18 JUNE 2019 - [SGLI , OAKRIDGE SCHOOL, HYDERABAD ]
18 June 2019 saw me on an early morning flight to Hyderabad , which reached the airport at 8. 30 am , from where I headed straight for Oakridge International School , where I ,as a guest speaker , was to address a session on the theme of MORAL COURAGE in SGLI [STUDENTS GLOBAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE , an international summer programme that is conducted every year in their school campus.]
The students were a cross section from different parts of the world . I began by telling them that I am a trifle mad , and always try to follow Robin Williams' words that one should always retain that mad spark , so my entire life has been devoted to infusing insanity in the sane world around , through my frenzied writing .
My talk was anecdotal , embellished with incidents from the time when I had joined my career as a lecturer in a post- graduate government college for boys [Bharatpur , Rajasthan] , where the students , who were older than me , would waylay me and ask me whether I had come to teach or study . During invigilation duties , I had stopped an intimidating looking boy from cheating . This guy , who had a dagger stuck in the desk , had abused and threatened me with dire consequences , ' aapko dekh loonga ,aapney mera career kharaab kar diya' [ I will see you , you spoilt my career ] but I had run into the Principal's chamber , with the dagger in hand , and the boy in tow . The other invigilator , a senior lecturer had looked the other way .
In the evening , the boy had met me at the station , he was going to Mathura and I to Delhi. He did not recognize me , but I did, and I walked up to him , and told him , you said ," you wanted to 'see me' , now 'see me' , he immediately fell at my feet , apologising profusely.
This example of moral courage from my own life , set the ball rolling , and then I got talking about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr , citing examples from their lives . I quoted extensively from To kill a Mocking Bird, the iconic novel of Harper Lee and the protagonist , Atticus Finch , who fights the case of an African American , Tom Robinson , despite knowing that he is 'licked' right from the beginning because of being pitted against an all- white -jury But , he said , he had to do it , because , he could not connive at injustice . I was pleasantly surprised to know that all of them had read the book and knew who Atticus Finch was , and that Gregory Peck had played Atticus Finch in the movie !
'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere' , this quote from A LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL has always been my favourite quote of Martin Luther King Jr . and this figured many times in my talk . And yes, everyone really loved the cover of my forthcoming book on Martin Luther King jr.
This was followed by role -playing and a very invigorating interactive session in which the students asked me myriad questions . What was the first poem that I wrote ? Who is my favorite author ? What made me write about these moral icons ? How can one become a good writer ? How do you retain your insanity in the sane world ?
I concluded by telling them , that with their moral courage , they can unleash a Brave New World , by becoming Influencers and setting moral examples for others to follow.
Ms . Hema Chennupati , the Principal of the school , amiable and soft- spoken , was a delight to talk to, so were Ms Manisha Vasudha , Programmes Coordinator [SGLI] ,Mr. Srinivas Dasari , Mr Ankit Bhasin and Ms Sonia Prasad, [Head Career Counsellor] . All politeness personified. Thanks for all the warm hospitality and love . I will forever cherish every moment of my stay here . Thanks a ton.
Great school , great environs , great people . If I had a school going child , I would just love him or her to blossom in these pleasant surroundings . I wish I had time to go around the huge , sprawling campus , but I had an evening flight and so rushed back . When it was time to go , the students heaped me with paintings and chocolates and lots of love . I left. with fond memories and their pleasant, brilliant faces forever etched in my mind .
The students were a cross section from different parts of the world . I began by telling them that I am a trifle mad , and always try to follow Robin Williams' words that one should always retain that mad spark , so my entire life has been devoted to infusing insanity in the sane world around , through my frenzied writing .
My talk was anecdotal , embellished with incidents from the time when I had joined my career as a lecturer in a post- graduate government college for boys [Bharatpur , Rajasthan] , where the students , who were older than me , would waylay me and ask me whether I had come to teach or study . During invigilation duties , I had stopped an intimidating looking boy from cheating . This guy , who had a dagger stuck in the desk , had abused and threatened me with dire consequences , ' aapko dekh loonga ,aapney mera career kharaab kar diya' [ I will see you , you spoilt my career ] but I had run into the Principal's chamber , with the dagger in hand , and the boy in tow . The other invigilator , a senior lecturer had looked the other way .
In the evening , the boy had met me at the station , he was going to Mathura and I to Delhi. He did not recognize me , but I did, and I walked up to him , and told him , you said ," you wanted to 'see me' , now 'see me' , he immediately fell at my feet , apologising profusely.
This example of moral courage from my own life , set the ball rolling , and then I got talking about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr , citing examples from their lives . I quoted extensively from To kill a Mocking Bird, the iconic novel of Harper Lee and the protagonist , Atticus Finch , who fights the case of an African American , Tom Robinson , despite knowing that he is 'licked' right from the beginning because of being pitted against an all- white -jury But , he said , he had to do it , because , he could not connive at injustice . I was pleasantly surprised to know that all of them had read the book and knew who Atticus Finch was , and that Gregory Peck had played Atticus Finch in the movie !
'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere' , this quote from A LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL has always been my favourite quote of Martin Luther King Jr . and this figured many times in my talk . And yes, everyone really loved the cover of my forthcoming book on Martin Luther King jr.
I concluded by telling them , that with their moral courage , they can unleash a Brave New World , by becoming Influencers and setting moral examples for others to follow.
Ms . Hema Chennupati , the Principal of the school , amiable and soft- spoken , was a delight to talk to, so were Ms Manisha Vasudha , Programmes Coordinator [SGLI] ,Mr. Srinivas Dasari , Mr Ankit Bhasin and Ms Sonia Prasad, [Head Career Counsellor] . All politeness personified. Thanks for all the warm hospitality and love . I will forever cherish every moment of my stay here . Thanks a ton.
Great school , great environs , great people . If I had a school going child , I would just love him or her to blossom in these pleasant surroundings . I wish I had time to go around the huge , sprawling campus , but I had an evening flight and so rushed back . When it was time to go , the students heaped me with paintings and chocolates and lots of love . I left. with fond memories and their pleasant, brilliant faces forever etched in my mind .
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