The joy of solving a problem - a few thoughts

The joy of solving a problem - a few thoughts

Aniruddha Sarkar

18 September 2022

Like any other kid, I was also a very sport-loving chap during childhood.

So, when my parents wanted me to take a rest after lunch on a weekend, I would escape their eyes and exit home.

As I looked up, there were kites flying in the sky. I could see my friend, Batul (his good name Shantimoy), on their rooftop, flying kites. I would join him. They did not have a staircase to climb to their rooftop. Batul would guide me on how to climb on the top like a spider.

My lessons on all other myriad sports were also along similar lines. I also learned to play marbles, dang-gooli (game of tip-cat), etc., from Batul.

Thus, friends of various interests would call me from all directions. I also joined the game of cricket and play with tennis balls, at the call of Babua, Bhai (his good name Shankar), and Hiralal, my three other childhood friends.

They appreciated my left-handed bowling and right-handed batting. I was on top of the world.

These three friends also introduced me to the world of football. I thus incurred permanent injuries on both my knees. My parents would only know if I limped at home.

Up to class seven standard, after-school sports with my village friends in very large neighborhood playgrounds had been a wonderful experience.

Those days were full of #freedom and #togetherness.

Then, I was promoted to standard eight.

Now, the mathematics book was thicker. Many science subjects crept in. Literature, history, geography, social science, etc., subjects suddenly became tougher.

I realized that from now onward, I have to be more focused on my studies.

Suddenly my playmates found that I am not responding to their calls at all, especially during afternoons.

My sisters used to tell them Babla (my nickname) is now busy. He is practicing mathematics for his higher classes. Those friends would physically verify by reaching our 1st-floor room where I was studying. They would usually find me solving problems. They would leave without making any noise.

What happened to me?

My dearest friends were calling me, but I did not respond.

Yes, something has happened.

I started solving mathematical problems myself, unaided!!

What a great feeling of being independent in arithmetic.

As I started solving problems in algebra and coordinate geometry myself, I gained further confidence in mathematics.

In a few special cases, I used to take the help of my mentor, Sri Jagadiswar Samajdwar.

By the next year, I gained the capability to sit for ten to twelve hours continuously and solve all the test paper mathematics papers in a day or two.

That was the period from 1971 to 1974.

While in standard ninth, I also could learn algebra and coordinate geometry reasonably well. My learning interests increased.

From an outdoor game-loving boy, I completely transformed myself into a mathematical problem-solving boy, all by myself, of course, with some aid from my mentors.

My school teachers, my cousin-brother, and my private tutor used to supply me with a lot of supplementary books for solving mathematical problems.

Like a Yogi, I would silently keep trying, hour after hour.

In the next two years, I qualified for classes, ten and eleven. My private tutor left for his higher academic pursuits.

My mathematics paper and other science subjects became tougher.

In a village environment, there was hardly any support.

And, again, because of political disturbances, a few of our science teachers could not attend school properly.

However, I had been in a state of mind where no barrier was going to stop me.

My elders would say, why are you focusing only on science subjects? Also, read your other subjects. Yes, that was true. But my time distribution was still 70% vs. 30%.

Why?

I suddenly could find a great passion for science subjects.

I relinquished everything. All time spent on sports was a thing of the past. All literary pursuits came to a halt for a while.

And finally, I passed out with a reasonable score on the School Leaving Board Exam.

Was it #persistence?

Was it #passion?

Was it single-minded #attention to #learning, ignoring all impediments?

Was it a #joy of #solving an #unknown #problem?

Was it #attention #to #detail?

Was it #self #punishing, #self #denial: ignoring sleep, appetite, tiredness, noise from the external world, putting self-inflicted isolation to achieve something?

Was it a #pursuit #of #excellence?

Today, my take:

It was all the above.

So I suggest:

You, the student within you, #push #yourself as much as you can.

And #internalize the #joy of #solving a #problem #yourself.

Everything else will fall in place in life.

During my professional life, I remained a problem solver.

I never tried to be a Person Manager, Number Cruncher, Top Notch Executive.

Because that was not in my DNA.

I am happy today.

All along, I continued to be a #problem #solver and a #solution #provider.

Probably, that was #in #my #DNA.

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