My dear Tatagaru!!!

I am so unfortunate.... I lost you when i was just 3yrs old....When I was in school we had Shakespeare's literature and the vocabulary was too hard for me to understand....I used to come home and ask dad "what this particular word mean" ?? and he used say this is a very complicated language and I am sorry I cant help you....why don't you go and clarify it with your teacher...but my teacher too doesn't know the meaning of it :)....On that day I felt "If my tatagaru is still alive...I would have learned everything"....

And you know what happened then?? I think you listened to me that moment....My eyes suddenly felt on "CHAMBER'S DICTIONARY"...I never saw that book before...that was my first meeting with that book...I opened it and on the very first page I found your name written on it with your own handwriting....I went through that dictionary and I found the meaning of the word I was searching for :) I was overwhelmed....From that day Chamber's dictionary has taught me lots of things...It never made me disapoint....I am asking it and it is showing me the meaning...I started referring some more dictionaries such as oxford etc etc but they never satisfied me....I found the meaning of the word in Chambers which was not given in Oxford....

I always feel your are with me in the form of Chamber's dictionary clarifying all my doubts and teaching me how to pronounciate particular word....Tatagaru as you know, my schooling was not so good as dad had frequent transfers...and you know how schools in a small town teach english but with your help I am able to speak good english now....sometimes I loose my confidence while speaking to others but then I will sit with you to gain back my confidence....

Thank you for presenting me such a wonderful book....I will cherish it through out my life...And you will be with me always in the form of Chambers dictionary...This particular moment of my life taught me that although you are not physically present with me your soul loves me and listens to me...

Love you loads

sweety

Chapters from Fairy tales Moulding handful of Clay

Time of the event - 1981 April - June
I still remember when my Grandpa gifted me a book of Fairy Tales. It was an exquisite book with 3 endearing and inspiring fairy tales:

1. Jack and the beanstalk
2. Hansel and Gretel
3. Rip Van Winkle

I was reading it one day in Garividi in front of my Grandpa. (I came to Garividi along with my mom and my brother Krishna to spend my Summer vacation...) The first line of "Jack and the Bean stalk" went something like "There was a boy called Jack...". I must be around 7 or so; and my interpretation of english was as straightforward as it could be.. The sentence I understood as was that a certain boy called another named Jack.

I really am not sure how my Grandpa and I got to talk about it; But I am assuming that I was reading it out to him... He somehow understood that I didn't catch on to the meaning and so, He explained what the sentence meant. He explained the story to me! It cautioned me then that English is not straightforward as it seems. It was fascinatingly intriguing! So NEVER translate an English sentence directly into my native language telugu without first understanding the gist of the passage!

My Grandpa never ridiculed or teased my knowledge in anything; Nor did He ever point out my flaws other than gently (but firmly) telling me the right way to see things.

Although I was too playful to actually understand the beauty and melody in a language; some things really stayed with me no matter how small I was when they happened.

One more episode that I still remember and mention it to my friends is when my Grandpa explained to me the meaning of the word "Breakfast".It was during the same time as the above incident...

My Grandpa once asked me (may not be his actual words because I don't distinctly remember the conversation, just only the crux of it) "Why do they call it Breakfast? Do you know? " I wasn't sure because truly what were we breaking; how can you break fast (for me back then, fast meant opposite of slow!)... did they mean breakfast to mean taking it slow? Didn't make sense... My grandad knew my ignorance only well and so he explained... "Fast also means a ritual where you don't eat. So when you are sleeping you don't eat the entire time; that means you are observing a fast. The first meal after you get up breaks that fast for you and hence it is named Breakfast!". If ever He did, He might have said the same in fewer words; but they really hit the mark on the mindset of a 7 year old!

Thats the time when I was pulled more deeper into the beauty of English language! Every word has a reason to be as it it is! No word is a result of meaningless ramblings. If you research enough, you will know that each word has its own root and the root could be quite ancient and maybe from a different language altogether. Ever since, I always tried to dissect different words to understand them better... Some I could manage; but some still are elusive. My Grandad would have put to rest the doubts of the Hero of the movie "Chupke Chupke" who claims that English is a nutty language, otherwise why would you pronounce "PUT" and "BUT" differently when the vowel used is one and the same?

Probably that led me to learn about english beyond my textbooks. I remember once researching on different words and their roots in Old English and Middle English in a dictionary! I got so caught up in it; I actually wrote my daily journal using words from Old and Middle english which I used to replace the words from mordern english.. Result was hilarious! No one, but I understood what my journal meant! Now... no one can access my thoughts even if they hack my password!

The way my Grandpa influenced me was and is very deep. He showed me the sweetness of intellectual pursuit. It truly makes a day worthwhile, when we discover truth even if it be a small one. It gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction when I can discuss knowledge with someone. I mean knowledge as in Truth - literature, biography, science... and when I say biography; I certainly don't mean day-to-day doings of my next-door neighbor! But I do mean the great achievements of great people including my own family!

In my adulthood, I have come to realize that each and every person in my family (both by birth and acquired by marriage) is a true Hero and Heroine because I saw them (or have known them to) struggle and conquer all their troubles and win all their joys; today each one is a self-made man or self-made woman; and each an achiever! From time to time I really wonder how they managed it! Because I know the struggles I face in my life! I only admire their tenacity that each one showed and still displays in their lives... From time to time I derive my solutions, resolutions and determination from them! This only made me appreciate every other person as an achiever no matter what part of the world or life they come from!

One of the people I always try to emulate is my Grandfather - how can someone upkeep his dignity and honor every single second of his life? Probably by making it one's own nature! Maybe thats what my Grandfather did; or maybe He was just born with it!

If I was a handful of clay as a child, then my Grandpa was one of those first few to mould me into the person that I am today and I am going to be!

Tatagaru, I am still as ignorant in many things as I was back then when I was a mere child; I still need You to inspire me and open my closed doors towards the truth! And I know You will!
See how a chapter from a Fairy Tale can actually mould a handful of clay!
Yours,
Pinky.

No Qualification is essential ! ! ?

My Dear Nanna Garu,

I still remember the day, when I was transfered to Operations from Quality Control Department in FACOR Garividi (1982). Though delighted for a while with the new assignment, I was damn scared at that point of time and confessed myself to you, that only a Qualified Metallurgists can work near the Submerged Electric Arc Furnaces. Your words HIT me at the right place. you said "No qualification is essential, provided you have elementary commonsence".
Being a father, you understood me very well. The ego within me, woke up and asked myself that night "Do I really have elementary commonsence?" Obviously the answer was YES., and that night I decided, that, I am going to retire near the Furnace only.
New strength had come, started looking my assignments with interest. I was even looking for a promotion as Asst.Manager Production, from a just Shift Metallurgist level. On 10th April, 1989, there was call from Nava Bharat Ferro Alloys, requesting me to take up the responsibilities as Head of the Dept. for Production. I never thought, that I can ever reach that position. But it happened.
You know dad, what you said? " What qualification you posses today ! ! ? ?, Go and Hit the Bull"
These are the last words I heard from you. But when I really took up the responsibility, you were not there with us. You made sure that your son is well placed and you departed.
Today, I am now considered as one of the renowned Metallurgists in the field Ferro Alloys in the Country. Tata Steel Managing Director, Mr.B.Muthuraman expressed to me on one occassion "Raju, you are so important for us, how can we afford to loose" I am now Chief of Ferro Alloys Production in Tata Steel. All Ferro Alloy units of Tata Steel report to me for all Technical matters.
Dad, this is what you want your Son to be?

Your Son

Raja

Dear Grandpa

Grandpa, The way you were and lived... The way you carried yourself in utmost dignity... Being your grandchild, I may not be just as glorious; but I will surely strive to be! Thank you so much for your inspiration and direction back when I was a simple fledgling pecking at teeny morsels of knowledge! Your faith in me will work wonders in my life like it did all the time.
Mom used to tell me that you loved people who strived for academic excellence... When I would pour over my studies or my hobby of reading/writing/etc... I always would sense a presence looking over my shoulder! I would be startled and look back expecting someone although I would see no one! Like mom says, maybe it is you! Guiding me, directing me with your deep sense of truth!
Do bless me Tatagaru in every step of my life... I always needed it. And I will always need it!

-Love always,
Yours
Pinky

Jewel of Mankind, Gem of Men

This blog is about my late maternal Grandfather Dr.K. Bhaskara Rama Murthy. With My family, I would like to make this blog a tribute to him. This also is a promise I made to my maternal uncle K.S.Raja long ago, back in 1989 when we all came together to see off my grandad on his last journey on this earth. Back then I started off an essay named something like "Gem-studded Jewel" about my Grandad. But I couldn't complete it and my essay is left hidden between layers of times! But today, when I searched the internet about my grandfather, I couldn't find a single place where his name was mentioned... But there was a news article published about him written by his former student long back when India was yet to know about the Internet. I felt that this world should know who he was, because believe me, whoever did know him revered him!

This is a request to all my relatives - Please send me any information about my Grandad @ sri1905@gmail.com. If you can, please do include the time period so that the blogs are presented in a chronological order.