MY DAD and ME …………..

 
I remember my Dad as a stickler of right and wrong,discipline,and very clean ,willing to do anything to protest against any wrong doings,and also an able Administrator.He retired as Joint Secretary, CSIR,Ministry of Science and Technology,Government of India.He actually had been one of the early employees of CSIR,when it was formed by the Govt.of India,in 1943-44,with Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar as the first Director General.I remember,my Dad telling us,how proud he was to be working with him.

My Dad’s passion was creative writing,acting in theatre,and he involved himself in those,as a part time activity.As we grew,we saw Dad in many avatars.Firstly, when we were small,he shifted his focus onto us,and wrote poems for us.He was the first person to translate Nursery Rhymes into Bengali,for us. This was called BILITI CHHARA,this was in the 1960s. This was a runaway success.This book almost was at every educated middle class homes bought by young Parents for their kids,and it became very very popular.We all grew up listening to the rhymes of :

Jack Jill dui jon,  haath dhorey bhai bon………

When we grew,he matched his writings with my brother and Me,and he kept writing historical,scientific,educational, lives of great people………all on verses/poems,and for young school going boys/girls.We grew up listening to my poems. He was proud to publish them,and came out with books,first for children, SHARODIYA CHHARA,GHOOM BHANGANEE CHHARA,BIGYANER CHHARA,CHHORAATE RAMAYAN,then onto the lives of great saints,like  GADADHAR, MA-MONI,EK JE CHHILO RAJA,the works. My Dad also wrote a number of contemporary things in his time,like, dramas,short stories,kabya sangeets,apart from his poems.

Looking back,and seeing today’s world,through my Dad’s eyes,and then putting my cap on top of it,I find this balancing of mind,in most of us. A strong Administrative, a Social fight of right or wrong,truthful or corrupt world,societal politics,etc.,on one side,and the creative skills and talents,coming out thru his poetry on the other. This MIX is phenomenal.Also this mix is inherent in many of us.We keep adjusting and balancing ourselves,some use it as a stress buster,some is more passionate to pursue and get happinessand bliss in those journeys. Maybe a confusion comes,when you do both together in mid career.Can you sustain both ? I dont know.For me the proliferation of my creative instincts happened in two clear ways : 1.Developing our company strategies,brands,positioning, culture of the organisation,mixing work with some activities in my career days.  (and) 2. When you get professionally less active,then your inner talents,skills,creativity,which was suppressed by you,due to work or business pressures starts coming out and takes shape. Like my entire mind in the creative space,I have tried to capture, in my life’s journey in, first my Memoire,  I DID IT MY WAY,and then thru my web portal www.bdgfoundation.org thru which I have been able to communicate to the outside world,thru my Blogs,My Stories, and host of my Philanthropic journeys in Calcutta Broadway and Kalyani,and my startup investments thru BDG Angels. This mix I saw it in my Dad.and I would like to give a lot of credit to my Dad,for this skill of mine,factoring the period and time.For me,as long as my thoughts can show directions to the middle class youth and the aspiring entrepreneur,I will be happy.

I have always felt about my Dad,that,I ponder whether he was a better Poet or a better Administrator. People would say perhaps  similar things about me,time will tell.But one thing is for sure.My creative expressions and journey,has added a lot of value and extension of my active life thru my intellect,and I will most certainly credit my Dad,for that.

Baba,Pronaam nio.