Relishing the sweet taste of success

From the albums

I came to Bengaluru in the summer of 1963. I was barely ten years old then. Thanks to my uncle, the late Charamakki Narayana Shetty, I landed in Baldwin Boys’ High School. I had spent the first 10 years of my life in a remote village called Shankaranarayana in Kundapur taluk of South Canara district and did not know a word of English. So the transition was a cultural shock for me as I was shifted from a remote village to a so-called ‘European School’.

I was admitted to the first standard and since I had no relatives in Bengaluru, I was put in a hostel. So the experience was all the more shocking. As I had no choice, I slowly and steadily adapted to the situation.

Back then, Bengaluru was really a sleepy hill station. I still remember sitting on the compound wall of our school along with my friends and counting the occasional cars that would pass by on Hosur Road. We did not have fans in any of the classrooms or even the hostel as the weather was cool and pleasant throughout the year.

On Saturdays, the boys who lived in the hostel were allowed to go out for a movie. So we always looked forward to it. We would dress up in our uniforms and walk to one of the nearby theatres to watch a movie. On our way back, we would invariably visit Hotel Breeze on Brigade Road to enjoy a ‘masala dosa’ and a cup of tea. We would also listen to our favourite songs thanks to the jukebox.

As I was staying in the hostel, I had the opportunity to play all the games
like hockey, football and cricket. The inter school matches that took place in these games were very exciting. The matches between the Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, St Joseph’s Boys’ High School and St Germain High School were always very close.
In the year 1970, when I happened to be the captain of the school football team, we won the inter-school football cup. There was great joy and celebrations as we were victorious after many years and I still treasure this picture that was clicked on
November 8, 1970.

While doing my pre-university at St Joseph’s College, I used to walk to college from Lavelle Road and to Bangalore Medical College, I cycled all the way which today might sound ridiculous.

Today, I am an eye surgeon and the founder chairman of Narayana Nethralaya. I have lived in Bengaluru for the last 52 years and I have always been in love with it. The more I travel out, the more I value my city.

In spite of all its shortcomings, I feel it is still the best city in the world. Bengaluru has given me everything and I truly feel that one lifetime is not enough to pay back to the City for all the things that it has given me.