What was killing her?

Chapter 1

“I am her son”, said Dinu. He had not slept much over the last few days in the hope that she would survive. He was with her, right beside her, talking to her, cheering her up. But Cancer emerged winner. It was probably envious of her infectious energy and her endearing smile.

The doctor said, “You are a nice man. You were with your mother when she needed you the most”. Dinu thanked the doctor.

His friend, Maneesh, arrived at the hospital. He gave him a hug and tried to console the visibly depressed friend. Maneesh was a legal practitioner. He wanted to arrange for everything to ensure that the deceased could leave the world peacefully so he got on with the task.

“Let’s start arranging for her death certificate”, Maneesh said. “Do ask the doctor if a post-mortem report is required?”, he added.

“Why do you need a death certificate?”, Dinu asked Maneesh.

“A Death Certificate is a document issued by the Government to the next of kin or the nearest relatives of the deceased. It states the date and cause of death. You must register death to ensure that the individual is relieved from social, legal and official obligations, to enable settlement of property inheritance, and enable her/ his family to stake a claim on the insurance amount, if the person has a life insurance. It is a mandatory requirement as per the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.”, answered Maneesh.

“Thanks, Maneesh”, he said. I am glad you are around. I will speak to the doctor while you take care of the other formalities.

He asked the doctor if a post-mortem was required. The doctor looks up at the ceiling for about 30 seconds. The fingers of his right and left hand huddled like they were members of a cricket team. He bought this huddled unit to his chin indicating that he was considering the situation in its entirety before answering.

Finally, he spoke. “When the cause of death has been given by the attending/ treating medical practitioner in the Government Format of Medical Certification of Cause of death (MCCD Form 4/4A-) and there is absolutely no doubt about the cause of her death, a post-mortem is not necessary.”

He again thanked the doctor and started handling the arrangements to take her home. Maneesh had arranged for all the legal papers and the ambulance to take her to the crematorium.

Arranging for the funeral

Dinu had decided that as per the mother’s wishes, she would be cremated in the traditional pyre. As per Hindu tradition, the body is draped in a white cloth and kept on top of a huge pile of wood. Then, prayers are chanted following which the son of the deceased lights the pyre. The body is burned and the soul gets released from the body and reincarnates into a new body as per Hindu tradition.

Maneesh had already arranged for the logs of wood, kerosene, cow dung cakes etc. The ambulance had arrived and the body was placed on the makeshift bed where the dead body lay. Four of Dinu’s friend’s including Maneesh held one end of this bed on their shoulders and carried the dead body towards the ambulance.

They alighted the body at the crematorium and carried it towards the pyre.
The crematory operator checked if all the papers are in order. He also gave Dinu a document to obtain authorization for cremation of the deceased person. He then asked Dinu to remove the gold necklace on the mother unless he wanted it to be cremated along with her. Dinu asked the crematory operator to let the mother remain adorned with the gold jewelry while her soul departs the world. The operator then placed the body on the wooden pyre.

The Funeral

The Hindu Priest walked in, chanted some mantras and gave Dinu a lighted log of wood to light the pyre. He did that and with a cracked earthen pot on his shoulder and water flowing from it in a steady stream, he went around the pyre, and threw the pot behind.

There were only a handful of people at the funeral but a new face had managed to sneak in to the audience. Most of them were Dinu’s friends but a few faces were from the community. The new person who just entered waited for Dinu to take a breath.
He then pointed a finger towards Dinu and shouted in a very loud voice. “He is not Mrs. Ramnath’s son”. Everybody looked in his direction including Dinu and Maneesh.

“He is not Mrs. Ramnath’s son”, repeated the new face, finger still pointed towards Dinu. Everyone stood frozen. Time stood still. The crematorium was way more silent than it could ever have been.

To be continued…

Chapter 2:

A few people walked towards the stranger. “How do you know?”, they asked. “Who are you?”, asked someone else. The commotion started to build. Maneesh was the only person walking towards Dinu. The sounds of commotion soon started fading in Dinu’s head. His mind, in an instant, was back in that local train where he had seen Mrs. Ramnath for the first time.

That Friday Afternoon

Dinu is an expert sales professional. He could sell anything, anywhere and to anyone. And like any good sales person, he was a brilliant conversationalist. He could strike a chord with a child, a teenager, a youngster, an adult or an old man with the same enthusiasm and élan. And like any brilliant sales person, he was also an eternal optimist. These two qualities enabled him to connect with people seamlessly.
In that crowded local train, Dinu was talking on his phone with a client. He knew the pulse of his clients to perfection. He had a feeling he was just a question away from getting an affirmative reply.

“How will I know that the leads you share with me are relevant?”, asked the client.
Dinu had anticipated this but he delayed the response. He did not want the client to believe that he had been asked this question many times before. Sales is a mind game. He believed that if the client felt smart and important while dealing with him, he would almost always get the deal in his favour. If his stellar track record was any indication, he was a master at the “Sales” mind game.

Dinu finally answered, “Sir, I am so happy you asked me this question. Ratan Agarwal asked me the same question three years back and I don’t need to tell you where he is today. As did Samir Mishra and Sudhir Sheth. You are in the same league as these extraordinary gentlemen Sir. I will still answer your question. Our team follows a …. “
He knew his “ego-massage” weapon had clicked when the client cut him mid-way and said “I think let’s start the engagement. You send the final proposal to my team and let us take it ahead from there.”

Dinu thanked the client and heaved a sigh of relief. He, now, had the weekend to himself – to relax and to enjoy. He thought of taking a quick nap as he was among the lucky people in the train to have gotten a place to sit. He was just about to close his eyes when he saw a familiar face. He tried to place this face in his mind but could not recollect where he had seen this lady.

The first interaction

This had happened to him many times in his life – in offices, railway stations, malls and airports. He would often see a face which always made him glance one more time. A face that stood out in the crowd. The reason was not always beauty. There were times when the face wasn’t the best around but he felt a strange need to look or stare. He felt a strange connect. He did not know why. He also did not know if such things happened to everyone.

He again looked at the lady. She had a beautiful, yet tired and pale face. She had a huge bag in her hand. It appeared to be heavier than her frail frame. Dinu felt the need to get up and offer her his seat. And he did.

“Thank you for the seat, beta (son)”, said the lady to Dinu. “Most welcome, Ma’am”, said Dinu. He offered her his seat. Soon, one of the seats was vacated and he sat opposite the lady. “You remind me of my son.”, she said. Dinu smiled “What does your son do, how old is he?”, asked Dinu.

“He is thirty years old. He is currently working in one of the largest multi-national companies in the world. He is leading their Sales division and is a favorite to assume the post of the CEO within the next five years. The current CEO has taken him under his wings and he is learning the ropes well with him. He was a brilliant student. He topped his exams in every class. He loves cycling, swimming…. “, she went on talking incessantly. After a few minutes, Dinu got bored of the mother’s abundant affection that was flowing into the conversation. He decided it was time to change the subject as he still had twenty minutes to go before he could reach his destination.

“Why did you not go to the US with him?”, asked Dinu. Her happy and eager face suddenly showed a hint of sadness. However, she quickly regained composure and said, “My son and his wife are busy professionals. If I go there, they don’t have much time for me so I thought it would be easier to just spend time in your homeland with family and friends.”.

“Interesting”, said Dinu but realized that something was amiss. They kept talking about various things and finally Dinu told her that his station had arrived and that he would want to alight. The lady said she was also going to alight. With Dinu leading the way, they carved a path for themselves to get out of the crowded train. As soon as she got out of the train, the huge bag that the lady was carrying fell of her hands and its contents lay on the platform floor.”

Dinu could see spare clothes, a newspaper, a few tissues and a file. The file read the name of one of the most sought hospitals in the country. The hospital specialized in Cancer treatment. “Either she is detected with cancer or someone close to her is suffering from it”, said Dinu to himself. Dinu picked up her stuff, put it in her bag and handed the large bag over to the lady. They walked towards the auto rickshaw stand.
“Have you stayed in this city all your life?”, Dinu asked her. “No”, said the lady. She told him that she had moved in just a year ago. She said that after her husband passed away and her son went to the US, it did not make much sense to stay alone in Bangalore.

Dinu offered to drop her as he was travelling alone. They both got into the rickshaw and it started moving. The heat was unbearable and the auto driver’s maneuvers around the potholes made it a bit more uncomfortable.

Dinu asked her, “What’s your name, Ma’am?”. No response came. The lady seemed lost in some thought. He repeated his question. He was as persistent as any sales person would have been.  

“Oh sorry, I was thinking about something else”, she said. “My name is Arti Ramnath. I was a school teacher in Bangalore. I retired two years ago.”

A recently opened huge retail mart could be seen a few meters away.  “Please drop me here. I need to shop for some grocery before I head home,” said the lady. Dinu asked the rickshaw driver to drop her just in front of its entrance. She waved her hands to him, flashed a very pleasant smile and thanked him for the company.

Who was she?

The auto-rickshaw started moving. Dinu turned back to look at her walk into the retail store. He could see her image fading away as the vehicle moved ahead. However, the image of her face refused to fade away from his memory. He reached home. He changed his clothes, washed his face, wiped it and sat down on his couch. He switched on the television. His mind still clung to the face. He just could not get it out of his head. He started to ponder if he had seen Mrs. Ramnath earlier. He switched off the television and started to think.

After about ten minutes, he jumped off his couch and ran to his mobile. He dialed a number. A septuagenarian picked his call. The baritone sounded like a famous movie star but this person was not in any way associated with movies. He had done remarkable social work in his life and was very well respected for it.

Dinu spoke to the person for five minutes and the last question he asked was, “What was her name?”. The septuagenarian replied, “Mrs. Ramnath”. “Full name”, said an impatient Dinu. “Arti Ramnath”. Dinu thanked the person on the other end of the phone. He said he was going to meet him in person early morning the next day.

Dinu made a quick call to Maneesh and told him, “We are going to Alibaug tomorrow”. Alibaug is a beautiful place on the outskirts of Mumbai and is adorned with beaches. People often visit this place for a weekend getaway. For Dinu, the purpose of the visits was very different.

Maneesh looked at the date on his calendar and said,” Why tomorrow? It is the first Saturday of the month, we go there on the second Saturday each month.”

“No, it’s urgent.”, said Dinu. Maneesh agreed to go and they decided to drive down to Alibaug early next morning.

Dinu kept his mobile on the table. He lay down on the couch and laughed. “She deserves it. That’s God’s way of getting back at her.”

Today wasn’t the first time he had met Mrs. Ramnath. He remembered that morning twenty-two years ago when he, a young boy aged eight, first saw her. She was younger, prettier and meaner. He was laughing but tears were also rolling down his cheeks. He found it difficult to crack this emotional quagmire.

To be continued…

Chapter 3:

The pitch-dark night sky was slowly becoming lighter. It was a pleasant Saturday morning. Maneesh arrived at the gate of Dinu’s house and honked. The watchman guarding Dinu’s society was visibly irritated, though Maneesh had honked only once. He came to the gate to ask Maneesh to stop. He almost reprimanded Maneesh and told him that it was a Saturday morning and most people slept till late.

Maneesh had a smile on his face. It was his way of dealing with any aggression coming his way. “Do you eat Chocolates?”, he asked the watchman. The anger on his face completely surrendered to the confusion in his mind. He was rattled by the rather unusual question.

Maneesh took out three rum chocolates from his car and handed it over to him. He told the watchman about the ingredients. “Have this before everyone wakes up”, he said and winked at the watchman. The watchman smiled. “Do you want to get the car inside?”, asked the watchman. Maneesh smiled again and made a gesture with his face which indicated that Dinu was just a few metres away.

Maneesh could turn the toughest of cookies into jelly in no time. He could do it without himself getting angry or perturbed. It was a special trait, and was especially helpful in his profession.

The drive to Alibaug

Dinu got into the car and Maneesh started driving. The watchman smiled and even waved at Maneesh, thanking him once again for the chocolates. Dinu was not his usual self though. He was lost in thought.

“Good morning, hope all is well?”, asked Maneesh. Dinu nodded his head. “I don’t think so. Just blurt it out and you will feel better.”, said Maneesh. Like an afterthought, he added, “I know you are a kick-ass salesman but that does not mean you can lie to a lawyer”. The friends laughed.

Dinu narrated the incident. Maneesh listened intently. Just when Dinu finished narrating the entire incident from the previous day in fine detail, Maneesh pulled the car off the road into their usual petrol pump.

The price of petrol had gone up by three rupees. “Kitna bharu sahib” (how much petrol should I fill in?)”, the attendant at the petrol pump asked Maneesh.

He asked him to fill petrol for two thousand rupees. “Full tank bhar lo sahib”, advised the petrol pump attendant. “Will I get a discount if I do that?”, asked Maneesh. It had the same effect on the attendant as the watchman at Dinu’s place. He was totally confused. However, Maneesh asked him to go ahead after giving a thought to his plans for the upcoming week.

Maneesh handed him the money and they continued their journey. “So, what are you planning to do?”, asked Maneesh. “I want to talk to father. I want to talk to him about that day. I still remember it vividly. It seems like it happened just yesterday.”

“Don’t you think you should let go of it and move on?”, asked Maneesh. “Dinu stared at Maneesh and said, “It is easy for you to say that. You will never understand how that pain; not in this life.”

Maneesh gauged that it would have been sensible to leave Dinu alone for some time. He switched on the radio and continued to drive. A leading RJ, who had a peppy number created by the radio station just for him, was on air. The number described him as the Voice of Mumbai.

He had a different voice and was adept at conversing in English, Hindi and the local language spoken in Mumbai (and Maharashtra), called “Marathi”.

He spoke about the issue of increase in school fees and was airing views from irked parents. After some intense comments, he decided to clear the tension with a new chartbuster which was making waves. The song, composed by a youth sensation, had lyrics wherein a girl insisted that the DJ play the song she liked.

The usual stop-over for tea was rather quick and they reached the destination within the next hour.

The Angel Nest

The “Angel Nest” was a few months away from completing its fiftieth anniversary, or Golden Jubilee as it is often referred to as. Over the years, the institution had done some great work and empowered a lot of orphaned children with education and shelter till the time they could take care of themselves independently.

Dinu was one such child. For as long back as he could recall, the only face that he could remember as his first port of call was father Francis. Father Francis was running this orphanage for the last 40 years. He was a very well respected person in the community and was admired for his work. He has been conferred with a lot of awards. 

Father Francis was the face of Angel Nest. Industrialists, cricketers and film-stars contributed to “Angel’s Nest” as they had complete faith in Father Francis.

Dinu’s visit was unexpected. The children always expected them on a second Saturday so it was unusual for them to see him and Maneesh uncle. However, they were more than happy to receive their share of chocolates and cookies which uncle Dinu and Maneesh invariably bought for them.

After their routine interaction with the kids, Dinu and Maneesh went inside to meet father Francis. The ever-smiling father Francis welcomed them both to his cabin. They sat opposite father.

Dinu did not waste too much time. The father listened to his narration once again. Dinu ended it with, “As you sow, so shall you reap. That’s what you have always told father. She will have to pay for her sins.”.

“What sins?”, asked the father.

“You are asking me that. You very well know why she chose Gary over me on that day when she came to adopt a kid at the orphanage.”

“Who told you all this Dinu?”, asked the father, calm as ever.

“I knew she chose me over Gary because he was a better student and was considered more intelligent than me. I won’t tell you the source as he confided this to me on the condition that I keep his identity confidential.”, replied Dinu.

He was angry and sad at the same time.

The father was angry at the undisclosed source of the information but he did not show it. He told Dinu, “Your source has misguided you. There was no choice to make in the first place. She decided to adopt Gary, not because he was the brightest, but because he was physically weak and was a sick child. She wanted the neediest child in the orphanage to get the love and care. That’s all. I am so disappointed that you are carrying unnecessary venom within you for so long.”

Dinu was now confused. The father further added to it by saying, “You know what. 

The very next day after she adopted Gary, she called me and said that she would like to fund your education and expenses as she was feeling bad that she could not adopt you. Without being around, she took great care of you, Dinu. If I were you, I would see what best I could do for her in this tough phase of her life. I would expect the same from every child who has lived here and is now a capable and self-dependent individual.”

The father’s words had completely changed Dinu. He was no more upset or sad. He was feeling a concern, a void. He felt that he had become blinded by some unverified facts and it had clouded his rationale. He felt guilty for having thought ill about Mrs. Ramnath. He decided to track her down. He thanked father Francis and told him that he wanted to leave. Father saw Dinu and Maneesh to the gate of “Angel Nest”. The children waved good-bye to their favourite uncles.

The Confession

Father rushed back quickly after seeing Dinu and Maneesh off. He hurried to his room, went to the almighty’s chamber and asked for forgiveness. There was rarely a day in his life of seventy years that the father had lied to anyone. Today, he had lied to one of his favourite people in the world. Though there was some truth in what he said, he still could not come to terms with the fact that he had to lie to get things moving the way he would have liked.

To be continued …  

Destiny before Death

He ruled. Yes. He did. He came from humble beginnings to rise and shine like none before him. He was the heartthrob of the entire nation. The whole country awaited his movies with bated breath. The guys imitated him. The girls loved him. He was the king of romance. His princely face, suave personality and sharp intellect were an irresistible combination.

He was known to work very hard. In twenty years, he had earned enough and more for even, his grandchildren to live happily. Or so he thought.

His passion for cinema was unmatched. He lived to entertain people. Their smiles meant a lot to him. The undying passion, however, came with its own side-effects.

The biggest magnum opus

He wanted to make India’s biggest magnum opus, based on a legendary Indian mythological tale. He invested everything possible but still needed more money. He raised money from the banks, mortgaged his famous home and did everything possible to ensure that the movie would see the light of the day. And, it did.

It was three years of hard work and toil for his team and for him. However, what ensued after the day of the release was nothing short of a nightmare. The film tanked badly at the box office. It was a surprise for him, the trade pundits and the media. No one had anticipated Sahil Khanna’s film to flop so badly. The man who had given the country so many hits witnessed his worst failure. And being the producer, Sahil had invested much more than just his time and effort into it.

The Descend

In the stock markets, “plummet” is the word used to describe a sharp fall in stock price. In the case of Sahil as well, his fortunes, stardom and his equity plummeted in no time. To compound the problem, he now had debtors to pay. He had some friends in the industry and he had helped many of them in their initial days. However, he was very reluctant to ask for help.

The problems would not cease and soon he was helpless. Sahil had a strange habit. When he landed in the city, he used to spend long hours staring at the sea. Its vastness gave him calm, hope and a feeling of positivity. The sea had always calmed his inner fears. He decided to land up at the sea. As he was a huge star, he couldn’t go there during the day. He could only go during the night when there would be no one to recognize him and he could spend some time in peace.

It was 1 a.m. and he decided to leave. He sneaked through the backdoor of his palatial bungalow to avoid any chance of being spotted by the odd scribe that would have been lingering around his house. But before he sneaked out, he spent a good ten minutes looking at his son who was all set to step into the world of cinema. He had trained himself on acting, editing, script writing, diction and allied aspects at the world’s most prestigious institute. He was on a stringent diet and exercise regime to have a sculpted body. It was a hygiene factor for the current generation of actors.

He finally managed to reach the sea. He smoked, drank beer, and stared at the noisy sea amidst the calm night. The concerns he had were too many. He felt he was reaching a dead end. Weird thoughts started entering his stressed mind. He thought for a moment that if he jumps into the sea and ends his life, all his problems would also go with him. He thought by doing so, his son would be more determined to carry the legacy forward. He decided to climb up on one of the rocks from where he could directly jump into the sea. He stood there and closed his eyes. Sahil was sure there was no one around but he was wrong. As he stood on the rock and closed his eyes, Ankit Mehra stood a few feet away, in complete disbelief.

Natural Talent

Ankit was a natural talent. That is what people told him. He often wondered what natural talent meant. While people had their own interesting versions of what it meant, they unanimously believed that it meant a person with extra-ordinary talent with respect to a specific skill. Such is the level of talent that it often gives a feeling that the person has inherited this talent, or brought it with her/ him into this world.

Ankit’s talent was in writing. He was an incredibly good writer. He had absolutely no competition in the arena, whether it was writing essays in school or for his elocution competitions. He could conceptualize and put the most exquisite plays on paper, he could write the best short stories, he could weave magic through his poems.

Ankit knew very early in life what he wanted to do. He wanted to write scripts. He would spend long hours sitting idle and thinking about a great script. He needed no company to entertain himself. His thoughts could take him to an ocean of imagination and he was happy to swim in it and find the best pearls.

The Debate

Ankit was in the final year of his college life when he participated in the “All collegiate debate competition”. He single-handedly steered his college into the finals. In the finals, he demolished the opposition with his powerful thoughts and oratory excellence. Among the people congratulating him was a lady he had never seen before.

The Lady

Her hair was the first thing he noticed. It had a texture and shine that he had never seen before. It encapsulated a face which was unique as well. Her thin framed black spectacles were in sharp contrast to her milky white complexion. He stared at her eyes a bit too long before saying “Thank 

You”. In that extra little moment, he could sense that she had a deep desire to achieve something and make a name for herself. While Ankit was very careful and weighed his options thoroughly before taking decisions, he needed no such prudence to decide that she would be the girl he would spend his life with.

The Affair

Things moved fast for Ankit. He pursued the lady with élan. The relentless pursuit bore fruit and they started seeing each other. However, the lady always wanted to be a journalist. The best film and entertainment magazine in the country gave her an offer that was as good as any she had dreamt of. 

She gladly accepted.

While Ankit was offered a few jobs as a journalist, he did not take them up. He did not want to use his writing prowess and acumen to roam around and write sensational stories.

Soon, the couple had their differences. The lady, Neha, wanted Ankit to have a job and start earning. Ankit did not compromise on what he wanted. He was very sure that he wanted to write scripts for movies. He made many attempts to reach out to the influential people in the industry. Neha also helped him through her connects at the magazine. However, nothing worked.

Ankit had tried to reach out to Sahil’s office multiple times. He never got through the front gate though. Neha had been rejecting a lot of marriage proposals coming her way. She wanted Ankit to have a steady job so that she could tell her parents about him and they could get married.

However, the differences and arguments kept increasing. And the inevitable happened. They decided to part ways. A few days later, Ankit got a message from Neha. She told him that she was going to get engaged.

Devastation

Ankit had spent a good part of five years relentlessly pursuing his dream. Nothing worked in his favour whatsoever. He had reached the nadir of life and he was just thirty. His parents did not relate with his dream. His father stopped talking to him long ago. His mother did speak to him but she was also upset because many of her friend’s children, who were not as smart as her Ankit, were earning pretty well. Some of them were even married. The biggest regret that Ankit had though was that Neha was no more a part of his life. Neha was a superb girl. She was an inspiration. A small conversation with her, even on the phone, would charge him up and make him happy, even if it was the most disappointing day of his life. All his worries coupled with the news of Neha’s engagement were too much for him to bear.

Destined to meet

Ankit shared a similar liking for the sea as Sahil. On the same day as Sahil, Ankit had chosen to come to the same place at the same time. He saw a man standing a few feet away, sobbing. To his utter disbelief and excitement, it was Sahil Khanna. He was seeing Sahil Khanna weep.

Ankit thought he was dreaming. He got that doubt out by pinching himself. He thought it was a movie shoot. Then he realized that there was no camera or crew in sight. He was sure that it was Sahil Khanna- his all-time favourite hero.

Ankit wanted to shout his name but remained quiet. However, he saw something strange. Sahil was moving towards the edge of the rock he was standing on. Ankit knew very well that if he moved further, he would fall into the sea.

That is when it struck Ankit. He had been hearing in the news and reading in the tabloids about the recent plight of Sahil. Is he planning to commit suicide?

As his mind conjured an array of thoughts, he saw Sahil moving to the edge of the rock, weeping. Will he commit suicide? Should he run and stop him?

Chapter 2: 

On the edge of the rock, Sahil’s entire life flashed before him. He could clearly see the days of his struggle, the days of his stardom, his wife, his family members, the people he loved. He could hear chants of his name. He did not see the sea, he could only see a sea of his fans shouting aloud, waving to him, holding placards with his name.

And, suddenly he could see all of them going quiet, waving at him to not jump. He missed his parents badly at that point. He knew that whenever he was between the rock and a hard place (and literally he was), his mother could make it all fine for him by just ruffling his unruly hair. His father could do the same trick with a tap on his right shoulder. And as he thought of it, he felt someone tap his right shoulder.

The Meeting

Sahil was taken aback. He was sure that he wouldn’t need any security at that time of the day, rather night. He regained his composure before asking, “Who are you?”.

‘I am one among a billion that you aren’t seeing right there’, said Ankit, pointing to the sea. Sahil wondered how he could read his thoughts so well. Ankit continued.

‘I am one among those billion who would never want to see you cry, except on screen, I am one of those billion who would be devastated if you leave the world in this fashion, I am one among the billion who laughed with you when you did and cried with you when you did, I am one among the billion who think of you as an epitome of hope, aspiration, success, charm, intelligence and so many other things. I am one among the billion who think that you can always rise and shine no matter what obstacles come your way. I am one among the billion who believe you are an enigma who can conquer the toughest of peaks. I am one among the billion who will soon have to swallow a bitter pill of reality and forget all the dreams that you made us believe is achievable. I am one of the billion who have contributed a little bit to the aura of the phenomenon called Sahil Khanna. You owe me and many billion like me two steps back from where you are standing now.’

Sahil involuntarily moved two steps back. Ankit’s convincing oratory proved its power once again.

Tete-a-Tete

Sahil had always been good with people. He could strike a conversation with anyone. He thought it was some divine intervention that brought Ankit to him. He wanted to know more about Ankit. He started talking to him.

He soon discovered that Ankit was from Varanasi. He learnt that his father was a businessman and his mother was a housewife. Ankit had no siblings. His parents were mighty upset with him and his father wasn’t talking to him.

Sahil heard the entire story and said, ‘From what I know, one of the two things happen to such people. Either their passion destroys them or makes them one of the best. I am sure you are destined to be the best and you will’.

He asked Ankit how he managed to stay in Mumbai if he did not have a job nor a house. That is when Ankit explained his interest in the stock markets and how he played the markets and did freelance content creation jobs to stay afloat and make ends meet.

Sahil heard about Ankit’s struggle to meet film producers, directors, and actors with interest. He felt Ankit’s pain and could relate and empathize with him. And finally, Ankit started narrating his attempt to meet Sahil.

He told him about the try, the persuasion, the security guard giving him a whack and his vain attempt.

Sahil laughed. He seemed to have forgotten his woes for some time. He realized that Ankit was an awesome story teller.

‘So, tell me Ankit, what is the script that you have treasured with you for so long?’, asked Sahil.

Ankit did not speak for a few moments. Sahil understood the apprehension. He assured Ankit that he had enough connects in the film industry to ensure that his idea, if it were really good, would see the light of the day.

Ankit started speaking. For the next one hour, Sahil did not move an inch. He was completely engrossed in Ankit’s mesmerizing tale. Sahil laughed, he clapped his hands, he cried, he used cuss words, he clenched his teeth with rage, and as Ankit completed his story, Sahil jumped high and punched the air like a footballer who had scored a goal in the last few minutes to ensure his team’s victory.

“I will make this film. I will act in it. And, you will work with me. We are going to make the best movie India has even seen. I am sure about it.”, exclaimed Sahil.

Ankit couldn’t believe his ears. He looked towards the sky. ‘Was it a new dawn for me?’, he thought. The horizon was surely indicating that it was, and a very bright one at that.

Sahil told Ankit that he would have to head home before people could see him. He asked him to come to his home at 10 a.m. and that they would start work today. With that, he gave Ankit a warm hug, gave him his mobile number, and left for home.

Ankit could not believe what was happening. What had happened to him in the last few hours were unfathomable. This was what he wanted. This was what he had waited for – for five long years. It came to him at the most unusual place and the most unusual time in the most unusual manner.

Ankit had a habit of talking to himself. The only thing that his mind could tell him was a phrase from one of the most interesting movies he had seen called “Notting Hill”. The phrase did aptly sum up the experience. The phrase – “Surreal but Nice”.

Ankit checked the time. It was 6 a.m. He had to wait for four hours now. He was getting impatient. It was so ironical that the man who patiently waited for five years was finding it extremely difficult to wait for four hours.

He looked at his watch again. Every second seemed like an hour to him….

Chapter 3

Ankit booked a cab to head home. He reached home, took a shower, made a nice breakfast of bread and scrambled eggs for himself. He sat down and reflected on the unbelievable turn of events. He was wondering if it was all real or just a dream.

He wanted to share the joy with someone. The obvious name that came to his mind was Neha. He remembered his conversations with Neha. Ankit had once asked her about who she thought was the ideal husband. She promptly replied “Sahil Khanna”. For the next fifteen minutes, she just couldn’t stop talking about him. She said if Sahil Khanna would ask her to marry anyone, she would blindly marry that person.

Ankit knew if he told Neha about his encounter with Sahil, she would be over the moon and would cajole Ankit to get her to meet Sahil.

He thought he should call her. He picked up the phone. Her number was still in the list of favourites on his phone. He dialled her number and before it could ring, he disconnected it. He did this three more time before finally deciding against calling Neha.

He wanted to call his mother but he decided that it would be better to not disclose his encounter with Sahil Khanna to anyone at the moment.

Sahil’s house was around half an hour from his place if he hailed a cab. He still had an hour to go. He went into his room. There was a nice idol of Lord Ganesha on his table. He sat at his table and shared his joy with the Almighty. He thanked the lord profusely and then decided to leave the house.

He reached Sahil’s house at 9.30 a.m. – way ahead of time. He called Sahil and conveyed that he was standing right outside his house. Sahil instructed his security team to send Ankit in. Sahil’s house was a celebrated destination. You could always see a lot of people outside his house. He would wave at them from his terrace and that would make their day. Just before Ankit was allowed into the palatial bungalow, he was standing with the crowd. As he walked in, he could hear a lot of murmurs behind him. Many people wondered how Ankit, a common fan, like the many standing there was let in. Little did they know that Ankit was no common fan, he was a natural talent and an extra-ordinary one at that.

Inside Sahil’s house

Everyone dreams of their own house. There was a time in life when Ankit did it too. He had planned it in his head. His dream house would be a lavish one with a special room for creative pursuits.

Sahil’s house was more splendid than Ankit could even dream off. The grandeur of the rooms, the quality of the furniture, the chandeliers, the paintings that adorned the wall, the pictures of the family, all felt nothing short of brilliant. Ankit was sure that the man had very good taste.

As a zillion thoughts raced through his mind, he heard a person offer him tea/ coffee. Even the servant looked straight out of a five- star hotel.

An amazing looking digital clock showed 9.50 am on it. That’s when Sahil walked down the stairs, came to Ankit and shook his hand. He asked him to take a seat and sat opposite Ankit on a majestic couch. The servant came and asked Sahil if he would want tea or coffee. “My usual dose of caffeine, Kaka”, said Sahil with a smile. Kaka is what people call their uncles. The person serving coffee was only about ten years older than Sahil but he was happy with the way Sahil addressed him. Ankit had heard that superstar Sahil treated everyone very well. He wasn’t sure if it was just an image building PR exercise. Now, he started believing in the stories of Sahil’s humility.

As Kaka came back with the coffee, Sahil pointed towards a room to his right and said that Ankit and he would be there from 10 a.m. He said that they did not want to be disturbed unless it was an emergency. Kaka was quick to make the necessary arrangements and even laid out a few snacks and juice for them, in case the discussion would take more time.

The Planning

As the clock struck 10, Sahil and Ankit started their discussion. Ankit was impressed with Sahil’s punctuality and the fact that he started the meeting right at 10 a.m. They talked for about half an hour about the finer nuances of the script. So, the discussion veered to screenplay. “Who will write the screenplay?”, asked Ankit. “You will”, said Sahil. “No one else can do as much justice to it as you can”. “But I do not have any experience”, replied Sahil. “So, didn’t I when I landed in this city”, said Sahil and sealed the deal in Ankit’s favour.

The Casting:

Sahil wanted to see the dream through Ankit’s eyes. He started trusting Ankit’s vision. He asked him who he would want to cast as the lead actor. Ankit said, “Shayaan”. There was absolute silence for about 30 seconds. Then, Sahil spoke, “I think he is too raw. He is just finished his training in acting.”. 

To which Ankit replied, “I haven’t even done that. If you can trust me with your story and screenplay, can’t you trust your son with the lead role”. This time Ankit got the better of Sahil.

However, Sahil did not want to force his son onto a script because he liked it. He called for Shayaan to come in and requested Ankit to narrate the story once more. Shayaan jumped from his seat about ten times. He was a super energetic young man and lost count of the number of high-fives he gave Ankit and his dad by the time Ankit finished narrating the story.

“Would you like to play the lead role?”, asked Sahil. Shayaan replied in the affirmative and thanked his father for getting him the best Launchpad that he could think of.

They spent the next few hours finalizing the other areas and people who would handle the same. The most important question now was who would be the captain of the ship. Who would direct the movie?

Ankit said Sahil should take up the onus. Shayaan agreed. Sahil was apprehensive. But when two passionate youngsters decide to take up a cause, they rarely fail. Sahil would don the director’s hat. Sahil also wanted to produce the film though he did not know how.

The Budgeting:

Ankit was not just a mere storyteller. He was astute with finances and managing money. He played the stock market really well and made good money. All the practice came to good use in the next few days. They finalized the budget, locations, shooting schedules etc. They arrived at the conclusion that they have to ensure that the movie is ready for release within 8 months. Sahil could keep his debtors at bay by paying the interest for the next 8 months. That itself would be a lot of effort. It was decided that he would attend many more inauguration ceremonies, birthday parties and weddings if he had to and make money.

The shooting:

The shooting was going along smoothly. They had decided to use Sahil’s house to cut down on cost. They shot in and around the city to cut down on travel and logistics. Sahil had always been good to his team. They extended their whole-hearted support.

The financial crunch

When the shooting was half-way through, they ran out of cash. It was a crisis situation and there was no money to pay even the team’s wages. Ankit had anticipated this. He had been playing the stock market though he was very busy. He did some smart transactions and got in some money. Sahil’s team told Sahil that they won’t take any money till the time the film released. Ankit volunteered for the same. Sahil was moved. They somehow started the shoot and continued.

As luck would have it, Sahil got a brand endorsement. The brand wanted to cash in on the rates slashed by Sahil. Sahil had asked them to ensure that no one would get a whiff of his agreement with them. The brand happily agreed.

Smooth Sailing:

The team cruised along for the next four months, helping each other and ensuring that the project reached successful completion. Sahil and team watched the first rushes at his home. He had a theatre that could seat around 50 people right in his home. They were ecstatic when they saw the final product. It looked like a sure winner.

Ankit was the soul of the project and Sahil did acknowledge it. He barely had any sleep in the last eight to nine months. Sahil had not seen anyone who was as dedicated to his cause as Ankit.

The Trailer Launch:

Shayaan and Shanaya, the lead actress of the project, were to be launched through this film. The lead actress was going through a personal low and a not so amicable break-off with her ex-boyfriend. 

Ankit had done a splendid job of talking to her, cheering her up and ensuring that she delivered. As she saw the first rushes, she realized that she had done well and knew deep within that it had been possible only because of Ankit.

The trailer broke the internet. You tube clocked nearly 50 million views in a week and it seemed like a sure recipe for success.

The premiere:

If the advance booking of the film was any indicator, the film would definitely do well. However, the premiere on the night before the release would be the acid test. Sahil had invited the who’s who of the film industry. Veterans, contemporary stars, and talented directors adorned the screening. The media had a field day covering the entry of stars. Sahil welcomed all of them.

The premiere of the movie began once all were seated. After three hours, the look on their faces suggested that the film would do well. Everyone was happy with the product. Sahil Khanna received many congratulations. Almost everyone thought that Shayaan was marvellous. The fresh new pair – Shayaan and Shanaya also got the thumbs-up.

Post the premier, Sahil, Shayaan and Shanaya were scheduled to address the media. Sahil had told Ankit that he would want Ankit to be there too. The media conference was to begin in fifteen minutes. Sahil and his ever courteous wife were seeing off the guests. “Where’s Ankit?”, Sahil asked his wife. She said she did not know.

The entire team began searching for Ankit but he was nowhere to be seen. Sahil couldn’t afford to skip the media conference so he sat to take questions. Just when the media conference was about to begin, his phone beeped. It was an SMS from Ankit. Sahil read the message, smiled and said, “Idiot”.

As he began to reply, the most impatient journalist threw the first question his way. Sahil kept his phone aside to do something he was very good at – fielding questions from the media.

Chapter 4:

The enthusiastic journalists posed one question after another. By the time, they wound up, it was well past midnight. The courteous Sahil ensured that he saw everyone off. He got one of his bodyguards to escort Shanaya to her house. His wife and son left in one of his cars.

Where it all began:

Once they all left, he checked Ankit’s message again. “Don’t worry about me. I am fine. You guys should go ahead with the media interaction. You will find me exactly where you find answers to life’s questions.”

Sahil got into his favourite car and told his security about his plans. He zoomed past the unusually deserted streets of Mumbai to the place which gave him peace, calm and a sense of positivity. Ankit was there – staring at the sea. He was extremely nervous. He apologised to Sahil and said that he wanted some time for himself far from the media and the glitterati. He also told him that he did not want to come in front of the media as the film had not even released.

“Do you think the film won’t do well?” Sahil asked him. He said that he was sure it would. He said he wanted this to be one of the most loved films of all times.

They recounted the entire making of the film, their toil, the struggles, the difference of opinion, the arguments, the cash crunch and everything related to the film. They had now reached a stage where they had given it their all and there was nothing more they could do.

After two hours of talking amidst the roar of the sea, Sahil profusely thanked Ankit for all the personal sacrifices he had made in seeing the film through. He told Ankit that the film would not have seen the light of the day without his efforts. He also apologised to Ankit for not having paid him for the last five months.

Sahil said, “Based on my little experience in acting and my gut feeling, I think this movie would be a huge success. I would surely make it up to you and my team. I am sure you won’t regret your association with me. But now you must sleep. Just forget about everything and sleep.”

Sahil then went home. Ankit sat there for some more time before heading home to sleep.

The Day of the release

It was Friday morning. It is a day when careers are made or destroyed. It is a day which transforms a commoner who appears on the silver screen into a star and changes her/ his life forever.

As the sun set on that day, two stars were born – Shayaan and Shanaya. The feeling of getting mobbed and having to be escorted by a set of guards was a very different yet nice experience for them.

More importantly, it also resurrected the career of a superstar – who had been written off by even the critics who admired him the most. Sahil Khanna was sure he had a winner. As a producer, he knew that he was going to make money.

The next one week

The next week was unbelievably good. Sahil had not seen superstardom of such mammoth proportions. He was loved in the film even though he wasn’t the main lead.

The film ran to packed houses. People wanted to watch the film again and again. It was the most trending topic on social media. People were breaking the internet with posts related to the movie.

Every news channel wanted to get the star cast together for interviews. Sahil’s office had a hard time fixing up his calendar and scheduling his appearances. Now, they had the added task of getting Sahil and Shayaan together with Shanaya. Most channels wanted to have all three of them together on their show.

Time to give back:

Sahil was a man of his word. He wanted to ensure that he took very good care of his team who made personal sacrifices and stood by him. Most importantly, he wanted to do something for Ankit.

The collection of the movie in the first week was so good that all of Sahil’s debt could now be cleared off anytime. While Sahil was laughing all the way to the bank, what gave him more fulfilment was the fact that he could now sleep peacefully and with a clear conscience. He would not have debts anymore and he could now go back to his only passion – making films and entertaining people.

That night, he talked to his wife while in bed. He told her that he wanted to do something for Ankit. He said he was contemplating gifting him the newest BMW car. He also told her that he wanted to pay him handsomely for the entire time and effort he spent towards making this film a success.

Sahil’s wife smiled. She told him, ‘Sahil, you are a very good man. Your intentions are noble and pure. However, you should also understand what would be a meaningful token of appreciation. I know Ankit well enough to tell you that he is not after materialistic things or luxuries of life. He values relationships more. I do not know of anyone who would take the risk that he did and the sacrifices that he made to resurrect your career and also enable our son to have the best ever debut in the Hindi film industry. If you would agree with me, I think you should find out if the girl he was involved with in college in married. If not, you should get them back together. If you can do that, you would be the real life “King of Romance”.

The Plan:

Sahil Khanna adored his wife. She was a calming effect on him and treated him like a normal human being and not a superstar. She knew him much before he became a superstar. She had the uncanny knack of taking his discussions to a very logical conclusion. She had done it yet again.

Sahil had enough contacts and connects to figure out what Neha was upto. Before sun rise the next day, he had every little detail he needed about Neha. He knew that she was doing very well for herself and had become an anchor at the most watched news channel in India. She was the host of the TV show called “Trending” which used to talk on the trending topics and invite relevant guests.

Sahil did not sleep much. He searched for Neha and found all he could about her. Neha was a beautiful girl and the way she hosted the show was remarkable. Sahil wasn’t surprised at all to read that her show was the most watched show in India.

Sahil checked with his team if they had been invited to “Trending”. That is when he got to know that Neha’s team had been chasing them for long and wanted to have Sahil, Shayaan and Shanaya on the show. However, Ankit had decided to not take the stage in any of these events. He used to sit among the audience and allow the limelight to be shared by the rest.

Sahil asked his team to give a go-ahead for the “Trending” show the next day. When Neha’s team got to know of it, they were super excited. They knew that the TRPs would surge and the show would be superb. They wasted no time in putting up the promotions all over India.

The Show:

Sahil, Shayaan and Shanaya had great fun on the show. Neha was the best anchor they had seen. She did very well as she asked questions about the movie, she got the stars to show their signature dance moves and also got the audience to ask them questions. In the last leg, she spent a few minutes to tell the audience about the enigma that Sahil Khanna was, rather is. She told everyone that he is the man whom any girl would fall for. She confessed on national television to be a huge fan of Sahil Khanna. Behind the near-perfect journalist, Neha was also a normal girl and it was quite natural to be star struck.

The Million-Dollar Question

Neha told Sahil that almost all the girls and women in the audience would love to have him as their boyfriend or husband. This comment was received well with a huge round of applause, cheers and whistles.

She then asked,” Since you are taken, who do you think is great husband material and would come remotely close to you? Have you met any such person”?

The ever witty Sahil said, “If I point to that person, will you marry him?”

Amidst cheers from the crowd, Neha thought he was joking and told him that if he pointed out the man and told her that the man was as good as Sahil, she would marry him a million times.

Sahil then narrated the entire story right from the day when he met Ankit at the sea. His effective story-telling style got everyone to enquire about Ankit. This time Sahil had made a perfect plan. He ensured that Ankit would not be allowed to leave the venue.

While describing Ankit, Sahil said that there are very few people who will be as selfless as Ankit and who could do everything to ensure that things succeed. He kept going for a few minutes describing why Ankit would be the ideal partner for any girl. Then he called Ankit on stage.

Neha could not believe her eyes. The man who had played a major role backstage for making India’s top grossing blockbuster was none other than Ankit. She cursed herself for having seen Ankit Mehra’s name under Story, Screenplay and Dialogues but still not doing further research to establish if it was the Ankit she had known so closely. She also recollected that day in college where they had this discussion and she had told Ankit that she would marry anyone a million times if Sahil endorses the person. Back then in college, she had never imagined that there would be a day in life when Sahil would do exactly that. 

As Ankit walked on stage, the audience clapped, cheered, whistled. It was the first time in the history of Indian Television that a news channel which aired a prime time show became witness to the reunion of two lovers who deserved to be together for a lifetime.

“When you are done with your public display of affection, come and see me at my home”, said Sahil to Ankit. He winked at Neha and then left the place.

After the show and the related frenzy died down, Ankit asked Neha about her engagement. She said she did not go ahead with the engagement because she could not fathom life with anyone else, no matter how hard she tried. She said she decided to focus on her career and in the next few years, it became the focal point of her existence.

The Next Morning

When they met Sahil the next morning, Sahil asked his wife to hand over two set of keys to Neha. One was of a house not very far from his place in one of the costliest parts of the city. The second was the key to a brand new BMW.

Ankit had everything his colleagues from college aspired for with one masterstroke. That is probably the prize one gets for an unflinching belief in one’s passion and never ending energy to chase one’s dreams.

The Filmfare Awards

The Hindi film industry instituted the filmfare awards which is like the Oscar awards given in Hollywood. Sahil’s film had earned almost 1000 Crores and was still going strong.

Sahil’s movie swept almost all the awards. His son got the best debut – male award as well as the best –actor award (popular choice). Shanaya got the best debut –female award. Sahil’s wife won the best producer and he himself was adjudged the best director.

When best story, screenplay and dialogues were announced, everyone took notice of a new face. People believed he is a natural talent. Ankit still did not come to terms with the phrase “natural talent” but he went on stage and accepted the award.

When he came back, Neha held his hand and whispered in his ear, “I am proud of you”. Ankit replied, “In life as in stock markets, you have to pick potential winners, and invest not only your money but time and patience. That is the hallmark of a long term investor. Thank you for such a wonderful long term investor in my life and for believing that I am a potential multibagger.”

Very few tales, even in reel-life, have such a great ending. Ankit and Neha were surely destined to be together.

Eklavya

Mandar was welcomed into the hall with a thunderous applause. The noted writer had just won the Man Booker prize for his work “Eklavya”. Mandar, as humble as ever, came in with folded hands and bowed before the audience. It was an elite set – the alumnus of the university he had graduated from.

The alumni consisted of businessmen and celebrities from various walks of life. They were all proud of Mandar. The press had gathered generously as well. They had all come in for the felicitation ceremony arranged by the university for Mandar. The Vice- Chancellor (VC) of the university was also present.

The stage had a lectern with a microphone on one side. On the other side, it had a table and three chairs where the Vice-Chancellor and two other dignitaries were seated.   

The master of ceremonies (MC) called out for Mandar. He was to be felicitated by the VC. The VC put a shawl around Mandar in a customary act of felicitation that the audience was well accustomed to.  Mandar thanked the VC with folded hands and an endearing smile. The gesture was accompanied by an applause that the VC had never heard before. Being used to such ceremonies, the VC arrived at a conclusion that Mandar had quite a fan following among his readers.

The MC wasted no time in inviting Mandar to the lectern to address the audience. He walked to the lectern, looked at the audience and smiled. He thanked the VC for the felicitation. He thanked the audience for taking time out of their busy schedules to appreciate his work and be part of his felicitation.

The MC had asked him to talk a bit about the novel and about his life as a novelist. Mandar, the writer, knew how to keep the audience engaged. He sipped from the glass of water kept at the lectern. He seemed to be in no hurry. Slowly, he began speaking.

‘How many of you have read Eklavya?’ he asked. More than ninety percent of the audience raised their hands to signal an affirmative answer. He conveyed that he was glad. He then said, ‘I want to narrate something that is not a part of Eklavya but it is the genesis of the book.’ With that statement, he amplified the eagerness of the audience to a whole new level.

The story is about a man, his wife and his son. They were from the draught hit area of Vidarbha in Maharashtra. The man was a farmer, but was forced to find a new job or commit suicide as the weather gods weren’t by his side.

He moved to Mumbai and decided to find work here. As he was illiterate, he found work as a gardener of a school. His salary would barely make ends meet.

The literacy dream

Though he was an illiterate, the man knew the value of being educated. He knew how important a tool it was. He had dreams in his eyes for his three year old son. He wanted his son to be educated. He went to the principal one evening when no one was around. He told the principal of his desire to provide his child an opportunity to learn. He told the principal that he would work as hard as the principal wanted if it could enable his child to become literate.

The principal asked him to come along with his wife and child, the next day. When they walked in at the appointed time, the principal laid out books that the child would need to study in the coming year. He asked the man and his wife to read one of the books. Neither the man nor his wife was able to read a single word.

The principal said that it would be impossible for him to accommodate the man’s son because the class had children of literate parents and it would be difficult for the child to learn and for his staff to teach him. For the first time in life, the hardworking man realized that his child could have a future only if he would know to read and write English.

Like most poor people in the country, he and his wife accepted their fate and walked back to their small house in one corner of the garden in the school. The boy grew up for the next three years helping his father in his gardening chores. He always looked at children walking in and out of the school wearing smart uniforms. He wondered what they taught inside. If he ever got a book or even a page lying in the garden, he would make an attempt to go through it. However, he did not even know the English alphabets so it was literally Greek and Latin to him! However, a year later, the tide turned for him and how!

His seventh birthday

His excitement at getting hold of one such book was tremendous. It was seven in the morning. It was a Saturday so there was no school. He had time for himself till nine a.m.

He began going through the pages of the book. He admired the pictures but did not understand a word. This had become a ritual with him every Saturday. At seven in the morning, he would sit at a bench in the garden and go through all the reading material that he had accumulated through the week. He was fascinated with the way the alphabets were printed and neatly arranged.

A lady who used to go for a morning walk passed through the garden and noticed this boy. It had been the third week that she had seen this boy. This time, she couldn’t control the urge to talk to him. She went to him and asked his name. The boy told her all about his family, the fact that he was denied admission to school and also about his eagerness to learn. He asked the lady, very politely, if she would give him some books.

‘How will you read the books I give you? How will you understand what is written in them?’ she asked. The boy replied that he would keep reading and trying hard. He said he will practice hard till it all comes to him. She was impressed with his zeal.

‘Would you like to learn if I teach you?’ she asked. My parents do not know English and they may not have the money to pay you as well. She was saddened by his innocent impressionable mind’s notion that education is the right of children whose parents knew English.

She said she would teach him for free. She also told him that his parents needn’t know English. He asked her what she did for a living. She pointed to a four storeyed building and said she stays there. She said she taught children at her house and asked him to come in the afternoons to learn from her.

The boy was elated. It was the most wonderful birthday present he could have asked for, exactly on the day he turned seven. 

The Tutelage

While a lot of children his age went to school wearing smart uniforms, he could afford only one teacher. He revelled under her tutelage and religiously went to her for the next ten years. She was equally gracious and taught him everything she knew. She was a qualified English teacher. Not surprisingly, her love for literature rubbed off on the boy.

By the time he was nineteen; he could speak and write English as good as any child who went to the school which denied him admission.

Formal Education – A necessary evil

While she taught him almost everything that was required to excel, he still did not have any formal education. She knew that the boy was more intelligent than most people she knew. She urged him to somehow get a bachelor’s degree. She told him that formal education is a necessary evil. He rarely disagreed with her. He went ahead and got a bachelor’s degree in literature, followed by a master’s degree.

Then, Mandar paused. He took a sip of water from the glass placed on the lectern.

The first book

There was pin drop silence in the hall. The audience were eager to hear him speak further.

‘The boy’s name is Mandar’, he continued. There was an audible gasp, followed by a loud applause. He continued, ‘You all might have read my first book ‘The importance of English’. The rest of this boy’s life is about writing the two books that followed, the last one being ‘Eklavya’.

Mandar smiled again as the applause seemed to only grow louder.

Some questions

The MC shook Mandar’s hand and requested him to take a few questions from the audience. Then came question one, “Who was the lady who decided to teach you when you were aged seven”.

Mandar stepped aside from the lectern and shouted aloud. “Please come up, Ma’am”. A lady of about sixty walked up the stage. Her son helped her up the stage. Mandar touched her feet – a gesture of respect in India. He made way for her. She came to the lectern and received the applause with a fragile “Thank You”

After a set of questions which Mandar answered patiently, it was time for the last question.

The last question

A gentleman from the front row asked, “Mandar, who was the principal who denied you admission?”

Mandar replied, “It doesn’t really matter. He had his own reasons and his reasons were logical. I do not think we should blame him. However, I would appeal (he looked at the VC and the dignitaries) that all students, irrespective of their parents’ educational background and literacy levels, should be given an opportunity to learn. If I can become a writer, there are so many who could become doctors, engineers and scientists and lead us to a bright future. My request to all administrators in education is to ensure that all steps are taken to enable children to learn.

With those words, Mandar stepped back and the MC took over. The MC thanked Mandar and requested the VC to give his closing remarks.

Closing remarks

The VC was a little over sixty years old. He began by thanking everyone for taking time out. He, once again, congratulated and thanked Mandar. He said his closing remarks will have two parts – a confession and a pledge.

He got the complete attention of the audience with one line. He said he will do this in not more than three lines. He began, “The principal that Mandar talked about was no one else but me. I had to abide by the rules of the school management and the decision to not admit him was as per the rules. 

However, I want to apologise to Mandar on a personal level.”

 He said Mandar is a modern day Eklavya – one who can excel without the support of the best teachers or schools. He also congratulated Mandar’s teacher and told her that it was because of teachers like her that the profession is still the most noble and pious.

“I want to pledge my support in any which way possible to ensure that every student gets the education he rightly deserves.”

With that the VC walked away. By apologizing and admitting to what he had done decades ago, the VC once again proved that he was a man who always did the right thing, no matter how difficult it would be.