<div>My inspiration has been my father. He has had a profound influence on me. His family mig-rated from Lahore to Mukerian in Punjab after the partition. My father’s childhood was not an easy one, being a motherless child, in those turbulent times. He went to a local school. He was in the section B. Most of the other students in his section belonged to nearby villages. On the other hand, the students of section A were city-bred. There was a lot of rivalry between the two. <br /><br />My father was the shortest boy in his class. However, being quite spirited, he couldn’t be browbeaten by the tall and hefty ruffians of section A. Due to his academic proficiency, he came to be held in high esteem by other students of his section. All hopes were pinned on him for the high school examination. When he topped, his friends were jubilant and took him on a victory march around the marketplace, taking personal pride in his achievement. <br /><br />He got admission in the most coveted college of Punjab at Jalandhar. The boy, who had to crane his neck to see the blackboard, suddenly gained height much to the surprise of all. His boyish rawness was replaced by a new sophistication, making him a suave and urbane young man. He was elected the Hostel Prefect. While there, he noticed the kit-chen boys did not have any warm clothing. Moved by their plight, my father requested all hostellers to contribute money to buy jerseys to protect the boys from the biting cold. My father always had a philanthropic concern for others.<br /><br />Soon after his college education, he joined the Indian Air Force. He was posted as the Commanding Officer at an Air Force unit in Punjab. He organised evening classes for airmen so that they could complete their graduation privately. That would likely open new <br />avenues to them. To promote camaraderie among the unit personnel, he had an open-air theatre built where cultural activities were held in the evenings. During the day, the green room would function as a library.<br /><br />Now, he has retired but that does not mean he has lost his zest for life. He is a nature lover and believes that gardening is therapeutic. He diligently prepares flowerbeds, sows saplings and when the plants are in full bloom, he is delighted. He is now teaching his grandson the values he has instilled in us. He takes him for long walks in the neighbourhood parks, pointing a bewitching flower here and an unusual bird there. They are, undoubtedly, good company for each other – one benefits from his wisdom and the other relives his childhood. <br /><br /></div>
<div>My inspiration has been my father. He has had a profound influence on me. His family mig-rated from Lahore to Mukerian in Punjab after the partition. My father’s childhood was not an easy one, being a motherless child, in those turbulent times. He went to a local school. He was in the section B. Most of the other students in his section belonged to nearby villages. On the other hand, the students of section A were city-bred. There was a lot of rivalry between the two. <br /><br />My father was the shortest boy in his class. However, being quite spirited, he couldn’t be browbeaten by the tall and hefty ruffians of section A. Due to his academic proficiency, he came to be held in high esteem by other students of his section. All hopes were pinned on him for the high school examination. When he topped, his friends were jubilant and took him on a victory march around the marketplace, taking personal pride in his achievement. <br /><br />He got admission in the most coveted college of Punjab at Jalandhar. The boy, who had to crane his neck to see the blackboard, suddenly gained height much to the surprise of all. His boyish rawness was replaced by a new sophistication, making him a suave and urbane young man. He was elected the Hostel Prefect. While there, he noticed the kit-chen boys did not have any warm clothing. Moved by their plight, my father requested all hostellers to contribute money to buy jerseys to protect the boys from the biting cold. My father always had a philanthropic concern for others.<br /><br />Soon after his college education, he joined the Indian Air Force. He was posted as the Commanding Officer at an Air Force unit in Punjab. He organised evening classes for airmen so that they could complete their graduation privately. That would likely open new <br />avenues to them. To promote camaraderie among the unit personnel, he had an open-air theatre built where cultural activities were held in the evenings. During the day, the green room would function as a library.<br /><br />Now, he has retired but that does not mean he has lost his zest for life. He is a nature lover and believes that gardening is therapeutic. He diligently prepares flowerbeds, sows saplings and when the plants are in full bloom, he is delighted. He is now teaching his grandson the values he has instilled in us. He takes him for long walks in the neighbourhood parks, pointing a bewitching flower here and an unusual bird there. They are, undoubtedly, good company for each other – one benefits from his wisdom and the other relives his childhood. <br /><br /></div>
