The author accepts his gold medal’ for post-graduation in Marketing and Sales Management from VC (Punjabi University), Dr. S.S. Randhawa.
Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and unexpected surprises. Throughout my journey, I have encountered my fair share of challenges, but I have also discovered my passions, learned to cope with emotional vulnerability, and embraced change. As I reflect on my life so far, I realize that these experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. From undergoing major surgery in my tenth year of life to returning to education after a gap of 6.5 years, I have learned to persevere through adversity. Along the way, I have also pursued my love for music, found unique ways to name my children, and even started a new chapter in my retirement through daily writing. Join me as I walk you through the path of my life and offer my wisdom on overcoming obstacles, following passions, and dealing with emotional sensitivity in a very brief way.
The happenings that suddenly entered my mind and were jotted down, are as follows: The remembrance of certain former occurrences or even specific acts that I had performed depending on the stage of my life was among the coincidental ideas that came to me first. In accordance with the weight I gave each occurrence after reviewing it, this gives each instance some significance. I have attempted to keep truly shocking events, like losing loved ones, apart from other impactful instances cited here.
1. Major Surgery in My Tenth Year of Life: My Experience and Recovery
I underwent major lumbar vertebrae surgery when I was barely 10 years old. In Jammu in 1972, Dr. William Riberio excised a mole that had deep roots into the cord. After the procedure, it took three years to fully recover. The unique help provided by Father William, who was also the principal of the school where my mother taught, made this possible. The concerned doctor was previously one of his students, and his advice to this doctor at that critical moment was incredibly successful.
2. Memorable Experience of Watching My First Movie in a Theatre at 14 with My Sister
When I was only 14 years old and my sister was only 9 years old, we went to see our first movie in a theater. We watched “Har Har Mahadev” at the Uttam Theatre in Jammu. When Lord Shiva would appear and do a valiant deed, the throng in the theater would hurl coins. People back in 1975 had such strong orthodox beliefs combined with blind faith that they even left their shoes outside the theater’s main entrance, believing that doing so would help them preserve their religious fervor. The simplicity and ignorance of the people while the west had already advanced to a developed state astounds me every time I think back on that period.
3. Studying for a Master’s Degree with My Mother: Our Journey Together
My mother’s decision to resume her education after a break of over sixteen years was truly unique and unforgettable. My mother and I were both working toward our master’s degrees at the same time. While I was completing my M. Sc. in Chemistry, she was finishing her second Master’s degree in English after completing her first one in Hindi. She used to travel with me when I went to Jammu University for my studies. The memory of such a period inspires me much many decades after it occurred since it was the time when she was raising her family alone while still pursuing her higher teaching certification.
4. Returning to Education After a Gap of 6.5 Years: My Experience of Pursuing PG in Marketing Management
In 1988, I had been working for a pharmaceutical firm in Ludhiana, Punjab, for almost 6.5 years. Since I was a bachelor and had plenty of free time, I continued my education and pursued a master’s degree in marketing and sales management. That would ultimately benefit me in some manner in my sales career. After a break of six and a half years, I kept working there while obtaining my PG in marketing management. With a score of 70.5% in All India, I won the gold medal and the top spot in the course. As luck would have it, this decision proved to be a turning point in my career, since it boosted my sense of enthusiasm and confidence. After around 40 years, I finally understood how much it benefited me to retire from a prestigious managerial position at the national level in a reputable global corporation.
5. Unique Naming Tradition: How We Named Our Children by Merging Our Names
We both opted to maintain our children’s names in a very special way after the birth of our first child. Therefore, my wife, Sudha, and I, Ravi, joined our names to form their names. Giving our children the names Rasu and Vidhi. We picked the first two letters from each of our names to make Rasu, and the remaining letters to make Vidhi (originally Vidha, but changed to prevent overtones of separation). Nobody during that time gave the nomenclature in a distinctive fashion since people kept the names either on the names of their gods or on various natural and shamanic objects. Later, it was really pleasant to observe that individuals began naming their infants according to the same pattern.
6. Raised by a single parent: My Sister and My Childhood
Looking at the unique development immediately after the birth of my little sister-my mother had to bring up her children as a single parent. So raising both of us in an adverse financial situation was a real big accomplishment for my mother. Therefore, I’m proud of the way she did it under difficult circumstances with little money and resources. This phase naturally becomes a very emotional and important one in my life.
7. My Love for Music: An Insight into My Passion for Musical Competitions
I really appreciate listening to music, especially Ghazal songs by Jagjeet Singh, Ghulam Ali, and Mehdi Hassan. Along with attending live performances by Jagjeet Singh and Ghulam Ali in Delhi, I also like watching musical competitions on television. I count myself fortunate to have been a member of the live performance audience, particularly for such legendary musicians and instrumentalists as Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Zakir Hussain, Ravi Shankar, and even Shiv Sharma.
8. Emotional Vulnerability: Why Heart-Rending Scenes Affect Me Easily
I have a strong sense of feeling, and heartbreaking moments, whether on TV or in real life, frequently impact me readily. I often find it difficult to keep my emotions under control and sometimes get too emotional. I know that such a temperament is not good and that it pays adversely as well. But as much as I would like to curb this in me, I am afraid I must admit I fail.
9. Coping with Failure: My Journey of Dealing with More Losses than Wins
I’ve lost more frequently than I’ve won since I’m a sensitive person who is prone to getting carried away. I frequently lose my temper and am easily agitated, which has put me in difficult circumstances. Yet again, I have a very weak point.
10. Starting a New Chapter in Retirement: My Experience of Shifting to Daily Writing
I started writing every day as a hobby once I retired. I constantly check Google Analytics to see how many people are reading my posts since I am highly aware of how many people read my blog. I feel gratified and accomplished seeing the numbers rise, and I appreciate everyone who reads and enjoys my writing. I feel writing keeps me busy and creative at the same time. I would love to spend hours on the desk rather than wasting that time in such acts which are simply meant to kill time.
11. I love to travel and experience different cultures.
I adore seeing new places and immersing myself in diverse cultures whenever I have the chance. I’ve had the good fortune to travel to several nations, including those in Europe and South-East Asia. Learning about other traditions and customs, trying new foods, and observing how people live in various cultures all fascinate me. I normally plan out a brief trip to a new place with my family after a couple of years.
12. I’m quite interested in politics and history.
History and politics have always piqued my interest, and I enjoy reading books and watching documentaries about them. Learning about how the globe has changed through time and how political events have impacted human history intrigues me. Regarding the same, I come out with my daily website with the title, News Outlook Translate Opinion Indeed”. The readership of the same has gone up very well, giving me more confidence to contribute more creative write-ups to it.
13. I pay close attention to how others behave.
I find it fascinating to see how individuals act and connect with one another in various contexts. This is probably a result of my fascination with psychology and sociology, as well as the fact that I love studying how people behave and attempting to understand their motivations.
14. I have a powerful feeling of compassion and empathy.
I have a lot of empathy, so I’m sympathetic to others who are having a hard time. I try to be there for my friends and family whenever they need me, and I’m always willing to help whenever I can. I don’t want those that put a lot of effort into their lives to experience unexpected bad luck. Wherever I learn of such folks, I feel compelled to reach out and offer all help I can.
15. I think it’s powerful to think positively and work for yourself.
I am an ardent supporter of self-improvement and optimistic thinking. If we have faith in ourselves and put up a lot of effort, I believe we can do anything we set our minds to. Instead of obsessing over unfavorable ideas or situations, I strive to keep an optimistic outlook on life and pay attention to the things I can influence. Today, when I am 62 years old, I feel more energetic and can do all those things that are creative, and let me confess that I still study certain technical courses like digitization and photo-shopping. I feel like making videos and various talking-stories really make me feel satisfied and pass my time fruitfully.
God Bless!