An excellent person

10th June 2007. I took a train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. My 4th term was going to begin on the next day. It was a day train which started at 5:45 or so. Reached the station well in time and checked if my name was on the list pasted in the compartment. I did the regular boy thingy - checked out who was sitting next to me. Male. 80 years. Sank (Heart).

He was neatly dressed. Looked quite healthy. In fact, he was wearing trousers with shirt neatly tucked in. He looked like he was in his late 60's.

It was almost 4 or 5 hours into the journey that we started talking. You know - all the scare about biscuit robbers successfully delay us from connecting with co-passengers. "Rail Sneham" used to be a beautiful, sweet concept till about 15 years ago before the ruckus started.

He was a freedom fighter. He has participated in the 1942 "Quit India Movement". He has been jailed several times. It was a weird feeling to realize that this stranger has in his own slightest way contributed to my status as the citizen of an independent country.

At the age of +/- 42, he has migrated to the US. He has reached the land of opportunities with $100 in his pocket. Things would have been so different in those days. It must have been a land of total strangers. Today, nowhere in the world would an Indian be a stranger - there is bound to be another Indian within a radius of 10 meters ;-)

Soon after going there, he has set up a retail outlet. It was a 1700 sq. ft. shop by the time he sold it. He said that he has been involved in 7 hold ups where he was held at gun point by the small time burglers.

A Gujju who set up a retail outlet in US ... No marks for guessing that he lived in New Jersey ;-)

A widower at the age of 25 - he has single handedly raised his two children. He has never drunk alcohol or smoked.

He had so many things to say and if I can take home only one thing - it would be this : ALWAYS BE FEARLESS.

Be F.E.A.R.L.E.S.S: You must have seen how vehement the 80 year old man pronounced that word. Why should anybody be afraid? - was his matter of factly question. Each day - Do what you fear doing the most - there is no better way to improve the self. Talking to strangers ... Cracking that probability question ... Talking to your boss for that pay hike ... Venturing out on your own ... You name it and he asks the same question.

What do you have to loose? What else can explain the attitude of a man in his 40's to go to US and set up a business of his own.

He was even saying that we should not fear the loss of a loved one. Who knows - they may have reached a better place. It basically arises from the fear of death. Death is just another word for "eternal sleep". Why mourn if your loved one has reached another stage which is probably better? - was his question.

"BE FEARLESS" were his last words to me before he got down in Surat. It was a reminder for the treasure trove of wisdom and experience vested with the elders in the society.