AKGeorge,
is an angel for Anna university students. He is the one and only research student of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. I had seven months experience with him. One day he gave me a book and said, please read this. That book is AKGeorge’s experience with Abdul Kalam. After finished that book, I decided to publish this like a book entitled “K.J.Jebastin’s experience with AKGeorge. Thanks a lot to blogspot, helping me to publish this book as an electronic format instead of paper format.
Thank God,
Thank you mom, dad, bro
After getting a seat in anna university I stayed in 9th block of CEG hostels. Every block has one Resident counsellor(RC). I saw my block’s RC only five times in my life time. He always closed his door. Most of all the RCs are behave like a pedant and very calm. We could not get a signature from him directly. We have to give our forms to watch man and he will return us after 24 hour. Then we have to submit that form to hostel office. They will forward that to Associate warden and he will put a signature, then we have search the plumber or wireman to repair our room’s electric fault.
One day watchman said, shortly we would get a new RC. That is not a sweet or bad news for us, so I haven’t interest to hear. Then after some days, I did write a letter to repair my room’s fan and give that letter to the watchman. Next morning 6.45A.M, one Englishman came to my room and said, “I am searching for Mr.Jebastin”. I was wonder-struck. (AKG used so many time of this “wonder-struck” word in his kalam’s book). Because that is my first experiences to see an Englishman very, very near to him (Both of us not wore the professional or appropriate dress). He intimate 2 grammatical/spelling mistakes in my letter. He asked so many questions using English. I gestured all my answer for his questions (That’s also my first English conversation). Probably I came from very rural area. I thought he may be a wireman and asked before he left from there, when you will come to repair the fan. He simply said “I don’t know”. After 8 o’clock one of my hostel mate said he is the new RC. Now I feel like be there on a stove.
Next morning I found his room always opened. I feel very strange, because most of all the RCs are let their door always closed. If the door opens, he always writes or studies something. Daily it made me a head turns on his room. One day, he called me as “Hey Jebastin, come here”. The moment he called as Jebastin, I feel very joy (wonder-struck) [because I am going to see and speak with an Englishman,] and a big hesitation/fear [because of his post as a Resident Counselor]. I went inside and still standing. He asked me in a mild voice, who is your father? I have to tell a little answer as “teacher”; but I told a long history, my father is working as a teacher in C.S.I church School, my mother is a teacher and my brother is studying teacher training degree. He heard everything with smiling face. I gestured rest of all the English questions. I could not remember those rests of conversation. Then daily he smiled me while we were meeting. I thought I am the only man had a big friendship with a Resident counselor. After some days, I noticed his smiling face with all the students. I thought he is the only man to understand the meaning of Resident counselor. (Resident=Hostel inmates, Counselor=some who gives advice about problems).
Here I am going to write the experiences with him. They may contradict with the time. Thus, our friendship had grown. In my UG class I had a friend named K.KANDASAMY. He told more times me about his schoolmate of Antony paulxavier, who is studying Anna University. One day I saw that name in Mess fees list. So I went to see him in 7th block of CEG Hostel. I was waiting for 10 minutes in front of his room. After some time he came. Probably I introduced myself with him. In our conversation I know AKGeorge is a Roman Catholic “FATHER”. Then I thought he is an ‘England father’. I came back to my hostel block, he was standing there. The moment I saw him and I asked him, are you a parish priest? He just said ‘no’. I had a big awe-struck and sad. Then I asked him are you a reverent father? (My face had a little sad and expecting the second question might be possible. So it was hanged with worry) He just said ‘yes’. Then I didn’t ask anything. I just come in to the hostel and walked towards to my room. I had a great joy and wonder about him. Probably, he might think I am a mad. Because I just asked two questions and left without any smile. The ‘left’ might show, why you shouldn’t tell the first questions answer as possible/ he could said he is a father but not a parish priest after the answer ‘no’. Inside of my room, I feel great joy and I too changed my aim to become a reverent father like him and teach so many students. On those days I studied first year, so I denied seeing the pornography movies. So my class friends call me as father. Really I felt very joy of the nick name. I felt my aim is fulfilling a little. One day I gave my bicycle to one student (I used to give anything if somebody asks me) and return from the class by walk with rain. There were so many exams and classes were postponed according to the heavy rain. I walked on the flooded road near the SBI ATM of Anna University. So I decided to walk on the platform. When I was going to step up, I felt somebody follows and he/she also want to step up on the platform. (Now there is no rain water on me) So I just wait to give way to him/her. But still he/she also was waiting. Then I turned back and saw AKG, who covered me with an umbrella with smiling face. I was wonder-struck. I could not express my felt here with words. Because he did finish BE with Kerala University first rank, MCA in Bangalore Christian College with college first rank, M.E in Anna University with class first, a Senior Lecturer in Anna University, he is the one and only research student, under guidance of India’s President and all he is also a Reverent Father serving in Alandur (Chennai) Roman catholic church. Then he asked where are you going? I answered as I am going to attend the last class of this day. He gave his umbrella to me and he step onwards of hostel without umbrella. I felt a big hesitation because he was walking on the rain. I asked him loudly; Sir, have u feel any incomfortable? He said ‘no’. Then I felt I was wrong. So I asked once again; Sir, have u feel any discomfortable? Still he is very eager to hear some more errors from my mouth; standing in the rain. But still I have his umbrella with my own protection. Lastly I found the correct word as uncomfortable, so now I tried to ask another onetime, but he is not there. I felt very shame. I return back to my hostel after finished my class; he was standing in the entrance of my block and said if you don’t have umbrella, keep mine with yourself.
Usually A.K. George ate with jokes or any conversation with students. So, most students gathered with him in the mess. I used to try to save a seat in his right side. Most of his talking about the review of his PHD program under guidance of Dr. Kalam. One day a waiter of a mess told his colleague, AKG doesn’t know Tamil so all students always laughing near him? (Probably cookers and mess workers felt different, because of his approach and mingle with students. All other Resident Counselors never speak a single word with students). AKG gestured to come here, and then he told him ENAKKU TAMIL NALLA THERIUM. Then the waiter got afraid, joy, ….; then laughed and ran away with shy. Still students are laughing.
One day AKG came to my room and told that, I found a tube light’s starter is missing in your wing. One student has taken that for his room. I don’t want to waste the time to search for the starter in every room. So keep in your mind “Common fine”. Then he left from there. On that day, every student of “Fourier wing” were gathered in a room according to the word of AKG. (He named every wing by a scientist’s name, that also a different approach, that I was learned from him. With in this gape; I and AKG found, where the starter goes). He started his speech in front of Fourier wing members and asked for a solution of this problem. One student said, sir these kind of bad things are happening, in order to the hostel rules. So we have to change the rules.
(Probably, if any electrical problem, we have to write a letter to hostel manager with Resident Counselor’s signature. After one week, the hostel manager will send an apprentice electrician to check the status. After his explanation only, the electrician will check. Then the student will go to the Hostel Office and asked for new plug or tube light. After signing 2 ledgers, we can get the new electric goods. Then we have to give them to the electrician, he will ……)
He listened everything very calm and said with a little anger; I need only the possible solution for the starter and, with in tomorrow the tube should glow. All of us were sit very silent in front of him. He don’t like that tight situation. So he said with smile face, I will tell a number, and you would divide the number by 5 and the remainder numbered person would tell the positive alternate solution. He closed his eyes and said 11, I am the first person, immediately I told “common fine”. Then all the students said “common fine”. After his leaving, the students mocked AKG, who could not change the hostel rules. Next day he struggled with hostel manager to change all the long procedures and undesirable rules. But the hostel manager, never get AKG’s words in his ear. After words, we were realized his kindness on us.
One day my friend Masood said him, sir I am not good in English, what can I do? Then AKG invite him to his room. AKG opened his laptop and play the THAVAMAI THAVAMIRUNDHU film. Now Masood felt happy and enjoy two scenes. Suddenly AKG closed his laptop and asked him, what you did watch in laptop and explain the scene in English. Now he felt awe-stuck and wonder-stuck. Then he explained firmly. Then AKG said him, so you are good in English; don’t feel I am not good in English and don’t get hesitate to talk with English. Masood exclaimed four times to me the above different kind of approach of teaching.
Two weeks before of Christmas2005, on a fresh morning I felt a little byte and little wet on my nose and ear. Suddenly I thought that was done by a snake. But there is no harm for that full day. Next morning too I felt that kind of symptoms. On those days I went to bed on 1 AM or later. So on 6AM I was in nice sleep. So I could not recognize about that. One day morning I saw a squirrel on my bed. But really I could not appose that on my semi-sleep status. The squirrel disturbed me for at least 9 days. I know the squirrel can get in using my opened window. But I never closed my windows.
Then one day afternoon I just closed all the windows and doors and I left to my home town to celebrate the Christmas. After return to Hostel, I saw AKG in front of the block. He asked me, why you did close your window. (Basically he also never closed his room’s window too. He used to tell; we should not close the window and could get fresh air.) At first I couldn’t understand why he asked that question. On that day night he came with a glass of milk from the mess. So I followed him to see, what he is going to do? I know if AKG walks very fast with smile, he is going to do an entire different work. He took a wooden basket and took two cub of a squirrel. Then he feed them with ink filler. I asked him, where did you get them sir? He said immediately; from your room. I laughed and I didn’t believe that. After two days later, he came with waste bones from the non-vegetarian mess and a glass of milk. So I too follow him. He gave all the waste bone to the dogs in Anna University (Every Monday and Wednesday, the dog feeding process is default). Then I walked with him to feed the little squirrels. He took the wooden basket. But they were dead. I had a great sorrow. (We used to chat, “The moment you come this think happen wrong”. One day he entered in to the TV Hall to call me, and Sehwag got run out. I said him, the moment you come, Sehwag got run out. He awestruck and both of us laughed.). I feared, of the sentence of “When the moment you come with me to feed, they were dead”. But he didn’t say that. So I felt a little bit satisfaction. Then he walked very fast to out side of the Hostel block and give the two dead bodies to the dogs. I got afraid of him. Because I thought he is going to do the funeral service for them. Then I came to my room and thought, I loved only the little squirrels but he love the dirty dogs too. I decided to make my heart to that kind of zenith status. On the day before of hostel vacating day, I found a squirrel net in my computer box in my room’s shelf. I remembered the above things and I realized, I did close my room’s window and terminate the relationship between the mother squirrel and her cubs. So I got very big sorrow on that day. After left to my home town, they shouted without food/milk from their mum, and AKG took the squirrels from my room and feed them.
I stayed more three days in the hostel after finished all my first year semester exams. I heard from a boy, AKG is going to leave from Anna University. I don’t know why I didn’t believe that on that time. Really I thought; that might be a rumor. At that time I was very busy on the work of vacating my hostel room for summer vacation. I packed my computer, accessories; and sent them to my home town by Amarnath bus service. I bought a big box from an old paper store and wind up the rest of everything. I don’t know where do put that. I haven’t any idea about that, because the box is too big and weight.
At last I searched for AKG, then I known he was in Delhi with HIS EXCELLINCY Dr.Kalam. So, I ringed him from a one rupee coin telephone on night 11.45 PM, probably we don’t have the privilege to have a mobile phone, because of our new vice chancellor’s “mobile phone banning scheme”. I blindly asked AKG over the telephone, is it A.K.George? I am from Anna University then when you will come back to the hostel sir. He replied “Monday”. Actually on Tuesday I have the train. Then he tried to tell something. But I have only three one rupee coins. So I need more one rupee coins, if AKG available in his room, students could get one rupee coin change from him. But he was in Delhi. Practically and theoretically that is not possible to get AKG’s room key from Delhi and get one rupee coin from his room on that night time (JOKE). So, I got two more coins from the 5th block friend and ring him again. He said again; tell the watch man to vacate and clean room no. 53. But I didn’t get the full content of him over by the telephone. Because the one rupee coin phone added a nice sound like “kir..kid.kid.kid….kirrrrr”. Then again call him with my last one rupee coin and asked what you told sir? Now he answered me as, just leave it, just leave it; nothing is there. Really I felt uneasy and very shame. The reasons for the shames,
1. I could not make English conversation over telephone.
2. I don’t have the mobile phone.
3. I didn’t bother for his roaming charge (Sorry sir).
4. I didn’t bother about the telephone manners.
5. I didn’t bother about the time.
that is my first English Telephone conversation.
On Monday morning directly he came to my room. And asked me, do you need anything? I felt wonder-stuck. I told him, sir I just want to keep this box in any where of this block. He said I will not be here on the time of summer vacation and after, so there might be a chance to damage or stolen (Really I didn’t get his words of summer “vacation and after”. If I heard that things, surly I may got an autograph). Then I said him, ok sir I could manage with other solution. I didn’t expect his negotiation, because I haven’t any more possible solution to keep that kind of big box. Then I put that in my friend’s room
Then he explained his experience with Dr. Kalam in the helicopter. He showed me the time schedule book of Dr. Kalam’s meeting. I wondered that book, because that book contains the info of every one, who is going to fly or travel with President. Then weather report, prediction of weather report, Rain coat availability for every person. Then he left to his room with smile.
Last day:
I woke up very early. Really I could not remember the rest of the things. After 12 PM my friend Nelson came to send off me. I locked and put my bicycle in 9th block’s Common Hall and straightly went to A.K. George’s room and said him, FATHER; KAL HO NA HO, please bless me (That is my first call as FATHER, because I already decided that I never call him as father in the university campus). I bowed in front of him. He touched my head with his right hand and prayed for me. Lastly he said me with mild voice; I could drop you in front of the University, for bus stop; with my cycle. I said, thank you so much for your favor on me sir, my friend Nelson came here for that. Then he waved his hand with smile, but my eyes were filled with tears. In entrance of the block, I gave fifty rupees to the watch man and walked out with tears and without the knowledge of A.K. George’s “leaving of Anna University”.
