Hello everyone and welcome all to a new edition of Monday Truclusions. I would like to thank the KYS team and all you readers for those wonderful birthday wishes. I was truly humbled. Hence is the change in the topic originally planned for today’s Truclusions. As suggested by the KYS team I have decided to tell you about the milestone birthdays of my life.
First Birthday & The Heart Shattering News
For most of us, our first year birthday is something which hardly matters, because we don’t remember it. But for me it remains etched in time, though I don’t remember a thing about it. It was few months after my birthday that a neurologist made a statement that turned the world upside down for my parents. Like a butcher pitilessly slashes a living animal into dead meat, the doctor thrashed all the hopes and dreams my parents had about me in a split second in the most brutal way possible.
He announced,
Your son is going to live a life of a vegetable and nothing but it.
It was as if my parents were pulled down from the cloud nine of happiness of having a beautiful, happy baby to the abyss of the sorrow of cradling a doll who could breathe. But for the people who my parents were, giving up on me was not an option. They truly believed that nothing in this creation happens without a reason and they were chosen to carve a statue out of a lifeless rock.
I was an immature kid and would not understand the pains my family had to take to keep their hopes up and a smile on my face alive each day. That is when destiny designed a plot and my parents taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life.
Fifth Birthday & Finding My Role Model
It was the winter of 89 when the Indian cricket team was touring Pakistan in November, a few weeks after my fifth birthday. I was introduced to my role model, through my father’s beautiful narration of the icon’s debut in international test cricket- Sachin Tendulkar. He made an unforgettable 57 after being hit on his nose by a bouncer. That’s how I learned my first lessons of sustaining pain and carrying on the job at hands. I learned my first lessons of Never Quitting.
Life moved on giving me many happy and joyful birthdays thereafter. But as it is the nature of life, nothing stays forever- neither happiness nor sorrow. It was time to learn another hard lesson, a lesson that the great showman Raj Kapoor Saab very beautifully put in his song, “Jeena yahan marna yahan”. One of its verses means no matter what happens the show must go on.
Twelfth Birthday & Surviving The Sinking Ship
It was a few months after my twelfth birthday, the beginning of 1998, when our life took a devastating turn. We were thrown to the deep end of the sea without an anchor to hold on to. The anchor, the greatest pillar of support- my dad, was snatched away from us by fate. Life seemed to be a sinking ship stuck in a thunderstorm with no sails or anchors. But like a true captain of a ship, my mother denied to quit.
Aided by her two able lieutenants, my brother Naveen and my best friend Bharath. She successfully brought our lives back on track. The wheel of life rolled on and I contributed to their efforts by doing little things in my capacity, which were things like giving my best to my studies and making my family happy. I graduated as an engineer but couldn’t secure a job for two years. Dejection and depression tried their best to overwhelm me.
The Twenties & The Shining Sun
The “Never say die” attitude that had been sown in me as a seed in my growing years held me in good stead. Finally just before my 23rd birthday, the sun chose to shine on me. I got introduced to Shanti Raghavan and Enable India, who guided me to my first job at Mphasis.
It was October the 7th, when I was handed over my offer letter; one of the best days of my life. But it was also the day I promised myself that I won’t sit on my laurels and shall strive to get better and chase my dreams.
It was my 25th birthday in 2009, when I was conferred the title of being a young achiever of Karnataka, along with 4 other winners by the Brigade group. The best part of the award was that along with me, Bharath also was conferred with the title of the “FRIEND IN A MILLION” as a surprise.
What made it most special was that in the award ceremony, we met Robin Uthappa, who grew to be our buddy soon.
Robin Uthappa, along with Bharath, was kind enough to make me realize one of my greatest dreams of meeting the legend, the master blaster himself- Sachin Tendulkar!
Certainly it was the second best birthday gift life presented me with. Of course, the first being the three little angels (my nieces) at home. But more of that experience in one of the following weeks of Truclusions.
Going forward with one more very special birthday. It was my 29th, just before which I was informed that I have been chosen for the “Best Employee 2013” award by the cabinet ministry. I saw an 87-year old author in the ceremony, who was awarded for the books he had authored. It was then that I got my true calling of becoming an author. Of course it took a lot of push from my family, friends and Sachin himself!
It took me a good six months to convince myself that I could write.
Today my first book is an autobiography with a message to the society that with a strong support system and the right attitude, no aim is too far. The book is at the verge of being published early next year. I also am co-authoring a second book with a very dear friend, Mr. Madhava Sharma.
Before I end this week’s Truclusions, I would like to dedicate this poem of mine to the great Robert Frost, who penned according to me the greatest poem – “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. I cannot match him but I am being brave enough to present this to you.
Miles
Life has not been an easy walk,
but I can’t sit staring at the clock,
waiting for fate to hunt me like a hawk!
Waves are created in a sea by a pebble,
I have lead a life of a rebel,
I have held my head level.
From challenges never will I hide,
have always swum against the tide!
I have lived a life of pride.
I cannot rest even for a while,
winning every pain with a smile,
as I have to walk many a mile.
Liked reading this? Then you might also like to read Monday Truclusions – The Power Of Hope.
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