With a huge lump in my heart, I went into the building looking for my colleagues. After some ‘Treasure-Hunt Antics’, I could see my team mates listening to a middle aged person...giving some seminar. ‘Oh!! God’, I said. (Seminar, here as well! -:) )
I stood outside the room, wondering what kind of a seminar it would be. Actually, my qualms stemmed from this wonderful (read crappy) theory that I have about the concept of 'Seminars'. Right throughout my college days and IT experience, the word 'Seminar' had irked me to limits. All that I would hear in a seminar is what I already knew or something that wouldn’t pertain to me or something that I couldn’t understand. Under these three conditions, I would almost surely come out of the seminar, not knowing more than what I knew before. :)
Wow!!! What an avalanche of thoughts, in a split second of standing outside the seminar room. But I braved inside with the hope that I could understand something from this seminar at least.
As late, I was to the seminar, I couldn’t just figure out what the topic was all about. But the passion and fervor, with which the speaker was delivering the seminar, set me beyond doubts that this was a seminar that would move me like never before. The speaker was Mr.Muthu Pandian, the man who was responsible for running 'Ananda Illam'. There was some X-factor that I could feel in this person, which seemed missing in most of the speakers that I have heard to. Right after finishing the introduction about 'Ananda Illam', he started briefing us about HIV-AIDS (sadly, still considered a taboo!!!!). He repeatedly pointed out that it was our hardened callousness that secludes the HIV-affected in India, rather than isolation caused by the disease itself.
As he progressed with the seminar, a huge realization struck through like a bolt of lightning – 'All those children who had come running towards me at the gate had contracted this deadly disease'. On reflection, I thought about Prem; who had got this gift in form of heredity. And what about all the other kids!!!! I felt as if I was sucked into a whirlpool. But the biggest misfortune was that these children had incurred the wrath of this selfish world, which saw no point in placing these tiny tots beside them. Sadly, the parents, because of whom these kids had got this dreadful lineage, had to push these kids into battling this wily society rather than helping them to stand in the world with their heads high.
But as all our scriptures say, there is always a 'Messiah' who comes along to help out the distressed and render to their sufferings. Here was ‘Pandian Sir’, who had given them all the care that one possibly could. He used to take care of their basic necessities, studies and playing activities. Not to forget the timely medicines (cheaper, thanks to our government .....In fact many of them are for free!!!!! ).
With HIV-affected being the issue for a seminar, there were bound to be qualms. Qualms that we all have in our deepest hearts, but we do not find enough courage to ask that in public. These cropped not because of my ignorance, but the curiosity to understand the world on the other side of the 'Gate'. However, the poignant speaker always made it a point to listen to even the stupidest of my misgivings.
The intensity with which Pandian Sir, answered me was too penetrative. More so, his explanations seem to belittle me for all that I had not done in my life. With his eloquent speech, he laid out events that he had to face in his life; problems that could range from a minor blood wound (Think about the extra care, that he needs to take …..It is HIV infected blood that we are talking about!!!) to incidents involving ‘Death’. All of my colleagues were stunned to hear the events that Pandian Sir had faced for these children. But he had emerged out of each one of them smiling; doing what he could do best for his kids.
As the lecture continued, I had grown in awe of this person, who had solely nurtured these kids, since the time they were left unattended in hospitals, parks or in dustbins ( seems cinematic melodrama...but believe me, it is exactly what he had said). I was simply amazed as to the amount of time that this man devoted to these kids, given the time he had to dedicate to his own work and family.
After the end of the seminar, all I could think of doing was to go up to him and convey my regards. In an effort to convey the respect that I had for him, I asked, "Sir, you are really great, how do you manage everything? I will definitely make my contribution. One question though, how does your job permit you to spend so much time here". His reply was as usual, quirk and short but it had a pronounced effect on me.
He just said, “Ganesh, This is my JOB…..but I m looking forward to your help!!!’ There was nothing I could possibly speak more in front of this person, who was light years ahead in terms of thinking and caring about people.
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