I had seen
Naren as a promising student - bright, intelligent, and talented. He was a
volley ball player, was among the top three in the class, played classical flute
and took active interest in dramatics. When last heard, he had scored 97.5% in the PU and had got entry into a prestigious
Engineering college. But last week when I met him, I was shocked to see a pre-occupied,
listless, young man of 28 who worked
in one of those multinational companies, earned a handsome salary and had
already presented a car to his parents! The proud parents had brought him home
in that car. The young man sat next to his mother, with a shy smile, looked at
her for all queries and the mother answered most of the questions. He was ‘very
busy’, the mother said. The slight paunch indicated lack of physical activity,
and he had nothing to contribute to the general conversation. No music, no
movies, no socialization! "Looking for a suitable girl...hehehe..." the mother said."Hehehe....." I replied.
When it was time to leave, he said a quick goodbye
and went and sat in the car as we still exchanged pleasantries. He was not
there to help the grand - mother who walked unsteadily to the car and fumbled
with the car door. Added to all these, he admonished her when the car door was
shut with a bang!
I was
totally disillusioned and disappointed at what he had become; what our
education system had done to him.
He is an
employee of a big MNC, and that was enough to get offers from the parents of
eligible daughters! How would he be, as a husband? as a son-in-law? as a friend?
...................
I
wondered.....
