Keep Looking Up…

Keep looking up… That’s the secret of life, but many of us realize this core truth in a later stage of our life especially after experiencing a series of failures, humiliation, frustration, rejection in our life. If we know this secret at the early phase of our life, we can be successful in both life as well as in our profession. I have found this secret during one of my travel in the past when I went to a hill station in the western ghats. I love travelling to different places as it helps me to relieve stress from my regular work tension. I’m sure that most of you like travelling, if not this story will inspire you to travel to different places in the future. During my 10 years of traveling I was fortunate to meet so many inspiring personalities and learned about their life struggles, experiences which encouraged me to understand the purpose of life in this world. I’m excited to share an inspiring story of a person whom I met a few years back in Kodagu(or)Coorg district in Karnataka. Coorg is fondly known as Scotland of India, one of the beautiful destinations in India, especially for all the adventurers, mountain hikers and nature lovers. It was in the month of December I went to Coorg that was the best time for any tourist because of its pleasant atmosphere and cool weather. During this trip, I took many photos of the places, people, picnic spots, but more than that I was much fascinated towards coffee plantation which was grown on both sides of the road. This was the first time I’m visiting a coffee plantation, earlier I have been to tea estates like Assam, Darjeeling, Ooty, Kodaikanal. But coffee plantation is more attractive, maybe because of the sweet fragrance of coffee flavor and the red berries which are hanging in trees like grapes in the vineyard, which can be easily picked by our hand. I grabbed a bunch of coffee berries and kept in my backpack to show to my friends when I return to my home.

After a tiresome journey, I reached my destination where I asked my car driver to stop the car in any famous restaurant in that town, because I was very hungry as I didn’t eat enough food before my journey. He told me to wait for just 10 minutes because the restaurant is just 2km away, then finally we reached a restaurant named talacauvery, food was served hot in silver plate and it is tasty too at a reasonable price. Once I was done with my food, I went to pay my food bill there I saw an impressive picturesque of an elder man well decorated in the wall, I thought he might be the shop owner’s father, but didn’t ask the hotel owner. As I slowly stepped out of the restaurant looking for a chocolate shop to purchase a box of homemade chocolate for my family and my office colleagues. To my surprise chocolate shop was adjacent to that restaurant, I purchased a few boxes of chocolates at cheaper price. To my surprise again I saw the same old man photo which I saw in the previous shop but here the photo frame was hanged in the center of the hall. To my shock I could see the same old man photo was kept in nearby shops in that shopping complex and his portrait was painted on the walls of buildings. What is so special about him? Is he a politician? Is he a rich man? Is he an actor? or Does he belong to royal family? When so many questions were running on my mind, I finally asked a street seller who was selling winter jackets, mufflers near the boathouse, the reason for asking him this question was that he looked approachable and gentle. When I asked this question, the shopkeeper replied to me that it is quite natural in this town that you will find his photo all around place. If today this town is developed it is because of the contribution of our Rizhwan sir.

After he briefed me about noble oldman, shopkeeper advised me to meet him in person to know more about this history, culture, lifestyle of town. I thanked him for his explanation and suggestion to visit him and started walking towards Mr. Rizhwan home, after climbing so many narrow steps I reached to his house, it was really tough task for me, probably I would have burnt several calories. Somehow I reached to his home when I knocked his home, a small boy with curly hair came from that house looking at me strangely, then I told him that I came to meet Mr.Rizhwan. Is he here at home? This cute little boy smiled and asked me to sit on teak wood sofa which was placed on veranda for visitors. As I was waiting started looking at the walls where a lot of portraits of Kodagu culture, tradition, antics. Suddenly, I heard a tender voice - Are you waiting to meet me gentlemen? when I looked at him I guessed that he is Mr.Rizhwan because of his appearance elderly person, wearing a round spectacle and holding a walking stick. I was excited and speechless then I introduced myself and explained the purpose of meeting him. He said I’m simple man counting my last days in this village. What do you want to know about me? I told him people in this village reveres you so much and they praised high about you which brought me here to know more about your life and contribution towards this town. I saw your photo in most of shops in the town, which was very unusual for people adoring a common man neither politican nor an actor. He said that he is indebted to people's love and affection which they have on me. He asked me would you like to have a tea or coffee? Without much hesitation I said coffee but prefer to haveextra sugar because I generally prefer to have more sugar in my coffee. He said sure and asked his servant to bring me a cup of coffee. Wow! It was fantastic freshness of flavor, aroma which we would not get in Barista, Mocha coffee shop. He asked me how was the coffee? I said fantastic sir, the taste is unique from other coffee which I had drank in other areas, he told me that he will give me some packets of coffee powder to my family as a gift. I thanked him for his kind gesture and gift.

Then I said to him I would like to know more about your family, childhood, education and profession. Then he started speaking about his life, I was born in family of coffee planters in mudigere village in karnataka. My parents are Zufir khan and Fathima begum and our primary occupation was working in coffee estate. I was the 6^th child in my family, I was highly pampered and extremely loved by my family members. Every day we used to get up early in the morning before sunrise to go to our estates for work. The best part of our life was that we worked as family there was no ego or clash, we divided our works and helped each other. After our work is completed at the end of the day, we returned to our home by sunset, we played with our friends and siblings. Probably before it got darker we used to have dinner sitting in a circle and crack jokes till food is ready to be served. When it is usually served by my mom and sisters. In our tradition first all the men in the family would eat then only women were allowed to eat. Even though I didn’t like that custom yet I didn’t have the courage to talk on this subject to my elders in the family.

Everything was going nice in the family but that particular day changed my life completely. As usual, we got up early in the morning to go to our farm for work. My mother noticed me that I was dull and my eyes were red, she came close to me, touched my forehead and found that I was having high fever. She immediately told my father about my sickness, he said to me - Rizhwan beta, you don’t need to come to work with us today, take complete rest. I said ok dada! My mother gave me a bowl of soup which is prepared by using some herbs, other spices and condiments which are grown in our village. I drank and lied on my bed, that soup induced me instant sleep. Rest of the family went to work including my mother and sisters, I was all alone sleeping in my home. It is almost dark but none had returned home which was very unusual, I started fearing about them. I was sitting outside my house looking for my family members but I couldn’t see any sign of their presence. Suddenly one of our villagers named Aiyyappa came to me said that my parents were stuck in a forest fire and all of them died. I couldn’t believe what he was saying is true, I said - no, nothing would have happened to them. He took me to the incident spot where my family members' dead body was kept in the ground rolled by coconut leaves. When I went and opened coconut leaves, the little hope which I had also was completely shattered because those were my family members, what he said was true. I started crying heavily, mourning and shouted, why did you leave me alone? What I would do without you my beloved? Some of my villagers came and consoled me however their words didn’t go to my ears. I felt all alone in this world feeling abandoned, a suicidal thought was haunting my mind. In that situation, Village headsmen (ziyaulla) came to me and advised me that it’s not good for me to stay alone in this situation, he invited me to his house. I was rejecting his advice however he compelled me and took me to his house and treated me like his family member.

For a couple of weeks, I couldn’t speak normally to anyone. I was not able to forget the tragedy which had happened to my family members. I started showing hatredness towards others and isolated myself from my friends and was weeping in the night. At that moment, there were some tourists from Canada who came to our village for spending their summer vacation, they were looking for a young local guide who could take them to the coffee plantation and be their guide. Ziyaulla uncle decided to send me as their guide, he felt that would change my mind from stress and depression, he insisted me to go as their guide, Initially I was reluctant but at last I obeyed his words and went as their guide. Language was a big barrier between us. I didn’t know to speak English, they didn’t know my language, I communicated with them through non-verbal communication, but after a week they started teaching me few words in English which was very new to me and I started liking it. Days passed, their vacation came to an end, they would be returning to their homeland in a couple of days. They wished to adopt me as their son and take me to their country, when they conveyed their interest to the headsmen, in the beginning, he was reluctant but after a school of thought and considering my future he wholeheartedly accepted to send me along with them. I bid farewell and hugged uncle ziyaulla and thanked the villagers for their care and support in my painful time. Everyone blessed me and asked me not to forget them after going to Canada. I said to them I will never ever forget this land and my people, will return one day soon. When we boarded in the ship that goes to Canada I started worrying about the new place and their culture which was not accustomed to me. How am I going to manage? When my foster parents noticed my pale face they approached me and told me not to worry about my future. They will be with me in all situations and support me. Once I reached Canada they admitted me in a school in Vancouver, the initial day it was very difficult for me to understand the academics and language, but with constant support of my adopted parents and teachers some how I successfully completed my schooling with decent grades. I’m very thankful for my foster parents for their extreme support and love, not even a single day I felt alien in the family and also in that country. Then I received a scholarship for studying my bachelor's in science in the university of Guelph which I never even dreamt about it. I graduated with flying colors with topper in my batch and also got placed in a company that is not so easy unless by god’s grace. Then I worked in various multinational companies for ten years with a high salaried job, good wealth and societal status. But all these accomplishments didn’t give me full happiness, deep inside me there was burden for my village and people where I was born and raised in India.

I always wanted to give something back to my country wanted to return my country to help my society. I told my decision to my foster parents. Initially, they were highly worried and not happy, but due to my consistent perseverance, they agreed with me with one condition that I should be in touch with them after going to India. I packed all my belongings took a flight and landed at Coorg but no one recognized nor identified me. Then I revealed who I am, they were very happy about my return to the village. Then I told them that I will be living with them to serve the community and improve their life from poverty. In the beginning I started a school providing free education for the underprivileged children to enhance their life from the darkness. Initially, there were only 7 children who came to our school, but now more than 2000 children are studying in all our schools free of cost. Students who studied in our schools are in now high-ranking position in society such as Engineers, Doctors, IAS officers, Navy officers, Business man and so on. Apart from that school, I opened a honey processing incubation center in order to create job opportunities for youth in our village. We are providing them through financial aid, training, and other support based on their needs. Today Coorg honey is so popular in India because of pure quality and taste and it is organic. Through this plan, many youths are getting benefitted and supporting their families. Similarly, I found a lot of unemployed women in nearby villages I wanted to help them so I developed a wine processing center so that women can support their family through this work. At the beginning women were shy to be part of this team, but when they understood this work could improve their life as well their family they joined and many are benefitted through this Initiative and been a role model to other aspiring women in villages. Nowadays homemade wines are highly popular among the tourist who visit Coorg and also it is supplied through online shopping. People from any geographic location can easily get these Coorg products within 1-3 days through online shopping. Whenever technology is integrated with social enterprise it transforms people's life from poverty. After series of our development programs and welfare schemes, I got noticed by the government authorities and other NGOs started supporting welfare programs for Kodagu people. My friends who were in Canada also supported in many ways for these people. Once in a year they visit our village, spend time and visit our centers in all the villages.

Rizhwan told me - this is my simple story gentleman, I hope I didn’t bore you. I said no sir It’s really an inspiring story, how much one person can impact on people’s life irrespective of their pain, problem, situation. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell your story, which created a strong desire to serve the society. If you give permission, I will share your story with my friends and also write in my blog that would inspire millions of youth to create an impact on the society. Rizhwan said no problem you can share it with anyone gentlemen! Future of India lies in young people. Present younger generation are more talented and dynamic, they can make the country proud through their works and achievements. When It was time to leave from his home, I said - thank you so much sir for your generosity and touched his feet as a gesture of respect and left his home with a mix of emotions which cannot be described in words. Indeed, it was the best trip ever in my life.

Everyone has goal, ambition in life to go to the greater heights, however few who reach their destination, others fail due to their lack of motivation. It’s all about perseverance and your dedication towards your goal and passion. Success is not cakewalk, you need to attain by undergoing through various processes in life, it tests your sincere effort and patience. Rizhwan could have lived luxury life in a posh apartment with high paid job with happy life in Canada, but he left all richness to come to India to serve his people. Because of his sacrifice millions of lives transformed in that village and great inspiration to many youths. He has faced so many hurdles in his life but he didn’t get discouraged nor demotivated, he kept looking up in all his situations and living as a role model and inspiration to us.