Twists and Turns

Life has its own twist and turns. The wise ones generally sit back and enjoy their journey but unluckily I am gifted with neither good senses nor an abundance of wealth. I was just working as a clerk in the patent office and I don't really make much to feed myself and my family. I lived in a dorm where I had to share my room with at least 15 of them and we all had to use one toilet and I tell you what, sometimes you feel like dying to resist nature's call but what to do I was designated to live in poverty and I was satisfied that I got to live in way safer place than millions out there in the world.

This Madhu Nattu back then was 25 years old not so long ago I was as poor as a ser. My mom had to work as a cook in Partha's Nursery school to feed me and my family at least once a day. My dad, Nattu had to work as a cleaner and you know what he never contributes to the family expenses. I have never seen my mother rest for a minute and the pain that I have also not been able to contribute to my family pained me a lot. My mom was 64 and yet she worked as a cook in a nursery in the morning and as a part-time janitor in a big mall during the evenings and wove clothes in the night which fetched her around Rs. 90.56 for one piece and with all these efforts she gave me quality education.

My mom, Surpitha being 64 years old might be uneducated but she did know more than me about the value of education and educated men. It would have been easier for her to live with the help of ration shops providing her and me with three times meal but she wanted to give me more. To be very honest, a clerk in a patent office like Sharma's receives no more than Rs. 4000 a month. They considered me as an intern and don't give me my usual salary. My records showed that I have worked in Sharma's for just 1 month but I have been working there for the past one and a half years. You might say that it's not a bad salary after all but the fact is I had been saving up 2500 rupees for my future needs and am left with 500 rupees for daily expenses and 1000 rupees for rent. Life has been really hard for me not lately but forever since the time I was born.

You know rich people are forever greedy, poor are forever needy but lower-middle-class people are the worst sufferers which are even worse than the majority middle-class population. We are educated and know much about everything but in today's world, you need talent along with a stable economy to achieve something. At times, people are focused on digging up their dreams and passion and choosing a path to feed them and their families. As a child and even today, I have always indulged myself in deep thoughts thinking about how the world is. I am no greedy nor passionate about wealth. I have never possessed the dream of living in a castle; riding in a luxurious car and making myself available to all the luxuries. We are not permanent settlers in Mother Earth. One day or the other death might open its doors for me and you where you have to not only despise your home and your wealth but also your own body.

I at times think that I am really good at advising but my advice has brought me nowhere but to the streets. Looking at the stars affixed in the blanket of air always instills a new profound hope in my mind making me strong and fresh again but when I turn around and look at my responsibility as a son, an employee, a friend, and a citizen I am always disappointed with my decisions. I am no less than the other. I might not be the bravest but I am mentally strong enough to fight away the wind trying to blow me off and attain a degree or two. I have Mastered Kathak and am a professional Kathak dancer. I have an M.A in Marine Biology.

I have also wanted to do a Ph.D. on the same but my applications for funding me to complete my Ph.D. were definitely not very appealing. My entire progress card from grade 1 till M. A doesn't include even one A. My report cards are generally filled with B's and C's which always puts my mom in great distress. I was looking at Goddess Saraswati's and Lakshmi's photos with hope but tears started to roll down my eyes when I saw the photo of my Goddess Surpitha ma. I needed to do something that could wipe away the pain in my mother's life by my victory. 

I agree that I am not really talented nor blessed with wealth but I had the strength and will to achieve something in life. This dream of mine is 64 years old and I believed that I need to fulfill it but what to do? 

While thinking so, my eyes turned to an old piggy bank. I had saved up a total of Rs.45,000 and will have to look forward to doing something with it but again what? A day or two passed in silence and deep thinking. I still went to the office and stayed in the same dorm. Though I was present in the given surroundings physically, my mind was wandering somewhere to find the right answer to my very right question. That's when Sushila, our team head in the office came over to me and said" Madhu, you're good for nothing.

You don't know English. Don't know how to calculate the tax papers properly and whatnot. Is there anything you know? Such a disgrace. This is the last opportunity I give you about your financial condition. If you don't change, I won't mind changing you either" and likewise she turned her blonde hair over my face. I looked around and could hear people whispering about me. I don't know from where I had mustered up all that courage then but I did. 

" Excuse me, Miss Sushila. I am not worthless. I am more qualified than you. I am much more worth than you in all terms. I can agree that I might not be the right material to work in this lawless office mistreating their employees and giving them lower wages. I should have earned Rs.20,000 per month and for the work, I do this is the least amount I could get but even after being here for a year and a half what do I get? Merely one-fifth of the whole salary I should receive. Don't forget that you're trip to the Maldives is partially donate by the 16,000 profit you get from my salary. Here's my resignation letter. I shall work with regard to my qualification rather than being a part of a horrible organization. Goodbye!" said I throwing the letter on her face.

I never felt so good before. I felt like I was free and could do anything I want to. Life felt so light and refreshing to me then after 25 years but practically I was in even more trouble. An M.A Marine Biology degree holder with meager grades for the very first time sat down and started thinking about why I opted for this non-preferred course. Why I didn't choose to become a Kathak dancer? Why? This career requires years and years of study to excel. I did 4 years of bachelor's then 2 years of Masters and will have to do 6 or more years of research for my Ph.D. so by then I will be 31 but not all Ph.D.'s earn much. So why?

Then I looked at one of my outfits gifted by my best friend which said "

That was my favorite quote by the famous naturalist Charles Darwin who himself was a marine biologist. This is why I got into this field of nature and science. I looked for my piggy bank again but this time with a profound hope to earn more than enough to support me and my family. A chance to build dignity and respect for me not only for society but also for such positions in my heart. I broke my piggy bank and bought something nice to wear.

I eat something nice for the first time out of these 1 and 1/2 years. I had to get ready for a big day tomorrow, I said to myself, and set to sleep well for the very first time after a long period of time.i felt free to think, to speak.

I started working as a clerk just because Marine Biology was a career that required passion and patience in which I had no patience. I could bear my mother working an additional job to bear my expenses of education and food cost. But I became firm on my decision and today I am Madhu Nattu, 29 years old. The founder of Zoo Bio Marine Research Center. I have not only earned money but also have rearned respect, dignity and economic well being. 

There was complete silence in the school auditorium. Thunders of claps and whistles reassured that everyone was mentally present in the hall. There were a lot many things I hadn't mentioned about like the success path I choose to build ZBMRC because I want to inspire them not aspire them. Life again has many twists and turns all that you've to do is put in hardwork, determination, perseverance and passion and you'll definitely yield the right prize.