I got a seat for MBBS in the First ever National level competitive exam held by the KMC in 1971. I was thrilled. I ran home and told my mother about it. When my dad came for lunch it excitedly told him too! He asked me how much it would cost. I said the donation would be 5000 and annual fees would be 1075 each year for 5 years. He congratulated me and informed me that I had to fund the donation myself and he would gladly pay the fees. I was shocked. I was a mere PUC pass and had no assets of my own. My only hope was my friend whose father was a Manager in the Canara Bank. I ran to him and explained the situation to him. He was very nice. But he did not have the required seniority for lending an education loan of 5000.He made a special trip to HO at Bangalore and did the needful. Just after that I qualified for a Government Merit Seat and got a seat at Mysore. I applied for a mutual exchange and fortunately it came through after some unexpected developments. The next stop was at the office of our founder - he used to meet everyone personally. He discussed the situation with me. I appraised him that there would be no donation if I took a merit seat and he also would have an extra seat at his disposal. He appreciated me ( I was very touched by his gesture) and blessed me. I got my money back and settled the loan with the bank.
I was selected for the National Merit Scholarship after my SSLC based on my SSLC performance. I would get the scholarship till I completed my education. There was only one snag - Parent had to sign that the income was below a certain level. I happily went to my dad. His income was exact cut off value. He refused to sign saying that it was not BELOW the cutoff value. No amount of pleading worked. Then I used what I thought was the trump card - "If you do not sign, the offer would pass to the next boy and his father would sign and would get all the benefit even if the income is higher"! I said. "That, my boy, " he said, "is the difference between his father and your father!".
When I joined MBBS, my friends told me I was 'safe' as he was a staff member. To my horror, he resigned the day I joined. He did not want any favors. He told me only 2 things. "1. Do not ask me to put in a word to anyone. I do not mind your failing. I will gladly look after you as long as you work hard. But no influencing. Achieve things if possible on your own. 2. I have a reasonably good name in the society. Do not do anything to tarnish it."
Just after passing the Rotary Club which he was a member of asked me to join. I told him about it. He immediately said - "I have a god name in the Rotary movement. Join only if you can follow all rules and stick to the timings. Otherwise wait till the time you can do these things and then join". I am still not a Rotarian!
Once I had to see a patient in a hospital. I said I will come at 2 o click. I had to drop my dad somewhere. He accompanied me and asked me to see the patient first. I reached the hospital at 2 15. I saw the patient and came back. He asked me "How many people were waiting with the patient?" I said "4". He immediately said "Then you have wasted 1 hour 30 minutes". I did not understand. He said 6 people including himself and me waited for 15 extra minutes which meant a total of 1 and a half hours was wasted. "Never do that again. Everyone's time is as precious as yours" he said emphatically. "If they are not there on time, you walk away".
I was selected for the National Merit Scholarship after my SSLC based on my SSLC performance. I would get the scholarship till I completed my education. There was only one snag - Parent had to sign that the income was below a certain level. I happily went to my dad. His income was exact cut off value. He refused to sign saying that it was not BELOW the cutoff value. No amount of pleading worked. Then I used what I thought was the trump card - "If you do not sign, the offer would pass to the next boy and his father would sign and would get all the benefit even if the income is higher"! I said. "That, my boy, " he said, "is the difference between his father and your father!".
When I joined MBBS, my friends told me I was 'safe' as he was a staff member. To my horror, he resigned the day I joined. He did not want any favors. He told me only 2 things. "1. Do not ask me to put in a word to anyone. I do not mind your failing. I will gladly look after you as long as you work hard. But no influencing. Achieve things if possible on your own. 2. I have a reasonably good name in the society. Do not do anything to tarnish it."
Just after passing the Rotary Club which he was a member of asked me to join. I told him about it. He immediately said - "I have a god name in the Rotary movement. Join only if you can follow all rules and stick to the timings. Otherwise wait till the time you can do these things and then join". I am still not a Rotarian!
Once I had to see a patient in a hospital. I said I will come at 2 o click. I had to drop my dad somewhere. He accompanied me and asked me to see the patient first. I reached the hospital at 2 15. I saw the patient and came back. He asked me "How many people were waiting with the patient?" I said "4". He immediately said "Then you have wasted 1 hour 30 minutes". I did not understand. He said 6 people including himself and me waited for 15 extra minutes which meant a total of 1 and a half hours was wasted. "Never do that again. Everyone's time is as precious as yours" he said emphatically. "If they are not there on time, you walk away".
I was quite touched by the write up about your father. If my father had been anything like yours I confess I would have been a compounder instead of a doctor. I too had a similar situation where my father couldn't afford my medical education fees, but instead of saying he would do nothing like your father, he went to the bank and took the loan himself for me. I will ever be grateful to him for that.
ReplyDeleteNot signing that income statement I feel was pure evil. Not official. I sir look up to you and not your father since whatever you are today is due to your effort and not your father's.
In my case I have thank my father since I was a rather helpless student at the time.