Encourage me, and I will not forget you !

Flatter me, and I may not believe you,
Criticize me, and I may not like you,
Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.

Encourage me and I will not forget you.
- William Arthur Ward

This week, I came across the above highlighted a line in Samsung's corporate web portal. The first person who I immediately thought was Dr.Seetharaman. He was my Chemistry Professor in my coaching classes for 10th Matric, 11th Standard and 12th standard. I was not a near dear student to him during my 10th standard. But during 11 standard, I sat in the first benches. That means I can't avoid doing home works. Though initially I used to take the 'help' of friends, after couple of exercises, I started doing myself. He used to get the notebook from me or adjacent students and read out to the solution. Now, when I look back, I realize that he has encouraged everyone who has shown the zest.

One day, he made me feel very special. In January 2000, one evening in the class, he called my name "Rajesh". The moment he called my name I was totally surprised and I was not in the earth. I was jubilant. I can sense that my fellow students were equally surprised. Until then, I never knew that he knew my name. The moment he left the classroom, everybody were telling me that you are his favorite student. I don't know what to say. I just said, he might knew my name because he also takes special class in my school.

That day, that moment, that word, that encouragement infused in me lots of self-confidence.

A week later, while I was retuning from school to home, he saw me on the road and said me that "Come and join in the class that I take at home. And you don't need to pay fees". I couldn't believe it. Because studying in his home (without asking him or without any recommendation or without any acquaintances with him) means something really very special. I felt like I was in safe hands and didn't worry too much. He said me  not to pay fees. And he had observed us in roads (when my Mom takes us three of us in a bi-cycle) since my childhood even before I joined his classes.

My classes started and in the first monthly test I was ranked number 3 in the classes. But, in subsequent weekly tests, my ranks went down to 6 and 9. In third test itself, he sarcastically, in fact seriously, warned me that you are not utilizing the opportunity that I gave you. I felt very intimidated and his words literally burnt me. I couldn't sleep properly for next one week till the next test came. I completely dedicated myself to Chemistry. I worked hard to be among top 1 or 2. For me 1 or 2 in the class meant not a rank but a indicator that I am doing full justice to the golden opportunity that he gave me.

I was going for other subjects in another tuition center and (didn't) prepared for Brilliant Tutorial's IIT. My Mom reported this to Sir. He asked, where he studies now ?. My Mom had said Vetri Coaching Centre. He replied that's not the right place to study. He said he will talk to Maruthi and join me there. He personally recommended me to Maruthi. Next day itself he asked me to meet Mr.Ramadoss Sir in Maruthi. I still remember, it was early summer, amidst hanging ripe jack fruits, in the ground floor of Maruthi, under the mundane 60W bulb, I was waiting to see if I would be accepted by Mr.Ramadoss. He accepted me only for Seetharaman sir. That day I joined Maruthi. That was second defining moment in my life. Mr.Ramadoss created such an environment in Maruthi that I have to think twice before talking to even the next guy itself (read as boy then think would I have even rotated my head to the left). Had it not been Maruthi, I would have more or less got diverted during my 12th standard because as Gabriel Garcia Marquez says  "Men are quite stupids when it comes to female matters" (in story The Incredible an Sad Tale of Innocent Erendira and Her Heartless Grandmother).

In 2006, I was suffering from some stomach illness. But I took it complicated. I was depressed very much. On a market street, my Mom had come across him and when Sir quipped about me, my Mom said he is not feeling well because of stomach illness and is in home for last one week. He asked my Mom to send me to him. He said, why you are worrying so much for a stomach illness. Just have lots of Pomogrante juice. It  basically contains Phenolic compounds and it will do all good to your stomach (another person that time also said me this when I went to my friend's sister family function. I was looking very depressed. That time aunty said, nothing to worry  Rajesh. It is only a stomach ache. Your face doesn't look good like this. "Enna vayasu aachu unakku. Vayathu vali thaan. Naalu naala seriya poidum. Un mugatha paakave nalla illa". It was Padma's mother. Those words really mean a lot to me). All those words gave me a lot of motivation to come out from the worry. Almost in a weeks time, I was back to normal. From then on, I stopped worrying for small illnesses.

I make it a point that I meet him at least once in a year. He is encouraging even now and guides me whenever I need him. Those encouragements really made a big difference in my life. But, today, for quite some time in recent months, I feel, I haven't really did complete justice to the platform he (and others in my life) had created and given me. I have many things to do. It will look very contrived if I say Thanks to him. And he will smile at me ((I predict) he would say "Nee poga vendiya dhooram neraya irukku i.e work hard). Hence I may not say him directly. But I have to do for others what he had done for me. I will!

சையெனத் திரியேல்.

Meaning: Never be disliked by wise person because of uselessness.