As I entered the beautiful paradise of Mr. Rao, I noticed the serenity that engulfed the place. Every brick and tile of this Mangalorean home screamed through the silence, the stories of this quiet humble man. It was after much persuasion that he agreed to be interviewed and published. The old grandpa clock began ringing loudly, precisely ten times. Thankfully I was on time, because there is just one thing Mr.Rao was particular about and that’s time. He greeted me warmly and thus began the journey.
Before I start, may I ask you why you were so reluctant for this interview?
(laughs)
I’m a simple man from a middle class family, with no riches to boast about. Why would anyone want to know about a person they have never heard of!
That is precisely our intention Sir. We want our readers to know that there are some stars that don’t meet the eye, shining quietly. We want to move away the clouds and spread this shine.
(smiles)
Can you please tell me about the struggle you’ve faced in your life in a nutshell?
I belonged to a very poor family with 10 children. Me being the third one. My father passed away when I was just 16 and the education of my siblings was very important to me. There was acute poverty and so I had to drop school. I went to the market instead. I sat on the footpath selling bananas and pan. Gradually I landed more handy jobs in the marketplace. I ended up rolling bidis, which soon became a regular job. I educated my siblings, and married away my sisters. But I have remained with incomplete education.
Do you regret your decision of quitting school?
Regrets are a part of life. We cannot always get everything we want. To gain something, we should be prepared to sacrifice something else. It was my choice to help my family. Family always comes first. My brothers and sisters were met by successful careers in their lives and people pity me that I did not. What everyone fails to understand here is that I succeeded too. I successfully completed my mission. Today all of them are well settled and they shower me with more love and respect than anyone could ever imagine. When you receive that, wealth and fame seem nothing!
You mentioned rolling beedis, how did that occupation affect you?
Rolling beedis continuously results in direct contact with nicotine which is very bad for health. I suffer from mild asthma and tuberculosis. The state of Beedi-workers is very bad and I discourage everyone from pursuing it. But when conditions are bad, you force yourself to do what you otherwise wouldn’t. I did not know what I was getting into when I did.But I would like to tell the youth to never indulge in this profession. I’m being treated for my health problems. The irony is of all the years I spent rolling beedis, I have not once tried smoking it!
Ideas : Ideals : India
I think for every problem, the solution is around. Look for it. Plan wise and do not jump for the first way out. Give your ideas a careful thought. Think about all the possible outcomes.Life is after all a beautiful gift. Spend it doing what makes you happy and doing what brings happiness to others. That’s my simple idea to be content.
I admire the zest of people today who live to enjoy life along with working hard. Whether you are poor or rich doesn’t matter. What matters is the peace of mind, which can be earned only through honest work. Time and tide waits for none. Time is more valuable than money. Use it to do the right thing. I do not sympathize with the poor or look up to the rich. I follow honesty and sincerity.
India is a beautiful land. The land where spirituality dwells. The land whose soil has given birth to you and me. Today, we are not just polluting the environment, but also our souls with our crazy dash for wealth and prosperity. Wealth has become synonymous with prosperity. The day people realize the difference between these, India will truly become a prosperous country. I can’t wait to wake up to see that day come true during my lifetime.