Simple and straightforward

by Seva Lamberdar Sat Jun 02, 2018 2:32 pm

Ever since I started commenting and blogging on the Internet many years ago while living in Canada, there were a number of feedbacks and responses from readers insinuating that my inputs were based on privileged background and education including probably the English medium childhood schooling, according to them.

That is highly presumptuous, to say the least.

I originally hailed from village Ansoli in Dist. Kangra, which currently is in the Indian state Himachal Pradesh but used to be a part of Punjab state prior to 1966. I attended Govt. Middle School Bagli (Vill. Bagli, Dist. Kangra) during grades 1-8 (1953-61) and G.A.V. Higher Secondary School Kangra (Kangra, Dist. Kangra) during grades 9-11 (1961-64), with Hindi as my first language and the medium of instruction throughout (grades 1-11). I also got a chance to learn a number of other languages in school, e.g. Punjabi from grade 5 and English and Sanskrit from grade 6. The first time I had English as a medium of instruction was in grade 12 / pre-engineering (1964-65) at Govt. College Dharamshala (Dist. Kangra), prior to the engineering studies (B.Tech., 1965-70) at I.I.T. Kharagpur (W. Bengal).

The primary purpose of education to kids in villages, boys especially, during my school days in our area was chiefly to be able to get a job as a clerk or a teacher after passing high school etc. To this end, I also spent a couple of months in summer 1963, following the grade 10 examination, looking for a job as a clerk, but without success. I continued anyway afterwards (following the futile job search briefly) with further studies (grade 11 and so on in school / college) eventually becoming an engineer after completing the engineering degree, but there was also a good chance once (as mentioned before) that I could have instead gone on to pursue a lifelong career as a clerk etc. in some office.

I am quite knowledgeable as well about the extra demands and pressures -- in addition to the usual school work and studies -- on school-age children in rural areas and from farming families etc. An example on this included here from my grade 4, after I had been selected along with a classmate of mine by our class teacher to represent our school (Govt. Middle School Bagli) in inter-school scholarship competition in the nearby town Kangra. Just before the competition in Kangra on a Monday I ended up grazing the family cattle at home in Ansoli on Sunday, instead of studying and preparing for the test in Kangra the following day (Monday). Luckily, thanks to my grade 4 teacher Mr. Chuni Lal's excellent teaching during our regular class, the things turned out okay for me in the test (competition) as I scored high marks and even won a scholarship in spite of not studying and preparing for the test beforehand.

Finally, even though my family name (last name) Sharma signifies the ancient brahmin caste associated with Hindu priestly vocation and learning / teaching of Sanskrit etc. long ago, my immediate family elders (grandparents and parents) were involved instead primarily in the occupation related to farming and agriculture, thus far removed from any priestly duties and learning / teaching of Sanskrit etc. (including a very modest education / schooling in the case of my parents: father to grade 5 and mother to grade 2 or so). Besides, other than attending the regular lectures and classes in schools and college, while even travelling on foot every day each way for two hours (8 miles or 13 km) between home (Ansoli) and college (Dharamshala) six days a week (Mon.- Sat.) during my grade 12 (pre-engineering), there was nothing unusual or special (including extra tutorials and coaching classes etc.) with respect to my educational background.

: Subhash C. Sharma

by Guest Sat Jun 02, 2018 3:12 pm

great personal story! and inspiring too... how often do you visit home, seva?

by Seva Lamberdar Sat Jun 02, 2018 3:38 pm

rasāsvāda wrote:great personal story! and inspiring too... how often do you visit home, seva?

Tracy,
thanks for the comment and compliment -- much appreciated.
I haven't been back home and in India for almost a decade now. The trip is long overdue.
- Seva

by Guest Sat Jun 02, 2018 4:12 pm

Seva Lamberdar wrote:
rasāsvāda wrote:great personal story! and inspiring too... how often do you visit home, seva?
Tracy,
thanks for the comment and compliment -- much appreciated.
I haven't been back home and in India for almost a decade now. The trip is long overdue.
- Seva

oh wow... quite a contrast with how things are going on for me currently. i have been going on an average every 8-10 months in last 2-3 years. Before that it was once or twice a year. I went 3 times last year, 2 times alone, and once with kids. I will go alone only once this year for dad's first barsi. Trying to have mom come over for a couple of months, let's see.

Let's see how it goes later. As of now I can't imagine cutting connections to that place. I don't know how I will handle it if i am told i can't see that home or neighborhood or city or friends for eternity. I find the thought suffocating. Likewise, I sometimes imagine moving back for good, and feel equally suffocated thinking that i won't be driving around on roads here. quite a mid-continental crisis lol.

by Seva Lamberdar Mon Jun 04, 2018 8:12 am

rasāsvāda wrote:
Seva Lamberdar wrote:
rasāsvāda wrote:great personal story! and inspiring too... how often do you visit home, seva?
Tracy,
thanks for the comment and compliment -- much appreciated.
I haven't been back home and in India for almost a decade now. The trip is long overdue.
- Seva

oh wow... quite a contrast with how things are going on for me currently. i have been going on an average every 8-10 months in last 2-3 years. Before that it was once or twice a year. I went 3 times last year, 2 times alone, and once with kids. I will go alone only once this year for dad's first barsi. Trying to have mom come over for a couple of months, let's see.

Let's see how it goes later. As of now I can't imagine cutting connections to that place. I don't know how I will handle it if i am told i can't see that home or neighborhood or city or friends for eternity. I find the thought suffocating. Likewise, I sometimes imagine moving back for good, and feel equally suffocated thinking that i won't be driving around on roads here. quite a mid-continental crisis lol.

I don't think you can really do that (cut connections to the place) as long as people you know quite well ( e.g. relatives and friends) are living there.

by Seva Lamberdar Mon Jun 11, 2018 8:17 am

Btw, in response to someone asking me in an email (after reading this blog) if I was in favor of granting Govt. quotas / reservations in education and jobs to people hailing from villages on the basis of this blog, please note the following (my reply to that email).

I did not say the people should get Govt. help in education and jobs, including quotas / reservations,because they are from villages or from certain castes(as SC, ST, OBC). I am totally opposed to the caste and place consideration in all my blogs and comments and I favor the Govt. help to people only according to economic necessity, and that too in acquiring education only and not getting jobs and promotions. My view in this regard is also expressed in the in the following blog(including the comments and reference listed there) --"Should caste quotas in education and jobs be the primary consideration in electing national and state Govts.?": http://creative.sulekha.com/should-caste-quotas-in-education-and-jobs-be-the-primary-consideration-in-electing-national-and-state-govts_633772_blog

As for the current blog ("Simple and Straightforward"), that was intended primarily to dispel people's (readers') misunderstanding about my background and education which they mistakenly thought as privileged (implying somehow thus not appropriate to my inputs), and not because I wanted to show the rural area kids in need of Govt. help in education etc. because of their hailing from villages, which certainly is not my consideration. I am in favor of any help from Govt. in the monetary form mainly (including as free tuition and student allowance etc. based on the economic necessity of the family), while not lowering the acceptance criteria in education (e.g. admitting students at lower marks / grades) and job (e.g. hiring and promoting less qualified people) even if people belong to a certain caste (e.g. "lower" caste) or hail from a certain place (e.g. village or rural place).

by TruthSeeker Sun Jun 17, 2018 3:58 am

A boy from nowhere ended up in IIT.

Hi Seva - I wish I could shake hands with you.

I am lying on my bed right now, and I put my left hand on my side.

And lift just one finger.

Thats life.

The difference between life and death is - Just that ability to lift one finger.

I am beginning to understand it.

I have had far more privileged life than yours - multiple servants, driver, maali, cook, you name it, English bunglows, a father in high post - but I am not happy.

I do not think money or power can get one happiness.

So, your humble life in Kangra could be better than you imagine.

Regards.

by Seva Lamberdar Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:39 pm

TS,
Thanks.
I really didn't plan it this way.
Regards.

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