Miscellaneous:

 

Notes:

1. This is based on my conversations with Pracharya during my recent visits to Bangalore.

2. I have taken the liberty to use his first name in the narration below, to make the story a bit more personal, and not to mean any disrespect. I hope that does not offend anybody!

 

Sam was a teacher at The Orphanage (Parsi school) of English and Sports. As Sports teacher he taught cricket, table tennis, hockey etc. While teaching cricket the students used to say – “We are not used to playing with a straight bat, why bother!” One of his students was a great bowler but he didn’t pursue it after school. After many years when they met, Sam said I am sorry you didn’t pursue it further. He said – “Yes, that is true; but you know, I have lived my life with a straight bat!”

 

After the 1st year of the degree course, Sam had to leave college (in Pune) due to paucity of funds. His school principal (Mr. Billimoria) in Panchgani asked him to join as a teacher in the school to teach English and Sports. Sam met Miss Edna Kobke as a co-teacher in the same school and they became friends. Since there was no staff-room they used to sit on the benches under trees in full view of others. One day the principal called him and asked him “Are you serious about Miss Kobke or just fooling around?” Sam said he was serious. The principal said – “Do you think you can think of marrying a woman with your kind of salary and education? Leave the school right now and complete your degree”.

 

So, Sam went to Pune and worked in a school and did college part-time. The school was run by an Englishman who gave him part-time leave for studies when exam approached, but told him there would be no change in pay after he got his degree since the degree wasn’t required for his job. For the history paper he went to see his History professor and said – “I don’t have enough time to read the whole text book (by Sardesai) on Shivaji again, so can you tell me which chapters to focus on?” So, the professor started listing “important” chapters, and when he had finished, he had not only told Sam to pretty much read the whole book, but also had recommended some other books! Sam was able to answer 3 of 5 questions and managed to pass and get his degree. After some time when he met this professor again, the professor said – “You remember that day when we met? That day is unforgettable for me because I had seen the history paper that very morning, and I was caught in a dilemma. I could have told you which areas to focus on, but, that would have been unfair to other students. I could have told you some random topics to focus on, but, that would have misled you. So, I ended up telling you to read everything!”

 

 

 

By Abhay B. Joshi (abjoshi@yahoo.com)

Last updated: 2 December 2019