A P J Abdul Kalum’s Only Regret
In 2014, we visited Mumbai to attend the fiftieth anniversary celebrations Loft a local college. It was a modest celebration, and AP J Abdul Kalama was happy to see that the college was catering to students from low-income families, giving them quality education at affordable fees. Kalama was greeted with a lot of cheering when he entered the hall. Through his speech he addressed the concerns of the youth who had come from challenging economic conditions. He spoke about his own life, his failures and his successes. He spoke of the great Nobel Laureate Mario Capuchin, a victim of the Second World War, who had lost most of his family in the war. He had to spend his childhood in an orphanage. But despite his difficulties, he persevered and went on to... become a renowned scientist. At the end of his speech, Kalama was given a standing ovation. This was followed by a question-and-answer session. He answered each question with his usual wit and grace. Suddenly, a young student of about twenty stood up to ask a question: "Sir, you have had so many successes. I am sure you had some failures too. You always say that you have built your successes over the lessons learnt from failures. I want to know something. Is there something that you could not do, and still regret not doing it? APJA bdul Kalama took his time to think through the answer and finally replied, "You know, back home, I have an elder brother who is ninety-eight years old now. He can walk slowly, but steadily, and completely on his own. He has a little problem with his vision and hence there is always a need to keep the house well lit, especially in the night. "Now you see, in Rameswaram, there are power cuts sometimes. Thus it becomes difficult for him to move about freely. So, last year I got a rooftop solar panel installed at home, witha good attery. When the sun shines, the panel gives power, and in the night the battery takes over the power supply. Now there is plenty of power all the time. My brother is happy. "When I see him happy, I also feel happy. But I am also reminded of my own parents. Both of them lived for almost a hundred years and towards their later years they had tree difficulty seeing things well. Three decades ago, the power cuts were more frequent. Back then I could do nothing for them. There was no solar power. The fact that I could not do any thing to remove their pain is my greatest regret, something which remain with me forever." The answer touched a chord in hearts of everyone in the audience Here was a person, more than lightyears old, who had achieved so mu life, but still had the compassion humility to speak publicly about greatest failure. He was still botheaboutfailing his parents. How ma us think of such things? I couldn't help but wonder whehad last stopped to consider my habituation, when I had tried to do arhing to ease their burden. (Courtesy: Penguin Books, 'WICan I Give?'-Life Lessons from M Teacher, AP Abdul Kalam.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Srijan Pal Singh and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Srijan Pal Singh and Speaking Tree,Times of India
A P J Abdul Kalum’s Only Regret
In 2014, we visited Mumbai to attend the fiftieth anniversary celebrations Loft a local college. It was a modest celebration, and AP J Abdul Kalama was happy to see that the college was catering to students from low-income families, giving them quality education at affordable fees. Kalama was greeted with a lot of cheering when he entered the hall. Through his speech he addressed the concerns of the youth who had come from challenging economic conditions. He spoke about his own life, his failures and his successes. He spoke of the great Nobel Laureate Mario Capuchin, a victim of the Second World War, who had lost most of his family in the war. He had to spend his childhood in an orphanage. But despite his difficulties, he persevered and went on to... become a renowned scientist. At the end of his speech, Kalama was given a standing ovation. This was followed by a question-and-answer session. He answered each question with his usual wit and grace. Suddenly, a young student of about twenty stood up to ask a question: "Sir, you have had so many successes. I am sure you had some failures too. You always say that you have built your successes over the lessons learnt from failures. I want to know something. Is there something that you could not do, and still regret not doing it? APJA bdul Kalama took his time to think through the answer and finally replied, "You know, back home, I have an elder brother who is ninety-eight years old now. He can walk slowly, but steadily, and completely on his own. He has a little problem with his vision and hence there is always a need to keep the house well lit, especially in the night. "Now you see, in Rameswaram, there are power cuts sometimes. Thus it becomes difficult for him to move about freely. So, last year I got a rooftop solar panel installed at home, witha good attery. When the sun shines, the panel gives power, and in the night the battery takes over the power supply. Now there is plenty of power all the time. My brother is happy. "When I see him happy, I also feel happy. But I am also reminded of my own parents. Both of them lived for almost a hundred years and towards their later years they had tree difficulty seeing things well. Three decades ago, the power cuts were more frequent. Back then I could do nothing for them. There was no solar power. The fact that I could not do any thing to remove their pain is my greatest regret, something which remain with me forever." The answer touched a chord in hearts of everyone in the audience Here was a person, more than lightyears old, who had achieved so mu life, but still had the compassion humility to speak publicly about greatest failure. He was still botheaboutfailing his parents. How ma us think of such things? I couldn't help but wonder whehad last stopped to consider my habituation, when I had tried to do arhing to ease their burden. (Courtesy: Penguin Books, 'WICan I Give?'-Life Lessons from M Teacher, AP Abdul Kalam.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Srijan Pal Singh and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Srijan Pal Singh and Speaking Tree,Times of India