The recent fight against corruption, brought forth very strong emotions in me , that did not end with few comments on it in face book, and few invitations to the cause.As the news came that we have succeeded in having the consent of the govt; to have the relevant bill..my mind went back to my first encounter with the ,Cruel Corruption, at the age of 21,rather I was
a victim of the Cruel corruption!
To cut the long story short,..At 21 I got my M.A.degree With a first class ,1st rank ,
and a Gold medal to adorn myself. In my father's words ,'' passed with flying colours''Who was the proudest man ,when the local newspaper editor,at Mercara in coorg,contacted him for a photo of mine, even before I reached home with my results !
What I got from my father when I reached home from Mysore,where I studied,is my most cherished memory of my younger days and of my achievements to this day ! My Baba, my father I saw was
brimming with pride, and while giving an affectionate pat on my cheek..''Nada Mova ''he said,My Daughter !!!
This was of immense value for me, as I had won it ,after being hospitalised for a food poisoning,the last day of class , after a party ,the class socials , just before leaving for preparatory holidays for the final exam.My father had to take me home back,from the hostel,..he said,while packing my box, ''enough of your studies..!your health is more important to me''
But with my mothers treatment, packed back to hostel,TO take the exam, against my fathers warnings.I had got this result...After I wrote the exam,which I took with least preparation not to my satisfaction. Imagine my agony,when I could not complete the answer to one of the questions , not because I did not know, but my right arm was paining badly due to number of injections I had,while in hospital ! Thank God , I had Worked hard,during the whole two years of the course.
soon after,I was appointed as a lecturer , in Govt college ,Bangalore, which I enjoyed and was very sure that will lead me to fulfil my ambition of getting a PHD in my subject.
But soon I had to appear before Public service commission to have a permanent post of a lecturer!I took the interview, did well, while coming out,little did I know that the PSC,a body meant for gaurding us from external influence , and pressure had succumbed to , corruption.MY services were terminated with as many as 20 others who were appointed on temporary basis .
They had appointed a person who had passed with 2nd class with no teaching experience,
A ministers candidate! this hit my young,hard working and ambitious mind full of dreams , like a bolt from the blue! I was not prepared for this,being unaware of wicked world and ways of corrupt officials and politicians.
How I managed to get out of this shock and changed my career path is another story....
Never got my Phd...joined a bank as an officer ,but also had an opportunity to teach in banks staff training coollege !
AT 21 when i became a victim of this corrupt society, the revolt in me against this bribe and corruption,erupted, but as an young mind, already influencd by vivekananda, and mahathma gandhis values,could not fight back by any other means other than trough law of the land.
devoid of support, time, energy money ,ignorant of whome to complain, with no platform to fight,
had to try to get another job soon ,to earn for the family. could not afford to continue to fight this injustice done to me, though the fire was burning inside me!Though I joined the group of employees to file a case which went on for years. During the sessions in the court which my father attended,the Honourable Judge is said to have commented,in my case " oh,your candidate is too good for the post.'' jokingly,that was the small consolation for me !
That was the day I decided that I will not accept any bribe, and will not offer any, in what ever position I am placed in life.I worked as Bank official for 30 years, and successfully kept up my promise to myself, and got my work done without paying any bribe. though I had to pay heavy price for it but saved my values and principles to this day. I am 65years and feel happy now ,
after 40 years there is a revolt against corruption and regret that the media was not so powerful then,which i would have surely made use of,
for fighting the CRUEL CORRUPTION!
OF CATS, BOOKSHOPS AND LIBRARIES
2 years ago
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