regarding achievements, where evidences are present with them in term of the documents and certificates., mark-sheets and awards. But what documents will helpful to them for answering this question. So one reason is the present Education System which made them handicapped for describing what they are in reality. So the answer became difficult for them.

But is this correct?

Whenever any person why alone student talks freely to his colleague, a large proportion of the dialogues is devoted for describing what he is. 'I am like this, I am like that', 'I cant tolerate that', 'I am of this type','I scolded him, as I got heavy reaction', my nature is like that', 'I', 'I','me','mine','my','myself'. In a day, if a everything is well recorded what that person talks to others, more than 70 % is regarding his own-self, his nature, his habits, likes-dislikes, his identity etc. Then where-from he describes all this about himself? When did he find time to analyse himself? Who trained him to say so many things about himself?

Hence the situation or the right reason looks more difficult? Can we try to write about ourselves few lines? When we can describe any other external thing/person/act, which is external to us in number of lines or pages or essays, why cant we write few lines about ourselves? Is honesty and transparent analysis, though perfectly confidential to ourselves, are the barriers? Are we afraid to establish a good rapport with ourselves? Is the real friendship with one-self is totally impossible? We are very free to our close friends. Is it impossible to establish the friendship with one-self? Let us think over it, taking a leisure time, few minutes, few hours, few days!

Your comments are always welcome!

Feer Milenge!

SNN

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Namaskar!

Saprem Namaskar!

Blog-Udghatan!

I got an opportunity to express my thoughts on various socio-cultural issues. I can share with many people known or unknown to me!

Today being the first day of using the blog I wish to write few thoughts occurring in my mind for many number of years.

I believe that everything in this world happens by design and not haphazardly. We may not be knowing. Its a continuous band, we can read a tiny fraction of it and that too depending upon our capability. We are sent on this planet earth for a definite purpose. In a routine activities and busy schedule we don't find time to search for this aim. But the aim still exists. The Supreme Power has given us the necessary tools, skills and qualities to travel towards the aim of our life. But because we don't travel to the aim, we don't feel of this possession. When we travel towards the objective , we have to face many hurdles, unseen difficulties, we have to face many challenges. If without turning our back, we decide to continue to travel in the same path, these qualities and skills, hidden within us, do get exposed and manifest to help us. They provide confidence and energy to overcome the obstacles. Thus the difficulties and hurdles become the boon for us and not curse. In addition these qualities gives us qualitative and continuous stream of pleasure. In fact, experience of this Divine pleasure assures us that we are on the right track. It inspires us to proceed on our path. This is called in real sense as JEEVIKA. Whatever we do for daily life is called as UPJEEVIKA. It gives us money and material benefits and not the inner quality-pleasure. Both the types of pleasures are must. However we generally get drowned in the pleasure given by UPJEEVIKA throughout our life. We remain thirsty of pleasure given by the inner wealth. In my view point to get this pleasure of real JEEVIKA is the spirituality. One of the many ways is to do our own duty as worship to the Supreme Power.

'AGAA JAYAA JE VIHIT KARMA, TE ISHVARAACHE MANOGAT' said by Sant Dnyaneshvar Mauli.

Suresh Nakhare, VJTI