(31 Aug ’08)
I was on the dais with
a member of the Rajya Sabha, Supriya Sule. Google her and you’ll discover that
she’s one of India’s richest, as well as Sharad Pawar’s daughter. She spoke
like a person learned and who had done her homework well. Didn’t expect that. Another
was Sharada Dwivedi, famous historian and author who owns Eminence Designs, the
publishing company that has brought out ‘my’ latest book, Ward Number Five,
KEM. ‘My’ is thus written because it is Marathi-English translation and
therefore not entirely mine. The others were famous doctors: Praful Desai
(onco-surgeon), Prakash Kothari (sexologist), Chetan Kantharia (surgeon) and
Manu Kothari (brilliant orator…I’d pay to hear him talk!!). I thought an
evening of speeches wasn’t going to be any fun, but I was wrong. Other than
one, each spoke well, in control, and interestingly. Other than one, none
exceeded the given time.
Ward Number Five KEM is actually the
biography of Dr. Ravi Bapat, a surgeon who has taught at the famous hospital
for many decades. The book covers the
history of Parel-Naigaon, the mill areas of Mumbai, their lifestyles, and all
through the history of the patients this surgeon treated. It introduces the
reader to Marathi Theatre through the actors and their ailments, the
politicians and the criminals, too. It educates the lay reader about common and
uncommon ailments, the dilemmas doctors face and the questions patients must
ask. Most importantly, it gives a wonderful description of a doctor-patient
relationship and the condition of healthcare in India today. It has 360 pages
book.
None of my previous three books got
this kind of a ‘launch’. I now believe it helps, because the first day that I
went to work after the weekend, at least six people asked me whether I was the
same person who’d written it. Word of mouth worked ! So quickly, too! Should
anyone in Goa read it, do write in the criticism. Would love that.
Enough about me.
Like all Indians, I was thrilled to
bits by the gold our Olympians brought back. Also the bronzes. I can’t imagine
the level of concentration and the ‘can do’ spirit it requires. Talent and
spirit have to be nurtured by money and I hope other parents take the cue from
the Bindras. Really remarkable for the boxer and wrestler to have come up
literally from rags to stand tall on that podium. Now that the jinx has been
broken, will we gather more medals at London, or will we have another gap of
three decades? We have to train ‘em
young, consistently and for long years, otherwise the latter will be true and
freak incidents rather than planned harvest will be the norm.
It was good to read an email sent by
Arjun Halarnkar of the ICG. The International Centre and the Taleigao Chess
Academy organized a one-day workshop on Career in Sports (Self Employment
Opportunities in Sports) at the Mushtifund High School, Panaji. Good idea. In
my school days, Goan Catholics and Anglo-Indians always took away the cups and
trophies on sports’ days. Why the others didn’t I really don’t know, because I
don’t believe sports are community-specific. But whether I’m right or wrong,
I’d be happy to see Goa encourage sports. And if one can earn money in the
bargain, cheers !!!
“Teachers also expressed their views
on how difficult it becomes to support a talented student who cannot afford to
continue training in a particular sport.” This is what Arjun wrote. It’s time
we picked up all sparks and nurtured them to become future leaders. We have
NGOs supporting those with disabilities, we now need support for the
exceptionally gifted. They must be motivated and their abilities trained and
honed so that our country’s future (and therefore the future of you and I), is
in safe hands. They could be smart in
academics, music, sports or something else. A pharmacologist friend of mine was
doing part time voluntary work for children with low IQs because she believed
she ought to give back to society. My point was, she could contribute even more
by teaching chemistry to talented students who didn’t have the access to her
kind of learning. She must pass on her experience and knowledge. For example,
if a surgeon doesn’t pass on his skills to the next generation, if instead he
decides to teach second standard children their maths tables…it would be a
waste. Contribution to society has to be done at all levels.
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