The Gift Back

It was a small closet, serving as the staff room for two teachers. He spent most of the time referring to knowledge world wide, and trying to improve the quality of common man’s life getting involved in social projects. Certainly a lot more than what an everyday professor does. And that too an old one. Sticking to a couple of books was the last thing he ever did.

He was more than a professor to me. In fact professor would be a misnomer, but rather a teacher. Absolutely implicit teacher. Went on to inscribe a lot in me, cannot be reciprocated in words.

His lectures throughout the two years saw the necessary attendance but not the necessary attentiveness from all. (That’s the case with all I guess) But he was happy with the few who managed to be in sync. And the singular thing, he never cared what the students did. His point, ‘If you do not want to listen, you are free to do any other thing. (Games, puzzles, dozing etc) I will overlook, rather not even look’.

One fine afternoon, I found myself beside him. “Do you listen?” he asked. I said “Yes.” “Is it helpful?” “Yes”, I said.

“That is enough. One is my goal. Anything more than that is a bonus.” He said. I knew people with such thoughts existed, but saw one for the first time that day. Molding a character was his only concern. And the most unnoticed one.

It was the last day of my graduation. I went to him with my results. He knew what they would be. He was sincerely happy for me. Maybe even a little fragile too, if I read him correctly. Just a couple of months ago, he had asked me for something and I had obliged in my progress report.

“I don’t know when I’ll see you next. But our bond reminds me of one I had with my teacher (Henry, if I recollect). Now I know what he felt and why he was fragile on my last graduation day”, he said. The words in the next half an hour will remain close and fresh with me forever. With that, I left and stepped out of the staff room.

‘Intelligence is God’s gift to man. What he does with it is his gift back to God.’ And there are an elite set of people in this world who must have made God happy. And the greatest of them all is one who not only exhibits unfathomable treasure himself, but also helps to shape up millions of those who come across his path.

One such gift was my teacher, Prof. K.G Balakrishnan, to whom these feelings are dedicated to. With others, out of sight is out of mind. But with such set of people, out of sight is more into our Hearts.

He expired last week. And I took notice of the bright shining midnight stars, for a couple of hours. I could imagine every one of them on earth, at one time. I spotted the addition. HE takes his gifts back.

Dedicated to thee,
From Raja…