My father had decided to change jobs and places as well. We were moving into this new place called Mysore from Hyderabad.
I liked Mysore the minute I saw it. Those gulmohar trees along the road with their big red flowers created a very serene atmosphere. The searing heat in Hyderabad to the cool gulmohar trees was such a welcome change that I liked the place a lot.
The first thing I remember about my house in Yadavagiri 7th main is the park opposite to the house with gulmohar trees all around them. Children of my age were busy playing cricket with a few elders. It was summer holidays and schools did not reopen till two months later. So, plenty of time to play. I don’t remember doing any holiday homework ever!
My immediate target was to find myself an admission in a school nearby. CFTRI was what everyone in the neighbourhood went to and it was considered to be among the best during that time. My father did all the required form-filling (I don’t think there were many at that time) and I was called to take up a test.
The results of the test were out and my father and I were invited for a discussion. The discussion was with the headmistress (HM) of the school, Mrs. Sujaya, affectionately called as Aunty Sujaya.
HM: “Your son has done very well in the tests. A bright boy he is.”
Appa: :)
HM: “But there is a problem, your son doesn’t know kannada.”
Appa: “We realise this problem. We have been teaching him Kannada since we came to Mysore. He has picked up quite a bit in these 10 days”
HM: “We cannot admit a student who is not upto the mark in all the subjects. It is against our rules!”
Appa: “See, there are still 45 days to go before school reopens and am sure he will pick up fully by then.”
HM: “But what’s the guarantee that he will pick up? We cannot pick a student on hope. We have some rules here to follow”
Appa: “Ok. Give me one month time and I will teach kannada to a level that you want and then you can admit him.”
HM: “Why should we wait for you Sir?”
Appa: “Don’t wait. Anyway you are planning to release the list in another 30 days. I will bring him back on the 30th day from today and you can see the improvement yourself. And if you find him good enough offer him an admission. Otherwise I will accept your decision.”
HM: “I don’t see any reason why I need to wait for you. We have equally bright, if not brighter, children waiting for admission who meet all our requirements. And I don’t think picking up kannada to third standard level is possible within a month. Please admit him into a CBSE school. Kannada is not required there.”
Appa: “Madam, CBSE schools are very far away from our house and there is no way by which he can go all the way there. Anyway we are going to be in Karnataka for a long time now and it is good for him to learn Kannada. I will teach him Kannada and bring him back to you on the 30th day and you will have to consider him for admission since that is the only thing you are objecting to.”
HM: “Sir, I appreciate your confidence on your son’s learning abilities. I have been in the teaching line for over 10 years now and in my experience I haven’t come across such an incident. I give you the benefit of doubt and will wait till the 30th day for your son. All the best”
Appa: “Thank you”
My father and I walked back home from school. And then began the “Learn Kannada in 30 days from scratch”. I was a CBSE student before that and had no idea about any regional language at all except Hindi. My tata who was an exponent of Kannada language was there to train me. Alongwith him we engaged the tata who lived in the house on the floor above ours as an external tutor. It was rigorous. I was expected to read every board in kannada along the way wherever we went and it became a 24/7 thing for people around me to ask me anything and everything in Kannada.
Finally, it was the D-day. We went to the school. I was given a Kannada test and later called fora discussion with my father.
HM: “He has performed okay in the test. But we still can’t offer him a seat because his knowledge of Kannada is only upto First standard level.”
Appa: “Madam, there must be some way of looking at these things. Within 30 days he has come upto First standard level from zero. An academic year gives him ample time to come upto acceptable standards. In fact, according to your test-schedule the first test is 3 months away and I can assure he will not fail in the test. If he fails in that test, you can remove him from the school.”
HM: “Sir, how can that be possible? That will mean that I am admitting a student who is wasting the seat of someone else who might be more capable.”
Appa: “But Madam, I am giving you the option of throwing him out even if he fails in the first test. I am sure there will be many students in the same class who will fail in that test but you will not question their capabilities.”
HM: “Sir, I see your point. I will make this a special case. But I am taking a very big chance. I hope you understand. These are not under the rules. I will need to take special permission from the Trust and everyone will keep a very close eye on Aditya’s performance in Kannada tests. But don’t take it as a confirmation of admission till the list is out.”
Appa: “Thank you. I understand Madam. He won’t let you down.”
The list was out. My name was first. And it was not in alphabetical order, mind you!
In the first test in Kannada I scored 19/25.
The HM came upto me and patted my back and said, “Well done. You have proved that your father was right!”.
The Kannada teacher said, “I always knew you would do well. I had predicted that you cannot fail to my fellow staff members. Well done son!”
I still remember the day I went to take my Transfer Certificate (TC) from the school after my SSLC, Aunty Sujaya, the HM said, “We are losing a very bright and intelligent student”.
That I haven’t managed to elicit those comments from anyone ever again in my academic life is a different matter altogether! ;)
//And then began the “Learn Kannada in 30 days from scratch”//
I remember the holiday time in 1998.It was then that I’ve learnt reading and writing in Tamil.But that was in 47 days,not 30 days.
I too was to reach 4th class afetr the holidays!
Ah, that one good flashblack to know about you ra.
This make me wonder that how well i spoiled you from the day one we met during our 10+1 days.
luv
Vamshee
Very touching…
The one thing that adults don’t realise is that a child will never be cowed down by criticism. He’ll always take up the challenge and prove a thing or two!
It’s only later in life that we fall prey to such negatives.
This is good. What did you do to pick up a language so quickly? I can’t even learn C++ in such a short time. :)
Balaji,you’re right.
I’m waiting for one achievement next month.
After that,I shall write a view regarding my experiences related to such kind of negatives. Keep waiting!
That’s wonderful adi, and strange too. Now a days who care if a kid knows Kannada or no. Just Imblis.
S.Ganesh Kumar:
47 days or 30 days doesn’t make much difference actually! Great going! It took me 15 years to come to this level of ‘Tamil’ now! I will tell the story of how I learnt tamil also. Later sometime. Waiting for your write-up though!
VamC:
Well, it looked like we were born to spoil each other then! :)
Anand:
You are so right. So so right! I mean that’s the truth!
Yogesh:
LOL!
For the record, I learnt C++ in a week! :)
Bachodi:
That’s the sad state of affairs nowadays. Englees alone seems to be driving this Nation! Our own languages are soon being forgotten because of the so-caleld ‘comsmopolitan lifestyle’
Oh You went to CFTRI school ? Nice place it is.. That research institute was my first employer, which taught me a lot of things. I still go visit some scientists whom I worked with.
Super story, Coincidently it matches with prashanth’s.. my MIL tells me his childhood stories & once she had told how difficult was her to admit him to St. Joseph’s bangalore after his 4th. It was almost the similar story (remove him if he fails in first monthly test). !
Ha Ha.. Monthly tests, mid term exams… such lovely memories…! For me kannada was among my favourite subjects ..our kannada teacher was just excellent, this was in JSS School, Saraswathipuram Mysore.
And Adi, this is a good way to introduce an hero in a movie..
dude….you shud have also added that because of your performance i also got through that school. and plus even today people who know both of us remember me as aditya’s s tamma rather than ani! :(..no grudges there!
Thanks Adi, I was speaking from experience:)
How’s Sriram doing??? Hope he’s gotten over the niggling health problems…
I’ll be out of action for a week or two becoz I’m shifting into a new house, in a couple of days’ time. My posts and replies have at best been erratic on my blog:)
Take care. Amma sends her hugs and kisses to Sri (infection free, she assures me!)
kannada kuvaranige namonnamaha!
thanks for the inspiring story.
(eager to know how you learnt tamizh!)
Veena:
Oh ho, so neevu kooda Mysore product ee na?! Elli mane?
Hero intoduction..hmm… must be a movie on “Einstein” or someone like that! :)
Ani:
:)
Thanks for your comment!
Anand:
Shifting in Bangalore is a pain. For that matter, shifting your house is a pain by itself whether in Bangalore or not.
Sriram is fine. Thanks to all your prayers and amma’s wishes! :)
All the best in shifting your house!
rk:
:)
Thanks for your comment! The Tamizh (you are right, it’s not tami’l') episode will come sometime! :)
Hey another Yadavagiri boy !!!
My Grandad’s house was there as well… great location..all my cousins went to CFTRI… much older than you though..
//The Tamizh (you are right, it’s not tami’l’) episode will come sometime! //
I shall tell your story instead.
In 1992,I heard a song ‘Chinna Chinna Aasai’ from the film ‘Roja’.I was impressed by it and decided to learn Tamil,so that I can listen,understand and enjoy all the Tamizh songs composed by the ‘Mozart of India’ A.R.Rehman.
Am I right?
Lol, good one Adi.. I appreciate ur marathon learning capabilities. Thank god she din’t ask u to unlearn Hindi in 1 month!!! How would that be?
Vijay:
Sir, nimmge nanu munche kooda helidde nanu Yadavagiri nalli idde antha. Nimge marethogide ansutte. Irli Bidi.
And yes, it is the best locality I have ever stayed in.
Ganesh:
Yes. You are right! That’ll be the executive summary of my future write-up! :)
Suresh:
Marathon elli sir? Sprint anbeku. Learning a language in 30 days is possible only in Rapidex ads!
Unlearning is one hell of an activity. It takes marathon abilities I tell you!
Adi: I did remember (after I posted the comment)…
Hmmm. Yep! thats true. I meant u very pretty confident that U would sail through successfully. Thats Y marathon!! Hats off to ur Sprinting skills as well…
Adi, Kuvempunagar ella oDaadideeni andrallri avatthu email nalli ? mathe yaav area antha keLoda ? hmmm…Mysore is the best place bidi, I am already negotiating with prashanth to settle down there after few years.. makkaLu schoolige sero hottige, onthara safe & serene place alva, olle upbringing ge :-)
Vijay:
:)
Suresh:
Oh appadi! Got it now!
Veena:
Yes, absolutely right! Kuvempunagar! Enu madodu – vayyasu! Ivagle Vijay avara kaalu eLita idde… nane bidde! LOL!
“Mysore is the best place bidi, I am already negotiating with prashanth to settle down there after few years.. makkaLu schoolige sero hottige, onthara safe & serene place alva, olle upbringing ge :-)”
Idu nanna trademark statement. Yaarigu hakku illa idanna heLo hange! And that too with the smiley at the end?! Case hakbidtini nimma mele! :D
hi Adi,
Nice one..
I didn’t know that one had to know kannada to be in admitted to CFTRI..
I do remember that one of our classmate Rashmi Ramakrishna (not sure if you remember), who was from kerala knew no kannada when she joined us in -probably 6th standard. No doubt that she too picked up and went on to score the highest in kannada in class 10.
Shwetha:
Thanks for your comment.
I think I do remember Rashmi. And she didn’t know Kannada when she joined school? I think Aunty Sujaya changed the rules once they saw me perform so well! ;) Or maybe Rashmi came in with real high-level influence…
But did she score the highest in Kannada in class 10? Now, that’s an achievement!