Recently, I
came across a brief note written by my beloved yoga teacher Vinay Vaidya from
Mumbai, in which it was said that he was struck by a well dressed good looking
guy, who was found distributing water for free at Mumbai railway stations. We
know that people, especially those living in a metro city like Mumbai, won’t usually
think about spending their money and time for free. What he saw should be
something very special. In the same week, I came across another similar
surprise illustration also. That was from one of my bosom friends, Mr Vijayan,
a recently retired senior officer from Central Income Tax Enforcement Directorate. I know that Mr Vijayan has travelled extensively
as part of his profession. However, he says that his recent flight from Goa to Delhi
was unforgettable because there he could see something special which touched
him at heart level.
On board the
aircraft in which Mr Vijayan flew, there was a middle aged man in the economy
class, whose gentle behavior and respectable manners had already invited his
attention. At the airport counter he was on queue like any common passenger. He
had no flunkeys, no security, no attendant, and was carrying his own luggage.
He wasn’t the last to enter that low cost aircraft, and the aircraft also was
not held up for him to arrive. He walked into the Go Air aircraft like any average
passenger, almost unnoticed. All seats in his row were occupied and absolutely
no special privilege seemed to have either been demanded or offered. At Delhi,
he was also not the first to embark.
While in the bus, Mr Vijayan saw a
couple of co-passengers trying to elbow forward for a chat with him. He also heard some others whisper, ‘Mr
Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa’. Dressed
in a simple but formal shirt and trousers and black sandals, he didn't look or
sound like a typical Indian politician. Mr Vijayan concluded his note saying
that this first IIT-ian to head a state government in India has his vote for
the kind of person he is. Both Vinay Vaidya and Vijayan have their own expectations,
observations and inferences; they appropriately represent many millions of
Indians who earnestly look out for models everywhere. People searching for
models have increased; but this enthusiasm does not make any country great
until at least a searching few turn models.
Joseph Mattappally
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