Ever since from my boyhood days, I am less intelligent
and more stubborn. I was a below- average students, poor in all subjects
especially in mathematics. I was however good at extracurricular activities. I
have been regular reader of Andhra Pradesh (daily), Telugu New Paper. I had a pen
friend even while I was studying 9th class in 1953. I first met him
in 1961 in Bangalore and spent two days with him. We kept on exchanging
letters. Again I met him in Bangalore in 1966. He was then working as an
officer in vyasya bank there, his name is Dasa kurmanth. It was when I was
studying 8th class in 1952, I went all alone to Vijayawada by train
and stayed there at my paternal uncle’s house and partipated in children’s
programme at all All India Radio, Vijayawada along with my uncle’s so Mr.
Madhava Sarma and had read the poem written by my father, entitled “kopamu
chaala cheddadi babu Jaara”. At the age of 15 while I was studying S.S.L.C. I
went along with our science B.Ed. asst Sri Ragavendra Rao at attend the Aavadi
congress meeting in Madras for 3 days. I
did it much against the will of my father. I took a loan of Rs.20/- from the
local doctor sri sankaraiah who was a friend of my father .There I had seen the
1st Prime Minister Nehruji, Sri T.Prakasam, Sri Raja Gopalachari,
Kamaraj Naadar and Many.
General Secretary of the college,
our principal Sripada Gopala Krishna moorty and I had then invited sri
V.V.Giri, the Governor of kerala to our college, he addressed our staff and
students.
I joined service as middle
school head master, karatampadu village of Nellore District in august 1963. I
was later transferred as B.Ed., Assistant to Z.P.H.S kondapi in 1965. My father
was the head master there and I was the first assistant of the school. My
father is a good English teacher and also ran the school on sound lines for 17 years.
He is respected by one and all. I learned many things from my father regarding
school administration and they helped me a lot during my tenture as head master
from 1988 to 1999. I worked as head master, Z.P.H.S kandukur from 1992 to 1999.
Sri Khasa Subba rao Ex-Editor of
Swarajaya weekly in English was the head master of this institution “Be Good”,“Do Good” , During my tenture there we had more than 60 staff
and approximately thousands pupils . We successfully conducted district games
as well as district science fair, there I got the national award for the best
teacher in 1997. I had, along with my wife, attended the function in Delhi on
September 5th and thereafter we toured all over Uttaranchal. On
superannuation I had worked as an English teacher for 3 years in a tutorial
college and as an English lecturer for 1 year in M.s.r College for girls at kandukur.
Thus four eventful decades of teaching career were successfully completed .I
taught English and social studies. Teaching is not my profession. It is my passion,
now and then I would spend some time with my old students in our country and
abroad.
Here, I must mention the
name of one of my old students who has been in contact with me ever since 1979.
He is R.G.Mohan, btech from IIT Madras, he has been giving coaching to I.A.S,
students for the last 15 years both in Hyderabad and Delhi. A follower of jiddu
Krishnamurthy in letter and spirit. He often gives me many nice books I English.
To his credit, he had written a one book on “Indian Foreign Policy” and another
on “Sociological Thought”. They were published by Neelkamal Publication Pvt.
Ltd. I went through them and found them much useful for pupils preparing for
I.A.S., He is still active writing books. My students are my property. They
know I am found of three things. Some of them bring Margo twigs as presentation
for they know I am found of reading English Books. Still others present Narinja
Fruit which I am found of Reading English Books and taking notes from them has
been my habit since 1960.
RETIRED LIFE
We are five brothers and a sister. All are well settled.
My father passed away in 2004 at the ripe age of 93. Talking with him and
massaging his legs gave me greatest pleasure. I had celebrated 70th
wedding day function of my parents on 16-03-1999 at our house at Kandukur. My
mother passed away in 2010 at the age of 90 years in my house.
I am blessed with two sons and a daughter. All of them
are well settled, my elder son is with me, he and his wife are working as
teachers they have been staying with me since 1999 January they have blessed
with a son and daughter. My wife works round the clock so she is liked by one
and all, she acts like a bridge between me , my son and daughter-In –law. My
son has been my walking companion in evenings since 2009. My second son lives in
Singapore. He is an Associate Director in C.T.S... My wife and I stayed there
for a month each in 2010 and 2011. I had visited a few Educational
Institutions in Sengkang area of Singapore. The Principal of an Institution
there said “You came all the way from India and you are giving us more
information about Singapore than What We know”. My son and daughter-in-law took
us to some place in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.
My
article on “Singapore was published in Vaarta Daily” on 21-4-2011.
Life is fine, I don’t know what
worry is? I am blessed with a nice son-in law. I spend my time reading English
Books and contributing Articles to monthly Magzines like “Aranya Spandana”
“Aatma Jyothi” and “Sapthagiri” (English Edition)Tirupati. I have been giving
Radio Talks from A.I.R. Vijayawada in Telugu since 1979. The first talk was on
“Jaathi, Vichaakshana, Vidhanam in South Africa” and a talk on Manishiki
Taatwika Chintana Avasarama” on 1-6-1998 and so on. I gave a talk on Gandhiji
in English on 13th October, in 2007 from A.I.R. Vijayawada.
Among all our relatives I like my
paternal uncle’s son Mr. Ippagunta Sai Baba. He is a jewel among our relatives.
He is a scholar in both Prakritam and Telugu. He is more learned than most of
the Telugu Writers of Today. He has got a Noble quality and it is that he never
craves for recognition.
I Love my friends. I have in all 8
intimate friends. Among whom two passed away. Now I am in touch with five.
Three of them are in our state and the other two outside. All my simple desire
were fulfilled. I am a man of contentment. I have a house of my own to live in.
My pension is more than enough for two of us and we need not depend on others
for money. I have got one last desire that I should leave this world before my
Wife passes away. It is a purely selfish desire. “Of earthly goods the best is
a good wife.” I am fortunate. I got it. My wife looks after all my needs well.
I was much influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. I was fortunate to
see in Person Gandhiji in 1946 and Mother Teresa in 1980. I read many books on
them. I Love them. I worship them. Now I am 74. Quite hale and healthy.
I
firmly believe that
“Our
Ingress(Entrance) in to the world,
Is
trouble and care.
Our
Egress(exit) from world,
Will
be nobody knows where.
But
if we do well there.”
- H.W.Longfellow.
Well,
I must stop. Good-bye!
I.MALLIKARJUNA
RAO
RETIRED
HEAD MASTER,
SAI
NAGAR, KANDUKUR
PRAKASAM
DISTRICT
(Res.)
03598-223905,
Mobile- 9866261837 ,
Pin Code: 523105
