Professional…….

Subroto Bagchi, the current chairman of Mindtree consulting describes a professional as one who can work un-supervised, One who can certify his/her work completion and one who is competent in his/her work and executes it with integrity. I consider myself very fortunate to have Mr Bagchi as my customer and have been very lucky to have interacted with him many times.

I am not sure if i can call myself a professional. I have received myriad feedback on my work , many positive but few negatives as well. I have always tried to do my work to the best of my ability. But I still feel I am not doing complete justice to the word “professional” .

I have met many people from many different walks of life. Many professionals in the true sense of the term and many mediocre as well.

Early this week, we decided to drive to the beautiful Malnad hills to experience the Monsoon. Rain gods showered more blessings than we had asked for. Incessant heavy rains accompanied us throughout the drive from Mysore to Somwarpet to Madikeri and Kukke Subramanya. Life was thrown out of gear in entire Madikeri district. Hundreds of electric poles were damaged, Many trees uprooted . Schools and colleges were closed . Many roads were cut off for traffic.

Inside Mercera Fort

We were forced to stay in Madikeri on Wednesday (24 June ) en route Kukke Subramanya from Somwarpet. It was a very pleasant stay in one of the well known hotels in Madikeri. The next day morning, I went out for a walk to Mercera fort at 7:30 AM. As soon as I got out of my hotel, it started raining heavily. I managed to walk enjoying the rains.

The Mercera fort now belongs to the Archeology Department. Till very recently, the office of the Deputy commissioner of Madikeri district was inside the fort Mercera. Almost all offices have been shifted out.

I took shelter under the portico of the public library next to a tea stall. As i sipped two cups of hot ginger tree enjoying the early morning rains, I met two interesting professionals. One of them denied being photographed and quoted .

Raagini (Name Changed) : Raagini works as librarian at the Mahatma Gandhi public Library inside fort Mercera. The Library opens at 9:00 AM and Raagini was at her office by 8:20 AM. It was raining so heavily that even walking was difficult on the streets of Madikeri.  Raagini came with her husband in a motor cycle half an hour ahead of time. Enroute she had picked up a bundle of kannada newspaper from the paper boy since the latter had stuck up in the rain.

Raagini said, since the DC office had been shifted, not many people visit the Library for reading newspaper.  The Public would not come anyway because of torrential rain. Picking up News paper on the way, braving the torrential Malnad rains, turning up 30 minutes ahead of time to the government library where very few people show up calls for true dedication and commitment to work. Very glad that such committed individuals are still there in the Government.

Shanthamma

Shanthamma :  Shanthamma works for the Madikeri Municipality. Cleaning up about half of Madikeri’s main town falls under Shanthamma and team.

Shnathamma reports to work at her contractor’s office at 5:50 AM everyday irrespective of weather conditions. Her work goes on up to 1:30 PM non stop. Shanthamma and her team tour more than half of Madikeri’s central business area to collect the municipal waste.

Shanthamma and her team arrived when I was enjoying my tea around 8:30 AM. It was raining very heavily. Her team of three members got out of the truck. All were just having a plastic sheet wrapped around them and a plastic sheet to cover their head. Notwithstanding the rain, they went about their job of collecting waste from the main office building, the garden, the library and the canteen. Shanthamma stood next to me in the shelter outside the small tea shop. She answered my questions. She refused my offer of tea. I was thinking that she is waiting for the rain to stop. But that was not the case. She was waiting for me to finish my tea so that she could take the cup with her. I was amazed by her dedication to work. As son as I finished my tea, even before I could pay the tea vendor, she took my tea-cup and shanthamma and team were on their way to their next destination in the heavy rain.