Where are such people?

Naresh Raj

IT was mid-60s, my father asked me to accompany him to Chandigarh, where he was to attend a meeting of the Board of Studies of Economics at Panjab University. He was the HoD at Government College, Rohtak, and being the seniormost in the region, he was a member of the board. 

The other members were Dr Rangnekar, HoD Economics, Panjab University, and Dr Manmohan Singh, former PM who was a Reader at that time. I was a student of Class VI in Jat School, Rohtak. Just like other children, I preferred skipping school like a carefree bird. Even today, I follow this trait. 

We were staying with Dr Hans Raj, a doyen of mathematics, at his official residence in the university. In those days, the meeting of the Board of Studies usually lasted three days. A day before our departure to Rohtak, Dr Hans Raj took me to see the famous places of Chandigarh. Later, we landed at Babu Brish Bhan’s residence in Sector 8. He was the Deputy Chief Minister, with the education department under his belt. He was a comrade-in-arms of my father, as he had taken an active part in the freedom struggle. Babu Brish Bhan had set up Praja Mandal and my father was its active member. The meeting lasted an hour, with them remembering their old friends. Suddenly, a gentleman arrived with the news that Giani Zail Singh had arrived. Gianiji had also worked in Praja Mandal and was a great admirer of Babu Brish Bhan. They soon submerged themselves in old, unending memories. Gianiji asked Babu Brish Bhan to appoint Prof Saheb (my father) as Vice-Chancellor since the tenure of the VC, Suraj Bhan, was nearing its end. Babu Brish Bhan immediately endorsed the idea, but my father stood up with folded hands, and said he was here to meet his old friends and not to lobby for any favours in the form of a post. 

After a month, Babu Brish Bhan again sent a message to my father, asking him to come and meet him in order to get appointed as the VC of Panjab University. But my father never went there. He preferred to retire as a Principal instead. He never had any regrets for not accepting a friend’s offer. 

I simply wonder how can someone be so honest.