Upbringing needs focused attention for overall growth & success in career & life

In the interests of one and all ...

My dear countrymen!

I have been fortunate enough to pass most of my leisure time with professors of University. Luckily they and their family members are all in touch with me still today. Some of them have become my relatives after the marriage had taken place in the families.

The narration here is since University days only. I have always been in dilemma whom to follow, my father or my professor having a world of differences as for as opinions related to my career are concerned. And this was no way a healthy trend. My father used to say something else and my professor (here referring to only one professor of English with whom I happened to pass most of my time) had altogether a new perspective. None of their advices could easily be ruled out.

Though my father then was a head clerk in GM office, Indian Railway, Gorakhpur. (UP) having diverse backgrounds and had many anecdotes relating to his day to day life. Actually, he has a company of 4-5 people who used to enjoy their every evening together by sharing their experiences among themselves. Most of my father's tales was related to one police Inspector who was one among them sitting every evening. By my father 's body language I understood well that he ( police inspector) had influenced my father quite deeply and therefore he wanted me to pursue police job, I regret I could not be able to fulfill his wishes due to some personal reasons beyond my control.

On the other hand, my professor Sahib was first of all Brahmin by caste belonging to Allahabad and also the son of a revenue commissioner. And in his time all Kothies and Bungalow in Allahabad owned by Advocates and Lawyers only. Hence, naturally he had a very high opinion about the profession of Law and this was perhaps the reason he wanted me to join Law which was not my father's preference though he never straight forward vetoed it. Anyway! It so happened I suddenly had to come to Delhi and started my career in Marketing in a private Ltd company.

These were the conflicting situations one had to undergo in one's life when one got in touch with different personalities having different points of views at various stages of academic pursuits. 

I would have been happier if they should somehow try to find out my inclination first and give priority to the line of my interests where I could have excelled better in life so that instead of wasting energy here and there focused in one direction for sure success.

And this unfortunate situation carried on further during both my son's upbringing also. My elder son since infant age was fond of bat ball and used to sleep with the ball under his pillow. People very categorically hinted me that he would be a cricketer one day. As he was growing up we noticed that while playing cricket he was least bothered about anything else and used to play continuously for hours even without food. 

Seeing his interests, I contacted the principal of his school for advice. Very astonishingly I was informed that cricket was not being played in the school after a tragic death of a student in past. I was advised to try his luck in Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium direct. I followed the procedures there and luckily he was selected and was being trained by Coach there as fast bowler. 

I was further advised to send him to Jalandhar to put him to sports school for a bright career in sports. Another Wonderful Opportunity did come once when while in his 9th  standard he was offered by his coach of Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium, admission in Sardar Patel school on sports quota. I regret that we could not be able to avail either of the golden opportunity as I was advised by my professor Sahib that without one Godfather in cricket it is very difficult to play for India. I was very categorically informed that it is easy to qualify for IAS exam but to be one among 11 players of Indian cricket team is a hard nut to crack. 

Hence I had dropped the idea of choosing sports as a career for him. This was how my son was prevented from fulfilling his desire of becoming a cricketer. It's altogether a different matter that he is well-settled and happy now with his career in tourism being trained abroad.

So was the fate of my second son. He was also inclined towards sports. Actually both my sons having a good physique and were quite tall, 06 feet plus. His sports teacher had met me many times and requested me to allow him to train him as a basketball player having a bright future. But as the case was with elder son, so was the case with him also. He was denied to persue his line of interest due to almost the same reason explained above.

One more very surprising thing I noticed that there was no coordination between class teacher and sports teacher nor any encouragement from them including Principals for Sports. If the teacher's fraternities insisted for them to make a career in Sports, my decision would have probably been different and definitely sent both of them in sports field gladly.

How unfortunate situation was there, we found in the school? Instead of giving right and timely advice as a Mentor they were failing in their basic duty to find out the temperament and inclination in each and every student at early stages possible in order to place him in the line of his choice for proper growth, personality development, and guaranteed success in his career and life.

Anyway! I don't regret much but rather happy and quite satisfied as the maxim goes, "all is well that ends well." He ( second son ) also at very early age kept himself suitably engaged in Aviation line with foreign posting, gained enough experiences by moving the world over frequently and finally resigned from Air India after working there for about two yrs for trying his luck in civil service exam.

However, it is anybody's guess that had they pursued their passions , it would have been altogether a different story and a pride moment for all of us and the country worth remembering.

Jai Hind.





Writer- Sinha.P.K. Views expressed are strictly personal. Feedback / Criticism welcome at Email -pkmsinha@gmail.com or follow @ pkmsinha.blogspot.in