Reflections @60: A Play for Life

This is my 13th post of Reflections@60

Reflections @60: A Play for Life

Academics was only one among the many aspects we learnt during our five year stint at St. Josephs College of Commerce Like in a full meal, the main course was academics. Camaraderie, social sensitivity, and integrity were like the soup, side-dish, and desserts that are cherish long after the meal is over. These values cannot be separated from our beloved teachers who imparted it to us. Even today I can remember many incidents from my college days, fresh as though it happened yesterday.

One of the memorable experiences in our college days was the English class. We witnessed a drama every week in college, performed by the actor par excellence Prof. G K Govinda Rao, our English teacher. He enacted the multiple characters in the play that was prescribed for us. While Macbeth was a favourite play for many, Galileo was the one that captivated me. A dialogue from that play even today rings loud in my ear, ‘A person who does not know the truth is only ignorant, but a person who knows the truth and denies it is a criminal’ accused young Andrea, when Galileo returned after recanting his earlier assertion that the earth was round. The power of his conviction transcended the play and illuminates itself in various situations when I turn a ‘Galileo’ for social or commercial reasons. I hope the awareness that I am not fulfilling my responsibility makes me speak up more often when required for the benefit of all concerned.