Vrikshamandir

- Shubhra Roy 

The world knows Dr. V Kurien as a very intelligent and dynamic person with a great presence of mind. But not many people know how loving and caring he was. This quality of his keeps him alive for ever in the memories of ordinary people like me. The way he dealt with me, can be expected only from a fatherly figure. In the back of my mind I always had a wish that I should, one day, be able to share my experience with him with everyone. I could then tell them how loving and affectionate he was.

My sincere thanks to all the organisers of the Get-together, 2020 who gave me an opportunity to do so in front of the audience who had gathered at NDDB, Anand on February 15 2020.

I write this experience with tears in my eyes and with my gratitude to Dr. Kurien.

After my marriage in 1974, I came to the NDDB campus at the age of 18 and right from day one I was in love with the campus and its residents. After a few days of my arrival, one of Shekhar’s close friend working in Amul Chocolate Factory (Biswajit Mitra) came to meet us and we all decided walk to a cinema hall near Lotia Bhagol to watch a movie.

As we reached the NDDB gate, a big car stopped near us and the gentleman in the car brought down the window glass and asked Shekhar where are you going? When Shekhar told that we are going to a movie theatre he and all of us to get in the car saying that he will drop us near the hall. Shekhar got in and we followed.

Till then, I had not seen Dr. Kurien. As the car moved, he started talking to Shekhar who was sitting in the front seat. Such a big car was new to us and in the back seat, Biswajit and I were busy thinking as to how we will iopen the door when we reach the destination. Biswajit was worried that if he is not able to open the door he may lose his Amul job !!

Then, it struck me that this man must be Dr.Kurien or else who would have such a sophisticated car in Anand. I could not ask Shekhar also because Dr.Kurien was watching us on the car mirror.

As if Dr. Kurien sensed our dilemma and turned back and said with a smile “Whatever you do has to be perfect and also you only have to find your way out.”

We did not understand. When we reached the hall, Shekhar smoothly came out of the car and we were thinking what to do. Then we heard a click sound and saw the lock of the car door (It was a car with central locking device). So, we just pushed the lever and came out of the car.

He smiled at us and went away. We happily went to the hall, watched the movie and returned home.

But those words of Dr.Kurien still are in the ears of my mind. What a man he was, he could see perfection even in opening of a car door.

Read about my second “Mulaquat” with Dr Kurien here

• A story in search of an end; “A Bull Made of Steel”
• Shri R N Haldipur. Humility Unlimited
• Random Reminiscences of a forgetful old man 1968-1975 Manthan and Mani Bhuvan-3
• वसुधैव कुटुंबकम; वाक्यांश क्या केवल एक जुमला है ?
• Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam; Is it just a slogan being used these days?