This is a photograph taken on the day our new building was inaugurated and for purely personal use. Myself along with a few close friends had just finished our lunch packets and were in a very happy mood. The governor who was the chief guest had himself asked for our founder Dr. N.K. Singh, when he heard about him through the Principal’s address. She pointed out to Dr. Singh who was sitting in the audience albeit in the front row. His Excellency, the Hon’able Chancellor of Jharkhand Universities asked him to come up on stage saying “Sir please come over, your place is here.”
We were thrilled that in these days of empty promises the Governor was kind enough to accord our founder the respect that was his due. We then as a group decided to take a photograph to mark the occasion. The sweeper of our college Deenu who saw us posing for a photograph expressed his desire to join us. You can see him sitting on the steps in the right. The lady standing just behind him is a retired colleague of mine whom we are not able to let go.It is me by her side and our former HOD Dr. Nirmala Shukla by my side. Due to a rotational arrangement she has been replaced by Dr. Kiran Shukla but she continues to be our inspiration.In the second row are Viswanath Rao a temporary employee, Dr. Ruqaiya Bano HOD of the Urdu Department, Nalini Mohanty HOD of the Oriya Department and our lab boys Suresh and Kailash. So you can see that it was an assorted group of like minded people.
We were therefore surprised that it found a place in the inner side cover page of the new college prospectus. It made no sense at all. This photo was not representing a particular department or association or founder teachers. It did not also highlight the new building and so what were we doing in the inside cover page of our college prospectus? Oh yes, apart from a colleague who had taken the picture my department (Botany) was fully represented.
We then realized that knowingly or unknowingly the spirit of our founders has been conveyed in the photograph. I do not know if the editors of the college prospectus realized this when they included the photograph.But it is there for all to see. Where else would you get fourth grade employees and temporary workers posing for a photograph along with HODs with no one in the editorial board thinking twice about placing such a photograph in the cover page thereby acknowledging that we in the college treat all employees not as our colleagues but as family.
9 comments:
Just read your About Me section HHG...
They don't call me Hip Hop Grandma for nothing!
I agree!You must be a real source of inspiration for all your students...
Blog on HHG! :)
P.S:This is a really wonderful blog.Can I blogroll you?
oh wow pingu has found u ha??
anyway i have only one thing to say !!wow!!
the group surely is assorted...with living human beings each with a different interest..each with different thoughts...each with a different intention...i wonder can you ask the sweeper how happy he is abt the photo??
Oh G'ma, I cant see you clearly; the photo is too small :(
excellent post and photo!
wow !!! great... great learnings for the students here
and post a bigger pic please, we can hardly see u
Well 'inclusive' Photograph. I am glad, that such an excellent photograph has found its rightful place in the College Prospectus.
pingu:welcome here.I am the ordinary next door aunt.The term 'hip hop' was coined by my daughter.you may definitely link me.I found your mingu stories interesting too.
Vishesh:yes the group is indeed assorted.I did not remember to show Deenu the prospectus.I can show it to him only when college reopens on 2nd July.He is bound to feel elated.And his sisters who also work for the college are bound to feel jealous.
The visitor:I've posted another copy for your benefit.
usha:Thanks usha,and yes ours is a college with a difference.This spirit is shared by a good majority but of course there are few odd ones who don't fit in.
monika:I sincerely feel that students should learn to be good human beings along with a course of their choice.Our Botany hons students are encouraged to call our lab boys 'Sir' and we too address them as 'aap' in front of the students.
mahadevan:It was a surprise to us that the photo was placed there.It was perhaps a natural choice the kind one arrives at without much deliberation.
HHGM, its so nice when your workplace is like a second home, or at least a pleasure to spend your days in.
You reminded me of my college days where our lab attenders were regarded as lovingly by the students as some of the professors, and respected almost as much for their age and experience if not for their knowledge.
My office is such a far cry from your college, sigh!
just like that:It is easy to inculcate a family spirit in a school/college.If you are working for a private org.it may not be that easy.We do have a few eyesore in our college too.We choose to stay away from them.But the majority are okay.
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