Scene 1: July,1998
As my father was on a travelling job initially, I spent a significant amount of my childhood with my grandparents in a small village of West Bengal (Natunhat) which was located on the bank of river Ajay. Shankar Karmakar, my grandfather (‘Dadu’ in Bengali) was a retired employee of Hindalco, the aluminium and copper manufacturing company of the Aditya Birla Group. I realized the necessity of human values when a highly motivated and organized person like him finally decided to settle in his land of past emotions after his retirement. Today, I know the emotions he nurtured over time was an influence of his past company’s core value. I was little different in my childhood, was very shy and quite in nature, naturally which caused me an unwanted isolation. So, I started hanging more with my grandfather in those days, though am really happy that the things happened in that way. My reading habits started early as I used to accompany him to the Panchayet Library which was just a few footsteps away from our house. I still remember there were very few English newspapers in the library and my dadu had a specific choice too. So, after entering library my first job was to find and bring the ‘Hindustan Times’ for him. I never got the opportunity later to ask him why he was so fond of that newspaper only, but I believe now I know the answer as am into that same habit now. ‘Nandan’, how can I forget it? Though at the starting it was kind of forced on me by dadu to improve my English (as I started with a local state medium school) but later it was just the opposite picture, one of my favorite children magazines which still gives me the nostalgic vibes.
Scene 2: December, 2001
My school’s 3 weeks long winter vacation just started. Vacations are the best part in a student’s life and like everyone I also had made numerous plans for these vacations to live them the fullest. But one more surprise was waiting for me as my Dadu bought a new Ambassador, a glittering beauty of pine green colour. What else to say, we travelled to Kolkata and till date that is one of the best memories what I cherish. I still remember my facial expression while visiting Victoria memorial, Howrah bridge, but one thing what impressed me most was the ‘Birla Planetarium’. I had heard many bed-time stories about the flying stars, the galaxy and fight between their kings, so it was a realistic comic world for a 8 years old who was trying to relate the reality with immense surprise and interest. You will not believe, I have visited the ’Birla Planetarium’ 8 times after that, and every time I came out with different thoughts and with the feeling of amaze.
Scene 3: July,2009
My Madhyamik(class 10) result was out which I passed with colourful wings. I started staying with my parents as my father relocated to Haldia, a small industrial city in West Bengal after my grandfather passed away. You know, I missed dadu a lot. Sometimes the old memories haunted me like anything, but I knew I had to move on from this situation as there are promised to be kept. For better opportunity I was then thinking of joining a school in Kolkata, even that was dadu’s dream too. Dadu had kept aside money for my higher study beforehand and the Birla life insurances (which we were unaware before) is an addition to that to secure the next.
Scene 4: March, 2015
After 4 years of engineering life, I was finally going to complete my B.Tech from NIT Durgapur. After lot of ups and down, finally it was the time to celebrate. These 4 years was one heck of a journey while I got new fiends and experiences. My parents were happy too as they finally got a chance after long time to pamper me at least for few months. Though life was not that easy without parents when you are staying far and additionally in our campus the phone network was so poor that made it more difficult unless and until I switched to Idea. More thanks to Idea as it saved my new relationship several times with it’s lifesaving 10p/min plan… haha… people with less pocket money can easily relate to my situation.
Scene 5: June, 2019
Today is the Orientation day at IIM Raipur, after 4 years in corporate I decided to pursue business management course. After lot of hard work am here, dadu would have been proud of me. Standing In front of the mirror wearing a proper business formal, I even started liking myself more ..haha.. though it was not the same story few weeks back when I was running from store to store to find my right formal. It was really tough, thanks to Allen Solley for making me more handsome and presentable. Life is waiting for me for the next step, hope like always it will be there beside me on my upcoming journey.
You must have realized now, how a simple journey can be influenced in every steps of life by the true friends and support. Like all of you am also a living example, who would like to take the opportunity to thank one of my well-wisher ‘Aditya Birla Group’ for making the dream real and big.
‘The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep’ – Robert Frost
The Story I Lived
‘Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved’ – Helen Keller
For the approximately 1 percent of the world’s population who suffer from stuttering, simple social situations can be a humiliating experience. There’s a constant worry that you’ll be called on in class, the terror of public speaking and, of course, the relentless bullying that comes with being a kid with a speech impediment. Yes, I was one of them!
Stammering since the age of 4 has been a challenge in various stages of my life and the transition from primary to secondary school was not an easy move. The fact that there were many pupils in secondary school was a daunting concept; because it meant that I was more likely to be bullied about my stammer. I was often teased about my stammer which at times made me feel angry towards myself and that somehow I was at fault. My parents used to tell me to calm down and speak slowly but they never seemed to quite understand. Why would they? Not many people are aware of what a stammer is.
My journey through secondary school was not as difficult as other individuals who stammer have reported. I was lucky enough to have a supportive network of friends, coupled with the quality of confidence I gained while performing Drama at school, which I believe is an integral trait to have when it comes to your stammer. Fast forward to the age of 13 (when one naturally becomes more conscious about appearance and self-aware), I finally decided to seek help from the NHS (National Health Service) regarding my stammer. I received a phone call for my first therapy session and in retrospect, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. It was the first time in 13 years that I was finally able to open up to someone about my stammer. Therapy helped me realize that the quicker you accept your stammer, the quicker you can move on. And that’s exactly what I did. I stopped caring.
Moreover, stuttering can cause severe anxiety, stress, and depression in people like us. However, being afflicted with a stutter needn’t hold you back from chasing your dreams. Though stutter keeps bothering me some days, I noticed it disappear when I was acting as someone else, possibly was inspiring me to pursue acting in the first place. Another way that I managed to cope is by integrating aspects of my stammer into my acting - for example, the over articulation of certain sounds, which helps overcome difficult consonants.
And finally, it pays off! After 12 years in professional theatre, after a lot of embarrassment and awkward situations, one fine morning I realized I have overcome my fear and that was just a start for me. I won 2 times the best actor award from Academic of Fine Arts as well I won several state and district level competitions on both Drama & Recitation. I believe a story that you have lived is the best story to believe.
Joe Biden once wrote, “You can beat it just like I did. When you do, you will be a stronger man for having won.”
#IIMRaipur #ABGLPWooMe
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