Moments of Happiness

When did i make my family feel proud of me?

I believe every time i do something good they feel proud of me...thats typical parents for you. But its more important for oneself to feel for events where he thought he has made his family take pride in him..

Let me recollect a few such instances...but before that a brief background

I come from a family where business ruled supreme & education was the last priority till my mom entered the family, i.e. when dad got married..It was mom who was a rank student who decided that her kids would not be mediocres in life. She wanted the best possible education for her kids. How we were educated is another story....


1. Getting selected to Sainik School

An absent minded person in the office of sainik school broke our hearts when he announced that i wasnt on the merit list of the entrance exam (My roll No: 136). I was heart broken. Next morning i wake up to my dad's hand thrusting a piece of newspaper infront of my eyes. He was exited and i was in a bad mood wondering what got him so exited. He pointed to no 136 in a timy box and the heading of which read "Sainik School Bijapur - Merit List", I rub my eyes and look again. It was indeed 136.

I jumped out of my bed and asked for mom...he said she's gone to the teacher's house in the next compund, i run and jump the compund wall unmindful of the height exited and over the moon...my dad runs behind me..Its 6.30 in the morning and a bit misty. Couldnt wait till 9 when the office opened so we decide to drive to bijapur which is 108 kms from badami so that we could cross verify the result.


We reach Bijapur at 9.30 when the peon had just opened the door of office and the superintendent hadnt yet come...i enquire with anticipation about the reslut and he points me to the board where they had put up the results. 136 was 14th in the order of merit. My joy new no bounds but i still wanted to hear from the office. he arrives majestcally at 10 and i pounce on him about the result and explaining him the turn of events....he is hit by the mistake he had done. He was apologetic about the mistake and we all had a hearty laugh...

Heres what had happened - there was another person of the same name who hadnt quaified but had a roll no less than me...my roll no was 136 and his around 60.

Thus begun a long journey away from home on my own in search of destinations that would bring me & my family happiness.


2. Campus placement - TCS my first love

IT was going through some really lean period in 2003 and we were all wondering about our decisions to take up IT engineering. we had seen our dollar dreams come crashing the previous years as our seniors struggled to get placed. It was announced that TCS would be the first company on campus to requirt the 2004 batch of engineers.

We had just finished our 6th sem exams and were all geared up for what could be the defining moment of our engineering careers. I went out on 1st sept to buy new pair of clothes for the interview on 2nd sept.

TCS came and started the process late by 5 hours. Not a good sign as the company representatives were miffed by the arrangements. They told us why TCS is th ebest place for us to be.... But all us were waiting for th eone slide ..... "Package".

"2.3 Lakhs", the HR manager announced. There began whispers around the room. Rs.20000 a month, 650 rs a day....Not bad i said to myself. I could buy pizza everyday i thought if i get into this company. Then there were those insignificant things like the selection procedures etc etc. I just couldnt wait to lay my hands on the job. My hands were itching.

Finished the written round on the first day and cleared it. Interviews were to be held the next day. I go back home to a caring mother (dad was at badami), who makes sure that i had good sleep so that i can be fresh the next day. Mom - you are the best. Next day i wake up
only to find that i did not have a matching tie and it was already 9. Interviews starting in 30 min. Mom offers to buy me a tie by herself while i was at college waiting for my turn. Mera number aaya, lekin late aaya at 5.30 in the evening.

The interviewers during the course of the interview offered me biscuits and said "We are sorry to have kept u waited. Please have some biscuits". My friends had adviced me not to pick up the biscuits, but i said what the heck..i was hungry. I grab 2 biscuits and eat them while they had tea. I was happy tha my stomach was silenced. Th einterview started and went for about 45 minutes...along normal lines.

Again the wait began for the results to come out. Rumors started flying thick and fast about the number of students that had been picked up. Some one said 53, some one said the company had walked out because of some problem (They had not been offered dinner..so went the rumor). Dad kept calling every 15 minutes enquiring about the results. I got irritated after 5 calls and ased him not to call and i would do so once the results were out.

The results came finally at 10.30 and i see my name in it. I jumped in joy and punched my fist. I had done it...I would now have Rs.20000 in my account every month. I make a series of phone calls (Dad, Mom, Sis, Amit Sir, friends in that order). I tell my mom that i would come home and we would celebrate. I run in search of Pepsi.....(talk of brand loyalty) and manage to locate a shop which is almost closed. I ask him to open the almost downed shutters for me. he thinks i am crazy..but what the hell i needed pepsi badly.

I reach home at 11pm and open the bottle of pepsi to celebrate after i thanked GOD for being with me. I call up dad again explaining completely as to how things went in detail as i was in no mood to explain before. He is over the moon. He says "My responsibility ends today. You are an independent man from now". (Gosh how wrong was he - its been 4 years and i still dont have a job).

Nitesh and Nagaraj land at home to congradulate me and they too pour their share of Pepsi...They leave after an hour. Then began what has been the most memorable night of my life... The night when me and mom talked through the night about the things that we had endured over the years, the problems that we had faced, the words that we had to hear asa family about my parents fanatic efforts in our eduation process. They had felt vindicated.

For an area where an average salary was Rs.6000 for a 30 year old...a 20 year old earning Rs 20000 in a TATA company was a way too uncomprehedable and a matter of great envy. OH man how we loved those moments. Dad lands up a day later and we all celebrate.

It was the day when my dad allowed me to drive his Maruti Zen (i drive it till day). He was happy.

To be continued......