Do you have a coat, Ramappa?

After the previous deliberation on "Coach, Teacher and Mentor", the mind naturally thinks of the mentors of the past and their successful proteges.  To be an outstanding mentor is not a easy achievement.  One of the challenges for the mentor is that the mentee's actions and behavior reflect on his own personality.  By promoting the cause of an unworthy mentee, the mentor damages his own reputation and standing.  We all know of some outstanding pairs of mentor-mentee in our generation, and in diverse fields.  This is the episode of remembering one such highly respected pair.  It is all the more authentic as I had the privilege of hearing the same from a grateful mentee himself.

"Karnataka Lekhakara Sangha" is a forum of poets and writers, dedicated to literary activities and encouraging budding writers.  It is active in Bangalore and Karnataka for the past five decades.  It conducts various programs from time to time and arranges seminars and conventions to commemorate different events of cultural and literary importance.  Prof A R Krishnashastry (ARK) is a well-known name in Kannada Literature. He is one of the prominent personalities who ushered in the "Navodaya" movement, which is considered as a watershed in the history of Kannada language and its growth.  He was born in the year 1890 and Karnataka Lekhakara Sangha decided to celebrate his birth centenary in 1990. The celebration started with a function at Ambale, his birth place.  The grand finale was planned in Bangalore after 12 months.  In the intervening 11 months, eleven functions were conducted in different centers of Karnataka.  Mysore was chosen as the venue of one such functions as Prof ARK taught at Mysore University for a considerable period of time.  As an office-bearer of the Sangha and being stationed in Mysore at that time, I was given the responsibility of organizing the function at Mysore.

Prof K Venkataramappa was a student of ARK and worked along with him in the Mysore University later on.  He was 84 years old at that time and lived in a house near Geetha Road in Mysore.  I went to his house to invite him to be the lead speaker at the function.  He was very happy to accept our invitation despite his advanced age.  Thinking of his age, I mentioned to him that the venue of the function was near his house.  "He was my Teacher and Mentor.  I am very glad to know that his birth centenary is being celebrated by your Sangha.  Where the function will be held does not matter.  I would come even if it was in a far away place.  I will not miss an opportunity to remember him and pay my tributes during his birth centenary.  I will certainly be there", he said.  As promised he arrived at the venue and delivered one of the finest talks in Kannada that I have ever heard.  I remember his speech, though it was 25 years ago...........

*****

Venkataramappa had just finished his MA examinations and results were expected in a week.  He received a message that he should meet Prof ARK.  Venkataramappa went and met him in his chambers.  "Your results are expected next week.  You would have certainly done well in the examinations.  I know what the result will be.  What do you plan for the future?"

"I will look for job, Sir"

"A lecturer's vacancy is coming up here.  File an application in the office tomorrow and meet me after submission"

"But the results have not yet come"

"Does not matter.  Make a mention of it in the application.  Results will be out by the time they process the applications"

Venkataramappa filed the application and met the Guru to inform him about compliance.

"Good. Do you have a coat, Ramappa?  You need one for the interview"

Ramappa hesitated.  ARK took out an envelope from his coat pocket.

"Take this envelope and go to my tailor Durgoji Rao's shop in the evening.  He will stitch a coat for you in three days"

Ramappa had to do as he was instructed.  That was the extent of reverence he had for his Guru. Results were out in a few days and Venkataramappa had passed with distinction.  He attended the interview and was selected for the lecturer's job.  ARK's student Venkataramappa was now his colleague.

*****

A few months later.......

Venkataramappa was sitting and relaxing in the staff room having just returned from a class.  He got a message that he should meet Prof ARK in his chambers.  He went immediately and stood before him.  A distinguished gentleman was sitting before ARK.  Venkataramappa would not sit before the Guru unless he was asked to.

"Sit down, Ramappa.  Meet the Secretary of Madikeri's Kannada Sangha.  He wants a good speaker for their main function this year.  The function is slated for next Monday"

"Are you going, Sir?"

"Not me.  I want you to be the lead speaker this time.  Please accept their invitation"

Ramappa hesitated.  "I am also coming with you.  I will preside over the function, but you will be the main speaker".  Venkataramappa agreed.

                          *****                         

Mentor and Mentee started by the morning bus from Mysore to Madikeri on Monday morning.  ARK was sitting near the window and Venkataramappa was next to him. After an hour's journey, the bus stopped in Hunsur bus stand.

"Ramappa, there is some dirty smell coming from this side"

"Dirty smell?  I am only getting the smell of sambar"

"Is it so?  Can you read what is written on that board?"

"Bus Stand Hotel, Sir"

"That is the place from which the sambar smell is coming.  Don't you like Idli-sambar?"

"I like it very much, Sir"

"Then get down and hurry up.  Unless you get down, I cannot.  Let us eat and get back before the driver starts the bus"

They had their idli-sambar.  Venkataramappa's speech at the function was highly appreciated by the gathering.  The Mentor was full of praise for the Mentee in the Presidential speech.  Prof. K Venkataramappa never looked back.  He authored many books and mentored another generation of students.

***** 

Prof A R Krishnashastry was a Mentor for many others.  Kuvempu (K V Puttappa), T N Srikantaiah, G P Rajarathnam, M V Seetharamaiah and Dr K Krishna Murthy are big names in Kannada Literature, even today. 

Coach, Teacher and Mentor

The word "Mentor" is often used in present day situations. The words "Coach" and "Teacher" are also used in similar contexts. Are they synonyms or is there any difference between these three words?

To understand the origin of the word "Mentor", we have to turn to Greek mythology. "Epics of Gilgamesh", "Iliad and Odyssey" and our own "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata" are reckoned among the oldest epics in the history of mankind. Homer's "Iliad and Odyssey" has the evergreen story of Helen and the Trojan War. Helen of Troy is considered as the most beautiful woman ever born in reality or fiction.  "Was this the face that launched a thousand ships? And burnt the topless towers of Ilium? Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a sweet kiss.....", says Christopher Marlowe in his poem titled "The face that launch'd a thousand ships". Odysseus, King of Ithaca was one of the men who wanted to marry this beautiful girl. When Helen's mother Queen Leda's husband (not father because Greek God Zeus is considered as her father)  and King of Sparta, Tyndareus decides that it is time for Helen to marry, Odysseus convinces him to make all the innumerable suitors to take a oath to accept the choice of Helen and support her husband when the need arises in future. Helen chose the prince of Mycenae, Menelaus. They lived happily for sometime and Menelaus even became King of Sparta. On the advice of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, Prince of Troy Paris comes to Sparta and sees Helen. On a day when Menelaus is away in Crete, Paris takes Helen to Troy. Some versions say she was kidnapped and some others say she was seduced by the charms of Paris and went willingly. When Menelaus returned and found that his wife was gone, he sought the assistance of the former suitors of Helen to wage a war on Troy, as per their previous agreement. Having been the one to suggest such an arrangement, Odysseus was in the forefront of those who went to Troy to bring back Helen.

When Odysseus left for the Trojan war, his son Telemachus was an infant.  Odysseus did not return for twenty years and Telemachus grew up into a young man in the meantime. Telemachus went in search of his father and met his father's friend by name "Mentor". It is said that Greek Goddess Athena took the appearance of Mentor and guided young Telemachus at different times to search his father. Father and son duo return to Ithaca and ensure the defeat of the many suitors who had camped in their house seeking the hand of Penelope, Odysseus's wife and Telemachus's mother. Since Mentor encouraged Telemachus to stand up to all the suitors of his mother and find his father, the word "Mentor" has come to stay to denote a "wise and trusted counselor who imparts wisdom and share knowledge to solve personal problems".

The origin of the word "Coach" is said to come from Hungary. Hungarian city of Kocs is credited with being the first place to make carriages which are used to carry people from one place to another. In those days coaches were drawn by horses and were used as one of the earliest means of transport. The word coach is used even today in railway and other transports. "Sleeper coach" and "Luxury coach" are examples of such usage. In air transport also "Coach Class" is used by many airlines to denote "Economy class". This aspect of carrying people from place to place was later used to identify a person who could carry a less able student to pass an examination or a course, and was called a "Coach". In our childhood, coaching classes were a popular name for according special training to students who have failed in an examination to appear and get through a supplementary examination later on. This term is now used extensively in the field of sports. The word now denotes anyone who acts as a person to guide the youngsters in his charge to achieve excellence in their chosen fields or disciplines. Nowadays there are even teams of coaches and assistants to attend to the various requirements of the activity called coaching.  As defined by Cummings and Worley, "Coaching is a development process whereby an individual meets his wards on a regular basis to clarify goals, deal with potential stumbling blocks and improve their performance".

The word "Teacher" has its origin in the word "Teach".  "Teach" takes its form from "Index finger" and indicates to "show or point out" or "give instruction". On-line dictionary defines a teacher as one who teaches or instructs, as a profession. A teacher usually teaches in a public place where a number of students come to learn. If the teaching is done privately or at home, a person imparting education thus is called as a "Tutor" (man) or "Governess" (woman). A teacher of a higher rank doing the same job in a place of advanced learning like a University is called a "Professor". He is a person who professes (lays a claim to) as an expert in a particular field.

In the background of the above, the three words can be said to have the following characteristics and differences:

• Coaching is an intervention that is highly personal and usually involves a one-to-one relationship between the coach and those coached. Teaching is a general activity of instructing or imparting education in a public place where a number of students enroll themselves. Teachers follow structured learning and process is based on a course curriculum. Mentoring is a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a lesser experienced or lesser knowledgeable person.

• The relationships are called Coach and Coachee or more commonly client, Teacher and Student and Mentor and Protege or Mentee respectively.

• A coach often has the freedom to choose his clients whereas a teacher instructs a class entrusted to him and does not enjoy this freedom. In mentoring, the relationship between mentor and mentee is more sensitive and is usually between two persons in the same organization or profession.

• Coaching and Teaching can be at elementary levels whereas Mentoring generally happens at a higher plane.

• Coaching and Teaching are formal processes whereas Mentoring is more of an informal process.

• Coaching and Teaching can be professional activities whereas Mentoring is more voluntary in nature. Coach and Teacher are paid a remuneration for their efforts whereas there may not be such payment in Mentoring.

• Coaches have technical expertise while teachers have professional qualifications. Mentors are chosen on the basis of their experience and skills and are paired with a less experienced colleague in the organization or profession. Peer mentoring is often an informal activity and revolves around hand-holding in crucial phases of development.

The above characteristics are general in nature and cover the broad contours of the three activities. There can be many instances wherein a coach or a teacher may emerge as a mentor for a few of their wards or students. One such example is of the famous combination of Ramakant Achrekar and Sachin Tendulkar. Achrekar has been a coach for many but Tendulkar considers him as more than a coach, a mentor.

In Mahabharata, Krishna was a mentor for Arjuna. Shakuni was Duryodhana's mentor. Results are there for all to see. Among the famous Mentors and Mentees are Chanakya and Chandragupta, Aristotle and Alexander the great, Bobby Charlton and David Beckham, and more recently Rahul Dravid and Ajinkya Rahane.

To be a Mentor is not a matter of pride; it is a rare privilege and distinction. It is far-removed from arrogance; humbleness is its hallmark. To act as a Mentor is a wonderful opportunity to repay a small part of the investment made by the society in one's own development over the years.

Garuda, Bamboo and Rahul Dravid

"Uchaishravas" is a celestial horse said to have been a by-product of the churning of the milky ocean. Devas and Asuras in their quest for generating Amrutha, the life-giving nectar, churned the milky ocean and this process gave birth to many precious things. Uchaishravas was one of them.  Of course, there was also Halaahala, the most toxic poison ever produced in a manufacturing activity, which was probably very similar to the worst type of industrial waste produced today. Lord Shiva acted as the most capable pollution controller.  In order to avoid any protests at the pollution control site, he drank the poison himself and none could complain about it. Uchaishravas is believed to be an all-white horse that can fly and some versions mention that it is seven-headed as well. As soon as Uchaishravas appeared in the churning factory, Indra, head of the Devas side moved it to his heavenly stables. Flying horses have caught the imagination of humans for a long long time.  We can see a similar reference in Greek Mythology as well.  Pegasus is believed to be a horse with wings and could fly at great speed.

One fine evening, Uchaishravas was peacefully grazing on the shores of the mighty ocean. Kadru and Vinuta, the two daughters of Daksha Prajapati and wives of Kashyapa Prajapati had gone for an evening walk on the beach.  They saw this horse from a distance and got into an argument.  Kadru said that the horse was white no doubt, but its tail was black. Vinuta did not agree and insisted that the horse was all-white and there was no question of any black mark anywhere on its body.  They tried to go near the horse for a detailed first hand inspection.  But the horse flew away as they neared it.  Thus the physical inspection could not be completed and no clear inference could be drawn. They agreed for another inspection on the next day, but had a wager.  The one who lost the bet would be a slave of the winner for life.  The master could, however, release the slave by accepting a costly gift, a gift that is mutually agreed upon.  No attorney was involved in drafting the agreement, but it was as good an enforceable contract as any ever made.  Since slavery was not yet banned in those times, it could not be held void. On reaching home, Kadru told her sons, the Serpents, about her wager.  The sons knew that the horse was all-white, but did not want their mother to be a slave to their step-mother.  They decided upon fudging on the evidence, one of the earliest instances in which evidence was tampered with. When the sisters went for the inspection on the next day, all the black serpents hugged the tail of the horse to make it look black. Kadru somehow managed to avoid a close inspection and Vinuta was wrongly sentenced to life long slavery.

Vinuta cursed her fate and lived the life of a slave.  Being a slave to her own sister and a co-wife was unbearable.  She went to her husband and requested for a way out. Taking pity on her condition, Kashyapa Prajapati granted her a boon.  As a result of the boon, she laid three eggs.  Anything was possible as a result of the boon, as it was a very powerful one. She took good care of the eggs for a long time, but they never hatched. Unable to wait any longer, she forcefully broke the first egg.  A very strong lightening came out of the egg and that was it.  She cursed her fate again and continued to take care of the other two eggs. After another long interval, she again lost patience and broke the second egg too.  A handsome boy came out of the egg, but his body was not fully formed.  His lower limbs had not yet taken shape.  He advised his mother to be patient and wait for the last egg to hatch on its own.  He assured that the younger brother will certainly deliver her from slavery, but she had to be infinitely patient.  He went away and became the charioteer of the Sun god. His name is "Aruna" and the colourful light that arrives everyday just before sunrise is therefore called "Arunodaya", meaning "heralding a new day.

Vinuta resumed her indefinite wait patiently for another long interval of time.  One day, the third egg hatched suddenly and a strong bird emerged from it. Known as Garuda, this son of Vinutha fought with the Devas, brought nectar from heaven as desired by Kadru and got his mother freed from her slavery. Indra ensured that Kadru and her sons never tasted the nectar. But as the conditions for release were satisfied, Vinuta was free and Kadru had no other remedy except to curse her own fate and let the matter rest there.  Garuda became a permanent enemy of the Nagas (serpants).  The product of the third egg and Vinuta's eternal wait became Vishnu's chariot and remains a sacred symbol for the Vaishnavites. The egg took a long time to hatch, but the growth was fantastic, giving birth to the mighty Garuda.  Garuda is not only worshipped in India, but is also a national symbol for Indonesia.

*****

      

Bamboo is from the "Grass family" and represents a similar specie of plant life as Garuda is among the birds. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world.  The Chinese variety is especially well known for this. Anji area of China is known as the "Town of Bamboos".  If this bamboo seed is planted, watered and nurtured for an entire year, nothing sprouts.  Wait for another year, nothing comes out.  Not until five years.  Then suddenly a tiny shoot springs.  Over the next six weeks, it can grow up to a height of 90 feet!  The growth is as high as 4 feet in 24 hours.  Why is it so? Plants usually grow both above the soil upwards as well as downwards within the soil.  But bamboo takes five years to grow its roots and prepares for the rapid growth above the ground thereafter.  It is common to say that bamboo grows 90 feet in six weeks, but the truth is it actually takes five years and six weeks to grow 90 feet.   

*****

Indian cricket team is now touring England. Sad memories of the last tour are haunting all those concerned with the present visit. There need not be any fear of a repeat performance.  This team may do much better.  It can do even worse also. Those in authority at cricket administration have requested Rahul Dravid to mentor the team during this present tour.  The conditions in England are noticeably different from those obtaining in other parts of the world. The conditions are conducive to swing and seam bowling.  Success in batting there often depends on standing rooted to the crease for hours with patience and diligence. There are a few like Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Vivian Richards who could attack from the first ball.  But they were honorable exceptions.  Staying on the pitch during the initial difficult phase of an innings is the key to success.  This should be preceded by hours of practice at the nets.  Strength is to be accumulated before hatching like Garuda and roots are to be grown like bamboo to capitalize later on when the bowlers tire.  Rahul Dravid showed this patience quite often and unmindful of what others said about him.  It is indeed a testimony for his patience at the crease that he is now remembered for the mentoring role for the present team.  When asked to talk to youngsters, Rahul is often said to speak to them about the bamboo and its growth. Naturally. 

When advising his bowlers while preparing for a test match, Australian Captain Steve Waugh is reported to have said, "Try to take Dravid's wicket in the first fifteen minutes.  If you can't, then only try to take the remaining wickets".   Steve Waugh most likely did not know about Garuda.  He probably did not think of Bamboo and the secret of its growth.  But he knew Rahul Dravid quite well. He can never forget Dravid's 616 ball vigil for 305 runs in Adelaide Oval in 2003.  It is no surprise that he asked Rahul Dravid to write the foreword to his own autobiography.

I won't give up .... My turn will come .....

M G Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, played lead roles in his movies.  As youngsters we had our own movie heroes; Rajkumar in Kannada, N T Rama Rao in Telugu and MGR in Tamil.  Some would argue even in those days that Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Sivaji Ganeshan were better actors.  As happens with all subjective issues, each one is entitled to his or her opinion. But the fact of the matter is that they were all great artistes and devoted their lifetime to acting and movies. High discipline and devotion alone carried them to great heights and that is why they are remembered even today.  Luck probably played its role, but they made dame luck move in their favor by unstinted efforts and hard work. Their films when screened today, after decades of viewing them again and again, still draw full houses.

MGR was the darling of the masses, as an actor and as a person. The characters he played were generally sober, patient and represented the common man. His films always had a villain character played from time to time by various actors like M N Nambiar, M R Radha, P S Veerappan, S A Ashokan and others. The films usually had some fighting scenes in them.  The characters played by MGR would try their best to avoid the fights but the villains would not listen.  The hero is receiving blows, but does not return them initially.  He tries his best not to hurt the villain and end the fight.  But that cannot happen.  He goes on receiving blow after blow.  At some stage the blow is heavy and severe. There is blood on his body, usually in the mouth.  MGR wipes the wounded part and sees blood.  The expression on his face suddenly changes.  The sleeping giant is awakened.  He is now a transformed man. His turn has now arrived.  This is what the entire audience was waiting for.  Now it is MGR and only MGR.  The villain wants to flee from the scene, but there is no escape.  He is beaten black and blue.  The beating continues until the police come and arrest the villain.  The arrival of the police is a big relief to the villain. He is now safe in the lockup or jail and saved from the rampaging hero.  Sighting of blood was the key. That changed the equation.  But, they were only movies........

***** 

Perry Mason and his clerk Jackson are sitting in the court.  Perry mason's client, an young girl is present as an accused in a murder case.  Hamilton Burger, the District Attorney and his deputies are piling up evidence and reconstructing the gory scenes of murder.   The jury is evidently impressed by the voluminous and detailed evidence accumulating against the defendant.  While they are engrossed in the proceedings in the court, Jackson is worried and perturbed.  Perry Mason is sitting like a statue; his face granite hard.  Court adjourns for the lunch recess.

Mason and Jackson are now sitting at the lunch table in the restaurant across the court hall.  Dishes are served, but Jackson is not eating anything.  His hands holding the knife and fork are playing with the  items served in the plate.  "What is the matter Jackson?  why are you not eating?" asks Mason.  "The case is gone.  We are licked. The evidence being piled by the prosecution is overwhelming.  How can I eat lunch?", Jackson asks.  "Let them do their job.  Enjoy lunch now.  Let us get back to court.  I won't give up.  My turn will come....", says Mason.  They finish lunch and arrive in the court hall just as the Judge enters and hearing resumes.  Jackson is still worried and Mason's face is granite hard.

Hamilton Burger offers Mason to cross-examine his witnesses.  Mason's turn has indeed come now. He demolishes all key points of the prosecutions and raises many questions.  District Attorney has no answers and seeks an adjournment.  He wants an escape for the day.  There is no escape as Mason opposes tooth and nail.  Case is dismissed and defendant is released from custody.  But, that was only fiction.........

*****

Rafael Nadal arrived in Wimbledon this week as World No.1, but seeded No.2 behind Novak Djokovic.  He had lost to others and Djokovic on clay courts before French Open 2014.  Doubts were raised on his capability to win in Paris for the fifth time in succession and ninth time overall.  Djokovic was looking for a career grand slam by winning at Roland Garros.  World No.1 was also at stake.  If Nadal won, he would continue in that place.  If Djokovic won, he would replace Nadal as No.1. Djokovic had beaten Nadal in their two immediate previous meetings.  Pundits were predicting that Nadal's time is over.  Both reached finals and Djokovic duly won the first set 3-6.  Nadal waited and refused to give up.  He fought on every point and every stroke just like the other did.  There was no scope for sharing the cup. Ultimately Nadal's turn came and he won the next three sets and lifted the Paris cup for the ninth time.

But Wimbledon was different, they said.   It is grass and not clay.  Nadal had lost to Dustin Brown on the Halle grass court in less than one hour in first round itself, only a fortnight before.  Pundits said he has a tough draw and may not last the first week. His first round opponent M Kilzan played so well and won the first set 4-6.  Nadal fought every point and waited for his time.  When his time arrived, he won the next three and moved to second round.  L Rosol was expected to end Nadal's journey at Wimbledon in round 2.  He had done so two years ago. Rosol was unstoppable in the first set.  Nadal fought each point and waited for his time.  When it arrived, he won the next three and reached Round 3.

His opponent in Round 3 was another hard hitting player.  Kukushkin had two distinctions; a player who had a double hip surgery and a rare player coached by his wife, Anastasia.  The royal boxes had many celebrities including Sachin Tenjulkar and his wife Anjali, David Beckham and his mother Sandra, Stewart Broad who had taken a hat-trick (three wickets in three balls) against SriLanka in a cricket test match only last week, Sir Bobby and Lady Charlton, Defending Champion Andy Murray's mother Judy Murray and many other tennis legends.  Kukushkin played power-packed tennis and won the first set in tie-break, despite Nadal coming from behind and forcing the tie-break.  Nadal again fought on each point and waited for his time to arrive. Either his turn arrived on its own or he forced it to arrive,  and then demolished his opponent with the identical score line of 6-1 in each set. He won 18 of the 20 games and every service game of Kukushkin was broken, except one.  the final celebration was muted and low key.

All along there was no change in his 18 mannerisms of keeping the water bottles in identical positions, collecting both towels from ball boys and girls and returning regularly, covering the half-eaten banana with its skin fully, wiping his forehead and ears and the jog to the baseline from his chair.  Coach and uncle Tony Nadal did not smile even when Nadal had two breaks in his kitty.  At the end of the match Nadal was indeed a relieved man.  He warmly clapped when his opponent walked off from the court and  threw his sweat-wet arm bands to the crowd.  On the way out he signed every autograph book, small and big tennis balls, yellow ones and pink ones too, magazine photos and many many caps.  He was modest at the post-match press conference and reasoned that he lost the first set because he did not play well.

This was neither film nor fiction.  This was indeed a glorious chapter from something called real life......

*****

Nadal has lost many times to different rivals; it only shows that he is human.  But he can never be faulted for trying his best and waiting his turn in most difficult situations.  he may exit Wimbledon this year in the next match or even lift the cup. How many majors he can still win is a matter of wide debate.  All these are besides the point.   He is making the same doubting pundits to exclaim how he got those angles and service returns in these three matches!   Others are worried about the number of towels he uses on court and violation of the 20-second rule between the points.  He is concentrating on doing his best.  Of not giving up and waiting for his turn patiently. And when the turn comes, en-cashing it with full force at his command. He has already earned the adjective of being the fittest and most determined athlete around for quite sometime.

Champion of yesteryears and one known for his hot temperament on court, John McEnroe paid the ultimate tribute to Nadal.  He said, " How do you teach will, desire, not to quit in any circumstances? You don't see this often, once every ten years if you are lucky.  Nadal has made other guys better trying to compete with him.  In the definition of "Where there is a will, there is a way", he is the picture you are going to see".

The lesson is "Never give up..........wait.........Your turn will come!"  Of course, one has to work for it with a lot of conviction.  As much conviction as Nadal is showing to us.           

           

Forever, yours!

While searching for some old letter in my collection, I stumbled on a sheet of 5 paisa stamps purchased long time ago.  These stamps were purchased probably four decades back when five paisa stamps were regularly used.  In those days, mail was the only easily available communication medium to be in touch with those in distance places.  Keeping a stock of postage stamps and envelopes was a habit for those who had the practice of writing letters regularly. If those five paisa stamps are to be used now, the entire sheet of 100 stamps is to be pasted on an envelope weighing 20 grams. The surface area on both sides of the envelope would not be enough to paste 100 stamps! 

I remember a letter received by my host in USA which had a postage stamp of "Liberty Bell" affixed on the envelope.  That stamp did not have any monetary value or denomination printed on it (Photograph downloaded from internet is given alongside).  Only the words "USA FIRST CLASS FOREVER" were printed on it.  I visited the nearest post office and found that these stamps are presently sold for $ 0.49 (49 cents).   These stamps can be purchased, kept and used forever without worrying what the current postage rates are.  These stamps can be used to mail an envelope weighing one ounce (about 28 grams) regardless of when the stamps were purchased or used, no matter what the price of stamps and rules are in force at the time of use.

The first forever stamp was introduced in USA in April 2007 and went for sale on April 12th.  In 2011, all first class one ounce stamps were made forever stamps with a very few exceptions.  These stamps can be purchased in all Post offices nationwide, online at USPS and also by phone.  They are sold in sheets of 20 stamps.  They can be used for international letters as well, but additional stamps will be required.  These stamps do not show any monetary value or denomination on the face of the stamp.

The practice of using forever stamps is said to have started in 1975.  Forever stamps are in use in many european countries.  It was introduced in UK in 1989. They are in use in Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Russia and scandinavian countries. Canada calls them "Permanent Stamps" with the letter "P" on them, as can be seen in the picture taken from the internet and given here. These stamps can be used for mailing an envelope weighing up to 30 grams. Canada Posts says on its website, these stamps are "Always worth the going rate, no matter when you decide to use them". 

Forever stamps are a good hedge against inflation and rising postal charges and may even be considered as a investment tool too.  "Philately" is defined as "collecting postage stamps or other postal matter as a hobby or investment".  Some stamp collectors have made fortunes through this hobby.  There are stamp valuation services as well as stamp insurance products.  There are exhibitions and competitions involving collection and display of stamps.  Collection of "First Day" postal envelopes used to be a hobby for youngsters and we used to stand in a line at GPO (General Post Office) to buy them on the day of their release, in those days.

When dwelling on the subject of stamps, one can never  forget "CHARADE". Charade means a blatant pretense or deception; a game of riddles.  Charade is a delightful 1963 movie with the fine pair of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in the lead.  The movie, directed by Stanley Donen and filmed mostly in Paris, is a suspense thriller and has its dose of romance and comedy as well.  It is a gripping story and the repartee between Reggie Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) and Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) is gripping as well as entertaining.  Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy provide able support.  This movie is often referred as the "Best Alfred Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made"!

Regina Lampert (Reggie, played by Audrey Hepburn) is not happy with her husband Charles Lampert and wants to divorce him.  When she returns home one day, she finds that the home is cleaned up and everything they had is converted into cash.  He is murdered and the cash is also missing.  It turns out that Charles Lampert was one of the five men that went to deliver $ 250,000 in gold to "French Resistance" during second world war but stole it.  The other three (one is believed to be dead long ago) believe that she knows where the money is and threaten her to give them the money. CIA is also behind her to recover the money. She meets Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) and Joshua keeps changing his names and identity frequently.  Reggie finds an an envelope with no contents in it. Reggie gives the stamps on the empty envelope to a young boy to add to his stamps collection.  The boy trades those stamps with a stamp dealer, for other stamps.  All concerned suddenly realise that the money is actually hidden in the form of rare stamps pasted on the empty envelope! The stamp dealer is an honest one and knows the true worth of the stamps. He admits that he knew there was some mistake and duly returns them.  He says he was glad he had the three most valuable stamps in the world for at least five minutes.  When she finally goes to the US Embassy to return the money, she finds that Peter Joshua is actually the american official chasing the swindled money.  The suspense of the movie revolves on the money hidden in the form of the three stamps pasted on the envelope.

May be, one day these forever stamps without any monetary value denominated on them turnout to be as valuable as those depicted in "Charade".  And some of us end up having them with us and be able to safely en-cash them!                     

Fight together, for separation

History is being made today; history was also made nearly six decades ago.  As Nara Chandrababu Naidu takes oath as the first Chief Minister of residuary Andhra Pradesh (some call it Seemandhra) today (8th June 2014), history made on 1st October 1953 and 1st November 1956 are consigned to old history.  New history is now in the making.  What Potti Sreeramulu would have done today, if he were alive, is left to our imagination.

When we gained independence from British rule, Telugu speaking people were scattered under various political formations; a large part under the then Madras Presidency, some other parts under different regions of South India. There was a demand for formation of "Vishalandhra" so that Telugu culture could be preserved and all Telugu speaking people can come under a single political rule.  Many stalwarts fought to realise this dream.  Potti Sreeramulu was one among them.

"Amarjeevi Potti Sreeramulu", meaning an immortal being, was born at the turn of the last century, on 16th Match 1901 to be precise.  Initially he worked for the Great India Peninsular Railway.  He was influenced by the then ongoing freedom struggle and quit his job to join the movement.  His young wife and new born child died at birth time and he felt free to devote rest of his life in serving others.  He divided his property among his brothers and liberated himself from other bondages.  He became a full-time freedom worker and took part in various satyagrahas (agitations) including Salt Satyagraha and Quit India movement.  He was imprisoned several times during these satyagrahas.  He worked in Gujarat as well as in Andhra (part of the then Madras Presidency) for the welfare of the neglected sections of the society. He fought for the right of entry to temples in places where some sections of the society were barred from entering and succeeded in his efforts.  He was known to be a true socialist and fought for the Khadi movement as well as rights of the oppressed. His life style even made some call him a mad man.  But he was his own man, well and truly. He was called as "Andhra Gandhi" by those who loved him.  It is even said that Mahatma Gandhi once uttered, "If only I have eleven more followers like Potti Sreeramulu, I will win freedom for India in a year".  

Sreeramulu took to a lengthy fast to press for creation of a separate state for the Telugu speaking people with Madras (present Chennai) as capital.  Jawaharlal Nehru promised to consider the demand and he broke his fast. But nothing concrete emerged mainly due to the demand that Madras (Chennai) should become the capital of Andhra.  The famous "JVP Committee", consisting of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhabhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya, rejected the idea of reorganization of states on linguistic lines.  Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya (founder of Andhra Bank) was himself an Andhra stalwart) and a senior Congress leader. Upset with this line of thinking, Potti Sreeramulu started a fast unto death for the creation of Vishalandhra on 19th October 1952 and died on fast on 16th December 1952.  His fast for 56 days and the resultant death created a violent movement.  His funeral procession in Madras raised huge protests and seven people were killed in police firing in Anakapalle and Vijayawada.  As a result of the heightened agitation, the state of Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1st October 1953 with Kurnool as capital. Demand for inclusion of Tirupathi in Madras State (present Tamilnadu) ensured that Madras stayed with Madras State while Tirupathi was included in Andhra Pradesh. Another Andhra stalwart "Andhra Kesari" Tanguturi Prakasam became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.  Consequent to unification of all Telugu speaking areas under one state due to reorganization of states on linguistic basis, Hyderabad became the capital of Andhra Pradesh on 1st November 1956.  Senior Congress leader and another Andhra veteran Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy became the first Chief Minister of the reorganized Andhra Pradesh.  Since then, 1st November became a day of celebration as "A P Formation day."

Potti Sreeramulu's supreme sacrifice has few parallels in history.  The only other comparable fast unto death is that of revolutionary Jatinidra Nath Das in lahore jail during 1929.  Jatin Das started a fast demanding better living conditions for Indian prisoners and under-trials from the British masters.  He fasted for 63 days and ultimately died on 13th September 1929.  These sacrifices are to be seen in the background of the innumerable fast unto death undertaken nowadays and broken at the slightest assurance even from persons who do not have the authority to concede the demands.  There are also instances of a fast started after a heavy breakfast and broken well before lunch time!  As a mark of respect to Potti Sreeramulu, his house in Royapettah High Road in Chennai was being maintained as a monument by the AP government.  It is a travesty of justice that some time back groups fighting for division of the AP state into Telangana, Rayalaseema and costal Andhra took a oath together at this place to "Fight together for separation". Now that Vishalandhra no longer exists, fate of this monument is a big question.  He fasted for 56 days and yet could not see the united Andhra in his lifetime.  The unified Andhra that came into existence after his fast for 56 days and death lasted 56 years; by 2013 Congress Working committee had already decided on bifurcating the state.

The two states Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh have two different formation days now. Telangana was formed on 2nd June 2014 and truncated Andhra Pradesh is being born today.  An instance of a new government of a party with clear majority being sworn after three weeks of declaration of election results is a record in itself.  There will be two celebration and two state songs. There are two governments and two chief Ministers. There will be two cabinets and two systems. There will be many problems of separation and division. Telugu people are again spread under different rules and regulations.

Is there any lesson for the future generations from these events?  There could be many interpretations and explanations for the developments and the climax.  One of them is that edifices built on emotions do not last long.  Human emotions change pretty fast.  Six decades is not too long a period in the history of a state.  New expectations and aspirations have little concerns for history and sentiments.       

102 Floors in 14 Months

Newspapers in Bangalore had a breaking news on 26th May, 2014.  "Bharata Ratna" Prof. C N R Rao underpass, near Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka and was ready for use by the public. On the next day, my taxi driver took this route to reach Bangalore International Airport.  We entered the underpass with the hope of turning towards Mekhri Circle. The entry towards Mekhri Circle was blocked with barricades and we had to drive around an extra four or five kilometers to get to the airport road!  For the record, the underpass was completed, inaugurated and in use.

The work on this underpass was scheduled to begin in 2008.  Estimated project cost was 300 million rupees.  The estimated time for completion was 18 months.  Work actually started in 2010. Commencement of the work itself was six months after it was expected to be completed.  As soon as the construction work started, the connecting roads were partially blocked  to enable construction work to progress smoothly.  Blocking progressed quite fast but not the construction.  The general public suffered silently, but they truly believed that this is a way of life.  Two Chief Ministers changed and third Chief Minister inspected the progress(?) of the work in October, 2013.  He set a new deadline of December 2013 for completion.  Since the work was not complete by that time, naturally a new deadline of March, 2014 was set.  The work continued even after this date. Fortunately, the work was reported as completed before another deadline was given. After 52 months from commencement of the work, it was declared completed.  Time overrun was only a very low 289% and not allowing it to cross 300% was no mean achievement.  Labor problems and conflict between two contractors were cited as the reasons for the short delay.  Cost overrun is not disclosed, but interest costs alone would be a significant amount.

Bangalore's cricket stadium, known as KSCA's Chinnaswamy stadium was constructed in the mid 70s.  Mumbai's Wankhade stadium was also constructed around the same time.  Construction of KSCA stadium progressed at a snail's pace due to shortage of cement in those days.  S K Wankhade was Education Minister in the Maharashtra government at that time and the Mumbai stadium, though started afterwards, was completed much before the Bangalore stadium.  Wankhade stadium has since been renovated as well and its seating capacity has also been increased. KSCA stadium stands today as if it is a relic from the past and despite the entry fee for matches going up steeply, spectator amenities are woefully inadequate.  Clubhouse and corporate stands are no doubt maintained luxuriously.   

Last month (17th April 2014), another interesting news item was flashed across many newspapers.  A new  Ford Mustang was placed on the 85th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building in New York, USA.(Picture given alongside is taken from the internet).  This was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a similar event that took place in 1964.  As the elevators in the building were not big enough to hold the car, it was broken into six individual assemblies and carried to the 85th floor observation deck.  The deck is open to public to view the Manhattan skyline and the New York city buildings from 8AM till midnight 2 AM (18 hours).  The six assemblies were assembled on the observatory during the six hour interval!

In the background of inordinate delays in completion of projects and ever extending deadlines, the story of construction of the Empire State Building makes a very interesting reading.  This building with 102 floors and standing 1250 feet tall was constructed in only 16 months time.  Construction was done in the year 1930-31 and the technology support in construction industry and civil engineering was nowhere near what is available today.  The building was constructed during the period of "Great Depression", a period of severe worldwide economic distress that started in 1930 and lasted for nearly a decade.  Second World War started in 1939 and "Great Depression" was forgotten in its pressures and fury.

The Empire State building stands on a site area of 83,860 square feet and was constructed after demolishing the Waldorf-Astoria hotel that stood there before construction of this building.  Demolition of the hotel building was  done in 9 days, during the end of January 1930.  Construction of the Empire State Building took only 16 months from that time.  Actual period of construction from foundation laying to 102 floors and inauguration of the building was only 14 months! Construction speed was 4 to 5 stories per week and 3,400 workers were used at the peak construction time.  The building was completed four months ahead of schedule. Actual cost of construction was 25 million dollars against an estimate of 41 million dollars.  Thus there was neither cost overrun or time overrun.  The depression helped in reducing construction costs.  There are 1,860 steps from the ground level to the 102nd floor.  But the 73 elevators in the building moving at the astonishing speed of 600 feet to 1400 feet per minute carry occupants of the building and over four million visitors each year in a flash, to the observatory on 85th floor and beyond.

Time and cost overruns can be curtailed only if there is strong resistance and expression of public sentiment against them.  Otherwise, delays and escalating costs coupled with untold misery to the general public will continue to be an accepted part of life.