Drops Of Water

Professional life is just a scheduled array of tasks. Reaching the office, switching on a computer system, drinking a cup of coffee, reading daily reports and completing jobs. During this pre-assigned routine, sometimes it happens that we get to touch some peoples’ lives and make a little difference in the world. 

Mine is not a unique story but it is very close to my heart. 

ONGC pays its part of the contribution to society towards building a better world in the form of CSR. During my posting in CSR Section, Ankleshwar (Gujarat), we used to mainly focus on the projects prioritizing education. Several schools, the majority of which located in remote locations sent their proposals for either school building renovation or RO plant establishment etc. This one request came for funding for the construction of a library in the building of a school. The proposal was sent by a Junior Teacher and not the Principal of the school. I could not meet this teacher during school site visits although the principal spoke so highly of her. After due scrutiny, the proposal was put to board and was approved. As per our practice, invitations were sent to beneficiaries for the cheque distribution. 

I don't remember the date or the day but clearly remember that sultry day. We all were busy in making arrangements for the cheque distribution ceremony. The press and media were present. 

I was hosting the function. 

This lady in green saree in the last row was sitting among the invited beneficiaries. Why she got my attention!! Well, maybe because green is my favorite color or maybe her happiness, the never-fading smile on the face caught my attention. 

Soon the function began. I was lost in comparing, cheque sequencing, etc. The ceremony took 02 hours to complete. As I was about to conclude, a request came from the lady in green saree to speak on stage. 

The mic was given to her. 

She did not utter a single word for a few minutes. Her eyes had tears but her lips had the same smile. There was pin-drop silence inside the hall. Outside, we could clearly hear the magic of nature. Sound of rain. The sunny weather outside was suddenly taken over by water carrying black clouds. The dust on the glass panes of the hall was being washed by tiny water droplets. The petrichor filled the room as we patiently watched the lady. 

At last, the lady spoke, “Thank You”. That lady in green saree was the junior teacher with no permanent job in school. Once a student of the same school, she had faced a severe scarcity of books. So, she took the initiative of sending the proposal for a library building. Now, she is managing the books in the library, either purchased on her own or donated by others. 

That brave lady was a widow, with the full responsibility of her old ailing parents and this temp job her only source of income. But her dream of bringing a difference in the lives of others could not stop her. No matter how small that shelf in her library looks, but it is her dream to make her village literate.

 

I still feel so proud to have played a minor role in bringing happiness in the lives of those students, that brave junior teacher and hope this little goodness finds a big way in the future.