Friday, March 16, 2007

Role model, yet accessible!

Once in college, one of our lecturers, maybe just over an year elder to us, conducted a written H.R. interview for us and the reason he quoted for doing it was to prepare us for the job-hunt, while actually the reason was that he wanted some tips to face H.R. interviews well, he was lecturing part-time and software-job-hunting most of the time. Intentions apart, it was fun.
Among so many questions, there was one asking for who our primary role-model is. As we were meant to read our answers aloud (mass-learning of interview tips,you know!), as expected, got to hear the names of Mahatma, Abdul Kalam, Einstein, Narayan Murthy, Azim Premji, Ambani and many who have had their names encrypted in history.It came naturally to me that I would write my dad as my real hero, my role-model. I uttered the same when it was my turn to read out my answers aloud and surprisingly to me, classmates and lecturer included gave an amazed look! Probably they were expecting, maybe the names mentioned supra by default or some name that weighs as much as those names do. No, to me, it is my dad. Not that they are not, but they never influenced me before my dad did. I was not surprised when folks mentioned their role-models, but why were they? Why is it that, very often, people who are so very accessible to us and mould or influence our life every single day are taken for granted?

Nevertheless, here’s for my dad who made books accessible to me long before they reached many, who made me write and kept revealing secrets on how to keep a reader engrossed with the write-ups ( failure on my part it is that I have not taken the lessons well), who taught me to debate (I still remember when I slept all night and he burnt the midnight oil to get my written copy of debate ready by morning),who taught me to meet people and build social relationships and who taught me how to long jump too!! (I guess, he knew long before that I would enter the software industry and should be well equipped with the jumping act!!). I learnt a few, he tried teaching a lot , though.

Dad, I know you wont read this, neither will I make an attempt to make you do too. Yet,just wanted to shout at the top of voice and say “Love you lots,Dad!!”

If at all, I have a complaint against my dad, it’s that he doesn’t know cooking. Hence, I don’t too!! Yet, both of us managed to survive (of course, on mom’s cooking (kidding..I’d better.Mama,love you too!) or elsewhere)!!

7 comments:

Stallion said...

Good post....ur lecturer...wat a comedy guy...LOL...I bet u guys made a mockery of him when u found out wat his actual intention was.

Anonymous said...

Very nice write yaar...and coincidence or what i donno...

i had the same question in my actual HR interview and i gave the exact answer....!!!!

WOW....how i still feel so good to say that still and wish if not aspire, to do as well as he did!!! i still wonder how he used to enjoy his wrk...and yearn to work hard like him!!!

Anonymous said...

I remembered my (fav:-)) lecturer while reading this article..We didnt have anything like debate but in an ethic(my subject ie CPS) class,each person had to come up to stage and just talk abt any topic.. well me too experienced sm thing like u.
Really a very touching article..:)

-Pushpa

catch 22 said...

When I was reading this post, I just wondered what a Role Model was supposed to mean to us? I came up with answers like inspire, makes you aspire to do something, makes you imitate(not in a negative connotation) them, influence us to take a certain career path, influence our values, perspectives. When I put together all these answers who could fit to such a role (if they do or not is a different issue) but our parents.

Really good post, got me reminded of my dad though my days with him were limited , but he thought me a lot in that limited time.

Rashmi Kantharaja said...

@stallion,
Welcome!
Thanks. Truly, any lecturer would anyway get mocked, he a little more :D

@priya,
So true dear.We have lot to learn from parents

@pushpa,
Thanks dear.

@catch22,
Hey! Felt sorry that you were unfortunate to have spent limited time.Yet, every bit of things learnt from them is worthy indeed.

HaRi pRaSaD said...

:) Cute post!

Hope my daughter has some similar thoughts...er...someday in the future! :D

Rashmi Kantharaja said...

@Hari,
Thanks :).
So good to hear that you aspire to have a daughter. Let your wish come true :)