A Thousand Splendid Sparkles of Joy

  

"Where do you see yourself 10 years down the line?" . This is one of the frequently asked questions in interviews. Of course, I also ended up answering this question couple of times in my professional life. But I will never forget the reaction of the panel to my answer in one of such interviews. It was final round interview with IIM Bangalore in 2011. I prepared a lot for this interview. When the moment came, I was both amused and nervous to interact with the esteemed panel. After asking few analytical questions, they wanted to know my long-term goal. I gave an honest reply, "I wish to set up a rotary service to train unprivileged women in job-oriented skills". I tried to convince the panel how my life journey made me realize the value of financial independence in women's life and how my MBA degree from a premier institute will enable me with vision and resources to materialize my goal. One of the panelists smiled and replied that this kind of goal really does not need resources that an MBA degree will make me achieve. Needless to say, I was not selected by the interviewers.

Years passed and my short-term goals kept getting my priority. Suddenly that wish resurfaced one day. It was a summer afternoon in 2015. I was reading the famous title by Robin Sharma, ''The Monk who sold his Ferrari". Halfway in the narrative, I started feeling restless and my younger hopeful self appeared in front of me. She reminded me to revisit my goals. I did. I reminded myself that it's better to be a candle if one cannot shine as bright as sun. Next week, one of my colleagues introduced me to his aunt who was connected to a prayer group. She referred me to a girl who had been volunteering for Red Cross initiatives in Chennai for years. Unfortunately, she was not available there anymore. But her father, Mr. Radhakrishnan, was running hostels for unprivileged students for some time and he was looking for some help. I called him up. Thus, my journey with Nilacharal ashram began .

I still remember the day I met the girls in Nilacharal home. It was a sunny Saturday morning. I was greeted by a group of jolly girls as soon as I stepped in. They were done with their morning rituals and were about to start their homework. Majority of the girls were pursuing graduation or master's degree in various colleges of Chennai. All of them were visually impaired. But they were carrying out their chores with surprising grit and cheerfulness. I approached one of the girls with a record player in hand. She told me volunteers read from the books and she records them to listen afterwards. Also, some volunteers help as writers during exams, since majority of the colleges are yet to accommodate Braille as instruction medium. I interacted with Radhakrishnan ji and decided to put aside some time for them every week.

I started visiting Nilacharal every Sunday morning. Radhakrishnan ji used to assign me to specific students who needed help with English or Maths. Girls used to take me to their study room and hand over the assignments they needed to submit to class the following week. Some days, they wanted me to read aloud from book to help them record or prepare certain thesis which requires consultation with several books or internet. Few girls were preparing for different competitive exams in Govt. sector and needed help in filling forms or sorting out interview questions. They used to call me 'Sister'. During sessions, I used to enjoy cup of filter coffee that my students used to bring for me. One day they insisted me to have lunch with them. I politely denied initially. But they kept saying they wanted to serve food to me. I stepped into their kitchen and girls started showing me the spices they use by opening and sniffing the containers. One girl brought a plate full of rice, hot sambar and beatroot poriyal and I savored the tasty lunch. Next, girls took me to the terrace and made me sit in the shadow of a mango tree. We exchanged mundane details of our daily lives. They shared their long-term goals and daily challenges. They explained how they cross roads by holding each other's hand, how they figure out singing and dancing, how few of them are training hard with the aim of participating in Paralympics one day. That afternoon would occupy a special place in my heart forever.

One day I found my students were sitting in the dark. The windows in the study room were too narrow to let the sun rays light up the study table. Without putting much thought, I abruptly said how we can have session if there is no power in the house. Next moment I realized what I just said to the girls who don't know how light feels like. One of the girls promptly proposed to have class under open sky. All agreed and girls pulled my chair till the garden. I could not stop feeling amazed at their dedication to studies and optimistic attitude to life. Some days, I used to bring audio clips on spoken English and load in the computer. There was only one computer in the ashram with minimal RAM and processors. It took me sometime to clean the system and make it little faster. Girls used to assemble in the living room and listen to the audio lectures. I can't forget their elated expression after learning that studying spoken English can be of this much fun. During one session, I was reading from 'Wuthering Heights' , an 1847 novel by Emily Bronte, to one of the students who was pursuing MA in English. One of the characters in the novel was expressing regret for not being patient and kind enough to his people during his youth. I told my student that with age comes wisdom. She replied, it may be the inability of the body and consequences of one's own action rather than just age that make one realize one's mistakes. I could not argue on this with facts!

As time passed,  I witnessed the girls completing their studies, joining jobs, getting married and leaving the ashram one by one. I miss them. New girls join the ashram every year and I find myself watching them blooming to their full potential and serving their family and the nation. 

Two years back a new regulation was introduced by Tamilnadu Govt. regarding yearly renewal of license of female accommodations across the state. It is posing challenge in keeping homes like Nilacharal functioning since the entire inspection and approval process is often infested by corrupted officials' greed. The recent pandemic has forced Nilacharal to shut down temporarily and the students are trying to continue their studies from their remote villages with no smart phone and sparse access to computer. Still, they are holding the spirit high and keep updating Radhakrishnan ji with their progress. 

I cherish the moments I spent in Nilacharal. No word can describe the kind of joy I feel every time my students achieve success in their career. One may not climb up the same ladder in their life twice, but they can experience the happiness of climbing the same ladder thousand times by kindling hope in others. I am looking forward to living such moments again.