My elder brother A R Narayanan

Birth and education of brother A R Narayanan

I am not sure whether he was born at Cherukunnu, mother's maternal grand parents' place or Arangotukara, our own native place. He had most of the qualities of father like short temper, rage and to some extent vindictiveness. He was a fighter against social injustices. His elder brother's used to tell him not to take up the fight too far. After completion of primary education in our village (in our uncle A R Krishnan's school) he went to Trichy in Tamilnad for higher education. My eldest sister Lakshmi Srinivasan's family was there and my eldest 2 brothers were also there with sister for studies. Brother Narayanan joined E R High School and completed his S S L C  there. Since he was the boldest in our family father wanted him to be a doctor. Father wanted to send him to London for medical studies. He had already an engineer son, the eldest brother late A R Raman. Brother Narayanan after school went to Madras for college education. I think my eldest brother Raman was there for his engineering studies at that time at Madras. Brother Narayanan joined the Jain's college or Pachaiappa's college for studies. I am not sure of the college. I have to confirm and correct. As he was interested in social work, he was spending his spare time to attend to the social activity in some slums there. Eldest brother tried to dissuade him and father also tried to dissuade him without any success. It was a disappointment for father as he had a hope of one of his son becoming a doctor was shattered.

Services of brother Narayanan

If I remember correctly, brother went before completion of college studies to Bombay where the 2 eldest brothers were already staying. He was staying in the house of brother Krishnan. He joined them and got a job in a Foreign Pharmaceutical company which was making Aspro or Anacin. I do not remember the company name. There he had some problem on some issue of injustice and quit the job. Then he joined another MNC engineering Co. Here too he had to fight for social justice and had to quit.  He got a job in LIC as a typist. In those days LIC used to give one increment extra for typing job and people used to prefer to be typists instead the post of assistants for the one increment. He got involved in trade union activity in LIC and was a very active and a militant leader of All India Insurance Employees' Association (AIIEA) which was supposed to be a wing of the then unified Communist Party of India (CPI). He became the Bombay unit secretary or Joint secretary. He was the most active member and activist of the union at that time and will go to any extent for the cause of the union's issue. Those days managements of all institutions including LIC wanted to discourage trade unionism and used to award punishments whenever they get chance. LIC got lots of chances to punish brother as he was extreme and several of his increments were cut from salary and was getting a very low salary. But due to his sincerity for the cause many of the officers had sympathy and respect for him. Due to his influence he was able to help me in getting a job in LIC as I had passed the written test of LIC for the posts of Assistant and typist. Though I was learning typewriting and shorthand for more than 2 years I could not type proficiently and without mistakes. I got the job of assistant which was a blessing for me in the later years. In the beginning there was an increment extra for typist post, which I could not get, later it was changed into an one time amount of Rs 10 / 15. Conversion from typist to assistant was almost impossible up to 20 years of service. Since I was appointed  as assistant I had no problem of conversion.

Differences in Union

Though my brother Narayanan was sincere to the core, he was considered as an extremist in the union and some of those who are shallow but could impress the general employees came to higher posts than my brother. He got disillusioned by this and not only left the union activities but also was like an anti unionist. He concentrated in his career and got conversion to assistant's side and got promotions and became an officer in an important department of LIC at the time of his retirement. Even now he has some respect in LIC.

Marriage of brother Narayanan 

He married Smt Rugmini from a neighboring village from ours known as Kadangode near to a town Erumapetti.. Since he was a union leader at that time both brother and wife were treated by the LIC employees very highly with lot of respect. They have 3 children 2 daughters Rama (Rema) and Geetha and 1 son Sridhar. Rama is an MCA graduate from Symbiosis, Pune one of the most prestigious institutions in IT technology education. She is married to R Ravichander who was at the time of marriage in Germany and later went to USA.  Both Rema and her husband are in New Jersey,  USA. Sridhar is also a MCA from the same institution where his sister Rema completed her education. He was also in USA for some time but came back to Mumbai, India and is with his parents now. The third child Geetha is a graduate and is married and settled in a nearby flat of her own in Andheri near to sea shore. All the three have children. Sister in- law is house wife. Brother and sister-in-law had been to USA many times in the past when their eldest daughter and son were in USA.

Housing Society activity

He had a vision of forming a housing colony of LIC employees. Once he came out of the union he had ample opportunity and time for other work and he floated the Ramya Jeevan Co-operative Society Ltd. There were several members registered with his society for house. Bombay is a place of flats, but brother wanted a house or at least duplex bungalow instead of flats for members. He finalized and bought land for the membership existing at that time. But there were several hurdles and the project was getting inordinately delayed. Therefore many members withdrew their membership. When he finalized the land purchase the price was low in the area. During the delay some development took place in the area. A good Christian hospital established in the area with a convent school and the Sathya Sai Baba trust established an ashram of Sathya Sai Baba very near to the place. Then some of the ministers and high officials started settling down in the area and the cost of the area shot up very high. Since many members resigned, the Society had excess land and they disposed off the extra land to the developers. With the proceeds of the sales he arranged independent bungalow for each of the remaining members of the society. The total contribution of each member might have been only like nominal amounts for which they got an independent house with some compound. Each of the remaining members got a property worth several lakhs. For this housing project he had undergone tensions and nightmares. Once some of the neighbors tried to encroach by trying to establish a religious institution in the land and he got it evicted the same. As is the case with Indians some of the people who take benefits from somebody or institution will try do maximum harms to the person who gave the benefit or facility, he had also to suffer such problems.

Before starting this housing society, he was a member in a society at Mulund another suburb of Bombay. His salary was less and his loan entitlement was less. I had not completed 5 years of service to become member. This society also took some time and in the meant time brother started his own society. He then took his share of money invested in Mulund society and transferred the fat booked there to my name. He suggested to me to join his society. Since I had already one flat booked at Mulund society and was not having much money for the property there I declined the offer though he said that he will help me to some extent financially. He now disposed off his independent house and bought a modern flat for the money and has shifted to there one year back. I have visited once before occupation and once after occupation of the flat. He is now fairly well off and his children are settled down as mentioned above. I am very much grateful to him for the helps he had given me.

Homeopathy Scientific System of Medicine

My second eldest brother late A R Krishnan

Late A R Krishnan - Arangotukara Ramaswamy Iyer Krishnan


Birth of A R Krishnan

I have posted about my eldest brother late A R Raman. Next to him in seniority in family was late A R Krishnan. He was the most favourite son of father. Father has certain likes and dislikes. He likes persons who want to study, who do not tell lies and who is not showy. Since this brother has to some extent these qualities he became the favourite of father. Brother Krishnan was born at Cherukunnu, Kannur in North Kerala, place of our mother's mother as per the custom. The delivery place should have been Chenagad near Ottapalam which is the place of mother's father. For reasons not known to me, the place of delivery like the eldest sister and eldest brother took place at Cherukunnu which is the place of mother's mother's parents' (mother's maternal grand parents)  place. 

Studies of Mr Krishnan

As indicated while writing about eldest brother late A R Raman, late A R Krishnan spends lot of time for reading and he passes the examinations with good marks.  Between the eldest brother and this brother there was only two years difference in classes in school till S S L C. Since eldest brother skipped one year in S S L C the gap was reduced to 1 year. After S S L C he went to Trichy in Tamilnad. My eldest sister's family was at that time in Trichy. He went to her house and joined St Joseph college for arts course. He jooined for B A and passed with honours so got the degree of B A Honours which at that time was equivalent to MA. After the course he wrote IAS examination and if I remember correctly he passed the written test but could not cross in some of the interviews and interactions. He went to Bombay for a job as those days Bombay was the place for jobs. 

Job - service of Mr Krishnan

At that time the only press information centre was Press Trust of India (PTI), a British private company with head quarters in London. The Indian in charge was one late A S Bharathan (father of ester years cricket commentator Raju Bharathan who used to write critique on cricket in Illustrated weekly of India, a Times of India publication). Bharathan was our neighbour in village. He had helped any person from our village and places around our village by giving job in PTI. He has told father that if any body from the village with graduation goes to him (Bharathan), he will give a very good job. So father suggested brother to go to Bharathan and brother met Bharathan at his house in Marine Lines in Bombay but somehow did not get a job through Bharathan. Since father was in Parvathipuram which was a place of rich spice traders he had contact with some of the top political leaders of the composite Madras state as they come here to meet the rich people for donations for the party. At that time the Chief Minister was late Kumaraswamy Raja of Bobbili and father got a recommendation letter from him for brother. But brother Krishnan did not want to use influence and did not make use of the letter. He got a job in Central Government Revenue Department as LDC and later got promotion as UDC and became a gazetted officer after passing departmental examinations. He retired from Income Tax Department. Since he was a Government employee he got a Government quarters which was given to the occupiers by Government on instalment payment basis. So the brother got his own house in Bombay. All of us brothers up to me have stayed with him in his house and are grateful to him.He has also accommodated a boy from the neighbouring village at the request of father. This boy happened to be my class mate. After his getting a job, the boy went away from there to some other place. 

Marriage of Mr Krishnan

Brother Krishnan married Smt P Saroja.  She, her maternal uncle Mr Ramakrishnan and myself were class mates in high school classes. Myself (A R Ramanathan) and her uncle were bench mates. By the time of this marriage the eldest brother who was with brother Krishnan had moved out to Madras. Brother Krishnan and sister in law have two daughters Latha and Prabha. Both of them are martried. Latha have 2 sons and Prabha have 2 daughters. Latha is in California , USA and Prabha is at present in Pune, Maharasjhtra. Brother Krishnan had some asthmatic allergy problem but was trying to control through yoga and recitation of Vishnu Sahasranamam. After retirement his illness increased. Brother Krishnan and S-in-law Smt Saroja had been very helpful to eldest brother, my next elder brother A R Narayanan and self. After reaching Bombay (now Mumbai)  we were staying with them. From the time of bachlorship to about 15 years after marriage brother and after marriage s-in-law have accommodated us in their 1 bed room kitchen. We are grateful to them. In fact at least in my case, instead of feeling grateful for the help was feeling at that time as if it is rightful. I am deeply indebted to them.

Post retirement activities 

He was trying to obtain a passport for sister-in-law for her going to USA to spend few days with her daughter Latha. He was personally following up with the passport office. In between the efforts he had severe health problem and was admitted to a clinic. The doctor there after check up indicated that he had a mild hear attack and he should take complete bed rest. Brother insisted with the doctor that he will take bed rest at home and got discharged. He did not give this information to any one else so no one was knowing that he was advised to take bed rest. He pursued the passport issue and got it. Then he went to the banks where g\he had his accounts and got the same changed into the joint names of Sister in law and Prabha who was not married at that time. After this he went to the housing society and persuaded them to change his house in the name of his wife and daughter. He withdrew some money from the bank and gave it it to sister in law and told her to keep for any emergency. He then went to the hospital where he had taken treatment earlier with his wife and daughter and got admitted himself there. After all the formalities he telephoned to his nephew Mr Ramesh, son of eldest brother late A R Raman and intimated him that he (brother) was admitted in the hospital which was very near to the residence of Mr Ramesh and wanted Ramesh to come and be with him in the night. He (brother Krishnan) then send his wife and daughter to home telling that the nephew will be there for any help. When Ramesh came brother told him that Ramesh can go to sleep and will have to get up early in the morning. When Ramesh told brother that Ramesh will inform us (the other brothers of Krishnan), brother told him that he need not inform any body in the night and he can inform all in the morning. Early in the morning the nurse woke up Ramesh and informed him that his uncle Krishnan has passed away during the sleep in the night. Ramesh informed all of us and all of us  went to brother Krishnan's house at Rajawadi, Ghatkopar, Bombay. The rituals were duly conducted. 

Present position of sister in law

Later the Rajawadi house had a good offer and sister in law disposed off the same with the help of my another elder brother A R Narayanan. She bought a 2 BHK flat in Andheri east near to brother Narayanan's house. Shortly thereafter the marriage of the 2nd daughter Prabha was conducted. As Mr Narayanan had already conducted his daughter's marriage one month back, the rituals of the marriage was done by me and wife in place of the girl's parents. Prabha was at Goregoan near Andheri for some time in the accommodation of the company of her husband Hariharan A. Later they shifted to the accommodation provided by company at Chucrhgate. Sister in law had some severe health problem and was not fit to live separately and was accommodated by Prabha and her husband in their house. After few years after marriage Prabha had twin girls and her mother's presence was helpful to her to bring up the twins. About 2 years back Hariharan's office decided to close down the Mumbai office and Hariharan had to decide between going to the head office at Pune or another office at Singapore. He opted for Singapore. About 2 - 3 months back they decided to shift to Pune and in the end or March or beginning of April 2012, they shifted to Pune. 

Homeopathy Scientific System of Medicine

Chakkali Madham

Chakkali Madham is the name of my ancestral home in the twin villages of Arangotukara (Arangode)/Ezhumangad. I do not know when the house was built and by whom. But my grandfather (father's father) was there and my father and his brother and sister were borne in that hose. That much I know. When my father and his brother grown up and had children, they thought of separating and portioning the properties they had as at that  time. The Chakkali Madham the original ancestral home went to my uncle (father's elder brother) Late A R Krishnan. A portion on the west side of the property a  vacant, land with 3 -4 mango trees and 4 - 5 jack fruit trees and 2 palm trees and few other trees were given to my father as his share.

The entrance to the property would have been facing South if a house was built there. Probably my father did not want a house facing South and he was in a position to buy another property. So he bought a compund of about 61 cents across the vacant land with a pathway in between the newly bought property and the vacant land received by him as ancestral property share. The house in the acquired place was an old thatched house in disrepair. He renovated and expanded the house to be identical to his ancestral home facing East though the entrance to the property is facing North. The new house (renovated one) was called as the Chakkali Puthan Madham to distinguish it from the original ancestral property known as the Chakkali Madham.

My uncle (father's elder brother) married to a lady, Ponnammal from one of the Palakkad gramams (villages) by name Thathamangalam (Rishinadamangalam). They had 3 sons Late A K Ramaswamy, A K Narayanan, A K Venkatachalam and 5 daughters Late A K Lakshmi (peria echumu to distinguish from my sister A R Lakshmi Srinivasan - chinna echumu). Peria means elder or big and chinna means younger or small and echumu is the pet version of Lakshmi. Their other 4 daughters are A K Anghichi Sundaram, late A K Seetha Gopalakrishnan' Late A K Janaki Raghavan and Smt Rajam Mani.

Homeopathy Scientific System of Medicine

Chakkali Puthan Madham

Chakkali Puthan Madham is the family name of my family house in the twin village of Arangotukara (Arangode)/Ezhumangad. It is a branch of the original ancestral home  known as the Chakkali Madham . On partition of the ancestral property my uncle elder brother of my father got the original home the Chakkali Madham. A portion of the compound was given as his share to my father. That portion was utilized by father t cultivate ginger (inchi in Malayalam) and the compund was known as the Inchi Kollai (Ginger land). Father did not build a house in that  property. He bought a compound with an old house just across the the path way on the Southern side of the Inchi Kollai. He renovated the old house almost identical to that of the ancestral house. Since it is the new addition, this house was named as the Chakkali Puthan Madham to distinguish it from the Chakkali Madham.

Father and mother shifted to the new house with their 3 children at that time. This house was bought and renovated immediately on birth of the 3rd child of our parents, A R Krishnan. My late uncle, father's elder brother's name is also A R Krishnan. This anomaly is due to the fact that the grandparents name will be given to the grand children. Hence mostly there will be more than one person with the same name in the families of Iyer community.  Hence the age of Chakkali Puthan Madham was the age of my elder brother lat A R Krishnan.

Homeopathy Scientific System of Medicine

My parents - Late A R Ramaswamy Iyer & Late C S Seetha Ammal

My parents were Late A R Ramaswamy Iyer and C S Seetha Ammal.

My father late A R Ramaswamy Iyer (full name - Arangotukara Rama Iyer Ramaswamy Iyer)

My father's birth place was Ezhumangad/Arangotukara. His father's name was Late A R Raman. My parents were in the ancestral home Chakkali Madham. Grand father died when father was very young. father and his elder brother the 2 sons of grandfather had to go for labor when they were very young as their father died when they were very young and the burden of maintaining the family fell on their shoulders.  

His brother being elder he went for employment in a big landlord's house, Nareri Mana as a cook. My father joined him as his assistant. But the landlord used him to be the bodyguard or companion to his son who had to go to Thrissur for studying in school. Since father has nothing else to do during the school time, he also attended the classes up to 3rd standard. 

Since father was ambitious and wanted to raise his family's financial standard, he went to the then Penang. He had to return as he had Malaria fever. After treatment he went to 2 place called Aranhtangi and Thiruthurapoondi in Tamilnad and used to sell Tea in the Railway platform. Since his income was very limited as there used to be only one or 2 trains during the whole day, he gave the right of the trade on the platform to his assistant. He then went to Bhimilipatnam in Andra Pradesh. His brother joined him and after sometime he left the hotel to his brother and went to Parvathipuram a border town between Andra and Orissa. Though the town was very small in the forest area, it was a big center for trade of spices and people used to visit. He had a good business and started earning money. He repaired the ancestral house bought an old house next to the ancestral one and renewed and expanded the one. He also bought a plot for his sister and built a house identical to that of his brother's and his. My father had 7 sons and 4 daughters.For the daughters he gave education up top the primary school level as our village school was a primary school. when the eldest sister was studying and later became upper primary school and the other 3 daughters could study up to 7th standard. In those days girls were not sent to schools normally . For his sons he did not have any limit for studies except that they should not fail or they should decide that the education is enough. But only the 2 eldest brothers and the youngest brother completed graduation. The eldest brother became an engineer. All others have passed S S L C and some attended some classes in colleges but did not complete any degree course. The last brother also completed graduation. I have also completed only S S L C as I was not bright or interested in academic qualifications.

He died after a brief illness of about a week related to the old age.  He died at the Christian Mission Hospital the best hospital at that time in the nearest town center Thrissur from our village Arnagotukara.

 My mother Late C S Seetha Ammal (full name - Chenagad Subramanya Iyer Seetha Ammal)

My mother was a very mild and decent lady who used to take trouble to avoid trouble for others. She is personification of patience and tolerance. She was a quiet and capable lady. She being mild and tolerant others in the joint family created problems by others. Her father was from Chengad a village in Ottapalam Taluk very near to the Ottapalam town in Palakkad District. Her mother was from Cherukunnu, near to Kannur Town in Kannur District. My father was busy making money for the family to be lifted up from poverty. The money saved by father used to be sent partly by money orders and major portion he used to be carrying with him when he come personally to the family. Mother used protect the same and use diligently. She had brought up 1 children almost single handedly as father used to be outside till the last 2 years of my school studies. Thereafter father came and settled down in our home. Father had bought some landed properties for cultivation of paddy, vegetables, fruits plants and trees etc. She used to mange the whole properties till he came and settled down. In those days ladies of upper caste never used to go outside their houses except to go to their relatives. 

She died of blood cancer. She was under treatment for about 1 month intermittently for blood cancer. 

Parents had 11 children

Late A R Lakshmi Srinivasan

Late A R Raman

Late A R Krishnan

Late A R Subramanian

Sri A R Narayanan

Sri A R Ramanathan

Smt A R Parvathy Parameswaran

Smt A R Sarada Krishnan

Smt A R Rugmini Anantha Narayanan

Sri A R Venkatachalam

Sri A R Sarvajith

Homeopathy Scientific System of Medicine

My self Arangotukara/Ezhumangad Ramaswamy Ramanathan

My father's name is late A R Ramaswamy Iyer and mother late C S Seetha Ammal

I am A R Ramanathan born on 24-5-1939 in Chakkali Puthan Madham in a village by name Ezhumangad in Thirumittakode Panchayath, Ottappalam Thaluk, Thrithala Constituency, Palakkad District of Kerala. But that portion of the village where our house is situated is more popularly known as the neighboring village Arangotukara or in short for Arangode which is in Thalapilli thaluk, Chelakara Assembly Constituency of Thrissur District of Kerala. This position is because these  2 villages are acquiescent to each other with common infrastructure. I am from the family of Chakkali Puthan Madham. Originally there was only Chakkali Madham the ancestral house of my grand father. Grand father died when father was very young leaving the family in poverty. My father late Ramaswamy Iyer (alias Rama Iyer) is the youngest of 2 brothers and one sister.

I studied in the village school founded by my uncle late A R Krishnan, up to 7th standard. In one year either from third to  4th or 4th to 5th standard, on the day of promotion the class teacher came to the class and announced that those who passed can go to the next class and others can remain in the class itself. All along the teachers used to announce the names of the passed students. Any how as I am not smart or slow in understanding I lost one year. My mother will be upset and angry on failure of any of her children. But I do not remember as to how she took the news of my failure. While studying in 5th standard I formed one Balasamajam of children and students of our village. I was not knowing the meaning of the word Balasamajam. However, there were also children more aged than me and who were studying in the nearby High Schools. The Samajam's main work was cleaning the sub road from the main road to the temple, decorate the temple compound with buntings and frills of coconut palm's tender leaves which will be golden cream in colour and palm leaves of the dates palm trees during the Dassera festival of the temple. Another work is cleaning the village cum temple pond of the weed.

From the school we wanted publish a magazine on monthly or quarterly basis. Only one issue was brought out. It was hand written one written by one of my class mate, late M Ramanunny, whose handwriting was excellent. He was a brilliant student with lot of extra curricular activities like elocution proficiency, extempore speech and some sports though he was frail. After his study he went to Delhi and I had met him at Delhi long back.He died at a very young age. During the school vacations my eldest sister and children will come home with brother in law. Brother in law and sister may stay for a day or so and go to Guruvayur which is the place of brother in law. The children will be with us and those days were our good days as my mother and father who used to be strict with us will relax many conditions for their grand children and we also get the extra freedom with them. During one year's vacation, mother decided to send me to Ooty where my eldest sister Lakshmi Srinivasan's family is shifted as brother in law got a transfer from Trichy. Mother arranged to send me by bus to Ooty from a nearby town (Pattambi) to our village. She arranged to board me on bus and buy the bus ticket for me through one of our servants. He did his duty very well though he was an illiterate laborer. I had no idea what is to be done at Ooty. However, 2 policemen came and took me to sister's house. Now what I presume is that after boarding me in the bus the servant would have sent a telegram to brother in law and accordingly brother in law would have sent the police men to bring me home. I spent the entire vacation at Ooty. I think at the end of the vacation brother in law arranged to send me back to my place and I reached home. I do not remember the return journey clearly.

High school study at Varavoor High School

After 7th standard I had to go to High School. Before the school started my eldest brother late A R Raman had come from Madras. From Madras he was to go to Bombay for job and on the way he came to the village. I asked him to take me with him for higher studies. He explained the position and was not knowing anything about Bombay and persuaded me to join the Varavoor High School and bought one stainless steel (stainless steel has just started and was not available freely) lunch box, a duck back rain coat (rain coat will not be seen in the villages where umbrella made of bamboo sticks and palm leaves are the norms) and an instrument box of ultra modern make. I got satisfied with these items as I thought that I can flaunt these items in my village and the villages on the way to school. The school was about 9 - 10 km and walk is the only mode of conveyance at that time as bus was the only conveyance and there were no services to suit the school timings. I failed in the first attempt in SSLC. Next year I passed with 1st class. After the school studies I went Bombay for college education. We used to go in groups to school. There will be several distinctive groups going in the same route. We will play mischief on the route.  During mango season we will pluck bunches of tender mangoes which cab be carried in the lunch box and bag without staining the books.

After School education

 After school education I went to Bombay (now Mumbai) for college education. My three elder brothers at Bombay tried to get admission in a good college, Ruia College in Matunga, after virtually begging. Since my 2 elder brothers were good students in their days with high marks, the principal of the college reluctantly agreed to take me, He warned my brothers that I may not be able to cope up with the standard unless some coaching is arranged for me. Some how since I was not basically very much interested in academic studies, I did not discuss anything with brothers as to whether I find it difficult to catch up with the study or not. I failed in the First Year Science exam and the college did not want me to continue there. They issued TC and I joined a newly opened college in Central Bombay by name Ruparel college. But before the classes started, I had to go to native village to look after our shops as father alone could not manage the same with agriculture.

My return Home from Bombay

Father wanted help to run the family shop in the market area. He used to be busy during agricultural season which will be about 6 months in a year spread over and will not be able to attend the shop. I was staying with the 3 elder brothers at Bombay for college studies. Since I was not very much interested in academic studies I took the opportunity and offered to go over to native place to look after shop. Till that time the shop was managed by one of my elder brothers late A R Subramanian. Due to the strict and dictatorial way of father, brother could not withstand and left native place without informing anybody about the plan and place. I took charge of the shop and was bringing it to good shape. In my spare time I organized a sports and recreation club by name Union sports club to promote sports among the youth of the village. My father do not like sports activities as he considers it as play against life and also under the suspicion that I was spending some money for the activities.  So the disharmony started and he was becoming unbearable to me. In the meantime the brother who was looking after the shop earlier came back. I wrote to my brothers at Bombay stating that I wanted to come to Bombay not for study but for job. They replied that I can go over to them. It was a shock to father. He was under the impression that I will not go away. He tried to persuade me with pleadings and inducements for my continuing at native place. I did not agree and went to Bombay.

Return to Bombay

After reaching Bombay, I informed my brothers that I wanted to go for job. On the next day itself there was a walk in interview for a clerical job. I was selected and joined the job in M/s Rashtriya Metal Industries, Andheri, Bombay. I had some problem with the management. Persons who joined later and was learning work from me was given higher salary and I protested. Since no relief was given left the job and joined another private company by name M/s M S Patel & Co, Saki Naka. There also I had similar problem like that of previous company. I discussed with the G M and MD but only temporary remedy.  By the time it was 4 months I got a call from LIC where I had applied, wrote examination and interview. Though the salary was less by Rs 10/- I joined LIC after resigning from the previous company. First 4 years I was a model employee in quantity, sincerity and punctuality in work and attendance and was selected as one of the very few for a new department, the General Insurance Department of LIC. If there was any overtime given to any section in the department I was sure to be called. Later some employees of other sections hinted that because of me some of them are deprived of over time. I promptly stopped over time work not only of other sections but of my section too. Later I was forced to be active in representing the grievances of some colleagues about the discrimination by the officer concerned. This antagonized the officer and he started ignore me as far my work is concerned and tried to put the clients against me. Slowly I was pushed to being active in the Union activity. During this time I wrote some insurance diploma examinations of Federation of Insurance Institute (FII). This Institute was affiliated to the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) of London. After passing the FII courses, if a fixed amount, at that time I think it was around Rs 250, was paid a certificate from the CII also will be given and can use both the certificates. But I did not apply for the same as I did not feel it as important at that time. I do not know whether it was good or bad. Anyway it did not affect me. I got one promotion on the basis of the examinations and also some increments in salary.



Being continued....

Homeopathy Scientific System of Medicine