Keep your passion, career entwined

Eachcalling has, in its own manner, produced outstanding and great persons. Everyone knows what a great scientist Einstein was, and how his work revolutionised the way the nature of the Universe is understood. Likewise, the human race will never forget the great contribution of Dr Denton Cooley, who performed the first ever heart transplant, opening a new and exciting chapter in the history of medicine. Similarly, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who rose to become the Vice President of India, was an outstanding teacher, who had earlier been the Vice Chancellor of the prestigious Andhra University. Mokshagundam Visweswaraiah, the renowned engineer from Karnataka state, who founded the University of Visvesaraya College of Engineering in Bengaluru, is remembered for his unforgettable contribution to protecting Hyderabad city from the floods of the Musi river through an ingenious system, as also for protecting Vishakhapatnam city from sea erosion, creating the biggest reservoir in Asia at that time.

The silver screen and television also provide opportunities for people, not only to display their creative abilities through acting, but also to act as means for steady and lucrative careers, or as handsome supplements to their normal incomes.

There are many who not only became legends during their lives, but will also be remembered forever, for their extraordinary talent and contribution. Among them one remembers yesteryear Hindi movie actors, such as Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Sanjeev Kumar, and actresses, such as Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Waheeda Rahman, Hema Malini and Madhuri Dixit. As also Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, in the Hindi field, and Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun, Samanta and Tamannah, in the Telugu celluloid world, in the present generation. Likewise, NTR, Nageswara Rao, Savitri, Anjali Devi, Sarada and Jayaprada achieved idol status, in earlier years, in the Telugu movie field. Even crooners found the movie field a route to fame, as well a career with substantial income, with Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, K. L. Sehgal, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey and Kishore Kuar in the Hindi movie field, and Ghantasala and P Suseela in the Telugu industry, being the most successful of those.

The medium of radio, in the earlier days, and the TV and other social media in the present context, also provide similar opportunities, although, perhaps, on a more modest level. One can never forget how the likes of Melville de Mellow and Lothika Ratnam read the English news on the radio, especially on important occasions. Or, in Telugu, Janamanchi Ramakrishna and Panyala Ranganatha Rao. I was such an ardent fan of de Mellow that when our group of IAS officer trainees visited the office of the (then) All India Radio, I got him to append his autograph on a one rupee note, because I had nothing else to get him to write upon! The arena of games and sports, especially cricket in India, is another field which offers the mixture of enjoyment and substantial monetary attraction. Vijay Merchant, Lala Amarnadh, Wilson Jones and Ramanathan Krishnan, in earlier years, and M.S. Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Hampi, Karanam Malleswari, and Viswanath Anand, to mention but a few, who have done so in more recent times.

People remember, and respect, the memory of great persons, through the gesture of earmarking their birthdays to celebrate their lives and times. For example, 14 March, the birth anniversary of Albert Einstein, is observed as ‘Genius Day’, to celebrate his life and legacy. Likewise 5 September, the birth anniversary of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, is celebrated as the ‘Teachers Day’, 15 September, the birth anniversary of Visweswaraiah, is celebrated as the ‘Engineers Day’ and, 3 December the birth anniversary of Dr Rajendra Prasad, as the ‘Advocates Day’.

Special days have also been set apart, in every year, to recall, and celebrate, the contributions made to society, by certain callings. 21 April, the day on which Sardar Patel the first Home Minister of independent India, and the architect of civil services in the country, addressed the first batch of officers of the Indian Administrative Service, at Metcalf House, in Delhi, where they were being trained, is celebrated as the Civil Services Day in India.

The first Monday of October is celebrated as the International Doctors Day in many countries, a practice initiated by the WHO and the international medical humanitarian organasation, Médecins Sans Frontières, or ‘Doctors Without Borders’, which offers medical humanitarian assistance to people based solely on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation. On the day, doctors, conduct, seminars, exhibitions, presentations, and deliver lectures about the medical profession.

Similarly, on 10 November, the International Accountants Day is celebrated, to commemorate the great work accountants do to make business thrive, support, economy and help people navigate the complexities of finance, the day on which in 1494, the Venetian mathematician Luca Bartolomeo de Pacioli published his critical work on everything about arithmetic, geometry, and proportion.

The World Architecture Day is celebrated by paying tribute to the field of architecture who have the ability to change the world that we live in with their amazing work. On the day, their work is recognised as well as the important role that architecture play. While it is celebrated on different days and different countries, it was created in 2005 by the international union of architects and celebrated on the first Monday of October, coinciding with the UN – Habitat Global Observance of the World Habitat Day.

Since 1949, 7th December is observed as the Armed Forces Flag Day throughout the country to honour the martyrs and the men in uniform who valiantly fought & continue to fight on our borders to safeguard the country’s honour. The three wings of the Armed Forces have also set apart specific days of a year for celebrations. Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Lieutenant General M. Cariappa’s (who later became a Field Marshal) taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. Navy Day is celebrated on 4 December, every year to recognize the achievements of the Indian Navy and its role in the country. Likewise, Air Force Day, is celebrated on October 8, to commemorate the establishment of the Air Force in 1932.

All people have their own strengths and weaknesses. The ability to get lost, even in the most similar surroundings, is one weakness I have suffered from, since childhood. I have often found it difficult to find our own house, in many of the colonies in which we lived. And, on several locations. I had to be literally forced out of the wrong car I had got into, while leaving for home from the office! This trait of mine once resulted in a hilarious incident.

I was in Bharat Darshan, as an officer trainee of the IAS, in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussorrie, in the year 1969. The Western Command of the Army had refused to accept our group for the customary Army attachment as, perhaps, preparations were on for the Bangladesh engagement in 1971. Our group, therefore, was split into several teams and I was one of a team which was attached to the 5th Grenadiers battalion at Jabalpur. One night, after dinner, the Commander of the battalion suggested that I should lead a route march. I was given a compass, and asked to proceed to a specified destination, by the shortest route.

After a little while, sensing the danger of my leading the column into the neighbouring Rajasthan state, the Commander called a halt, and himself took over the task of returning to the battalion headquarters!

(The writer was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)