Anant Pai had stories for every occasion. And no one got to hear them more than the people who worked with him. He had a story for schedules and a story for deadlines. He had a story for coming to work on time and he had a story for going home on time. He even had a story to scold with! He was a born storyteller.
On his birth anniversary, the best tribute would be to share a real-life story he loved telling us. It was about the time when he was a skinny young college boy, in clothes one size too large for him. Those were pre-independence days.
It was a monsoon morning and it had been pouring all the way to college. Anant Pai was drenched to the bone as he ran into the corridor and into the Principal.
‘Where is your umbrella?’ asked the Principal.
‘Don't have one,’ mumbled the young Anant.
‘Then you must go home and change or you will catch a chill,’ said the Principal.
‘My home is too far to go and come back,’ said Anant. ‘I want to attend my classes.’
The Principal was adamant that Anant Pai go home.
But Anant Pai was equally adamant that he attend class.
After arguing for a while, the tall Principal caught hold of his student and led him to the place where the college bell was hanging. Lifting him up high, the Principal said, ‘Anant, ring the bell for closing the college. I am declaring it a holiday today.’
And he did!
Anant Pai never forgot the man who thought that the health of one student was more important than keeping the college open for a day. He wanted his team to have the same concern and care for children. ‘There is a lot of negativity around us,’ he would say. ‘But we don't have to reflect it. When a child reads our stories, he should be filled with hope and happiness.’
A maxim Uncle Pai believed in, to the last.
Ref: http://www.ack-media.com/new/index.php
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