Terrifc Feeling

YESTERDAY, I had the privilege of addressing the students of Mahajana First Grade College at their weekly assembly, incidentally, the first in their just-started academic year. It was a great feeling to be amidst them, youngsters, who stood for an entire hour in which a couple of new teachers were welcomed; a few others, as well as students, were feted for their achievements; reports were read out by way of keeping the entire college informed of what had happened since the commencement of the new year; the weekly newsletter, a colourful single-sheet, tabloid size, having the inspirational editorial from the Principal, Prof KV Prabhakara, was released. The highlight of the function was the honours extended to Suraj R. Krishnam, a BBM student of earlier years, for his feat of having motorcycled across the country, from Kayakumari to Kashmir, on his Pulsar bike, which was also so thoughtfully and inspirationally kept on display. I felt thrilled to be part of the felicitating team. I did not lose the great opportunity to tell Suraj that I would be on his pillion on his next expedition (provided his wife wife gives me a no-objection certificate!)

Only the previous day, I had visited the college to attend to senior friend, Group Capt (retd) Rajgopal's guest lecture, organised to commemorate the Kargil Divas. The lecture by the Captain (as I affectionately and respectfully call him) was as meaningful as it was appropriate on part of the college authorities to have arranged the lecture. It was the first in My Country lecture series initiated by the college, to infuse GenNext with patriotism. I am inclined to believe that Prof Prabhakara, the energetic principal who works with the efficiency of a corporate CEO, is the brain behind this initiative, given his NCC background. He must be the best-dressed male in the college - students don't need to feel J when I say, it includes them!

I was not aware of the lecture. I just went to college for a different purpose and serindipitously discovered that the lecture was going on. I missed out the better part of the lecture, but was there to hear him make a frontal attack on the UPA government for making a political issue of the Vijay Diwas, on its decennial celebration. Any Indian, even with an iota of patriotism, must pay his respects to the super heroes of the country for their valour and sacrifice. It was poignant to know how a Kargil hero from our own state had to wage another battle, with his limbs lost in the war, to get a grand pension of Rs 5000. I couldn't help admiring the students as they listened to the lecture with rapt attention, though I would have loved to see them pose more questions in the question-and-answer session. (Nor could I help admiring this lone student in the front row in the assembly that I addressed the next day, for the fervour with which he sang the national anthem or for the gusto with which he hailed the Motherland after the anthem. He threw his right hand up in the air at an angle, with his chest thrust out, and loudly said, 'jai' when the group of lead anthem singers prompted the audience to do so with the nationalistic, if customary, 'Bolo Bharat Mata ki ...' crescendo. Of course, there were a series of other things to admire about the college. They were so many that the minority students could be condoned for getting restless towards the fag-end of the assembly).

My special attraction for the college is for the reason that Shri MN Jois was one of its founders. I had interacted with Jois - and a photographer-friend once even clicked me in his company, without me being aware of it. Jois was right on dot at a function he had been invited to, but the organisers were not to be seen. I happened to be there at the venue, The Institution of Engineers, and led him to his seat, offering the nonagenarian some support. This photograph is one of my proud possessions. I could not meet Jois as frequently as I would have loved to else, I would have recorded his talk on my tape-recorder. More recently, I happened to get a copy of his biography, in Kannada, from a Gandhian. Every Kannadiga, especially the staff and students of Mahajana College, must read it and, they would have an added reason to feel proud to be part of the great institution. One day, I want to make a feature film on Jois for the global audience. Hope the day will come very soon. To a man like me who was born many years after Gandhi died, Jois was more than a compensation. He was no less than Gandhi. His sacrifice was no less than the Mahatma's.

My utmost gratitude to Mahajana College for having allowed me to step inside its premises. I would cherish the day for long.

Vijendra Rao