Story: Looking Glasses - a few thoughts

Story: Looking Glasses - a few thoughts

Aniruddha Sarkar

08 October 2023

There are many types of looking glasses that people use.

Young people may sometimes put on a few fancy colourful glasses that look good.

A few are fond of black goggles that may bring them an extra layer of dignified look.

A few prefer special kinds of glasses that have silver-coloured frames. People may think of them as intellectuals.

***** ***** *****

There are many such spectacles with varied shapes of frames and colourful glasses that may suggest what kind of person we are.

I thought this was more of a fun.

Then, one day, something happened.

I received an interview call letter from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Government of India, to appear for an interview after I wrote an exam and got shortlisted. That was sometime around 1982.

Those days, I was working in a PSU Steel Plant as a Junior Manager (Systems) at the Steel Plant’s Mainframe Computer Center.

I packed my bag and reached New Delhi.

There was a medical screening round in the Northern Railway Hospital at Pahar Ganj locality.

The medical screening started at 9 a.m. sharp.

There was a large gathering of almost a hundred participants from across the country.

A group of Military Doctors started screening us in different batches.

They were very strict and stern-looking. We had to undergo all kinds of medical tests and screening by those stern-looking doctors till one o’clock.

Things were going okay for me. At the fag end, I had a jolt.

My eyesight was not okay. I had myopia; I was told.

That meant I was out of contention!

As a result, the next day, I could not attend the interview.

In a flash, I had an idea.

I approached the stern-looking doctor and sincerely thanked him for sensitizing me about my eyesight problem, which I was not aware of.

Then I appealed to him to allow me some time so that I could quickly consult a doctor, get a pair of glasses, and come back to reappear for a second test.

The stern-looking military eye surgeon took a few seconds and told me, you must come back within the next half an hour.

I said okay and rushed out. Another competitor, Rohit, called me from behind.

Rohit asked, what happened?

I told him I needed to get a spectacle immediately and reappear for the test. The time is half an hour. I am not familiar with Delhi.

Rohit said, follow me.

He said, look, I work here in Delhi. I belong to UP. From the entire North India, only you and I have qualified. I know this place. You follow me. There is a marketplace nearby. You shall get a doctor there.

We had no time. Rohit and I ran towards that place.

I stormed into the chamber of the Eye Surgeon who was examining a patient.

I explained my predicament and requested him to suggest me glasses.

The doctor asked the current patient to wait for a while. He tested my eyesight and prescribed the power of my glasses.

Then, Doctor himself came out of his chamber and took me to an adjoining shop and pulled up the half-down shutter himself.

That was lunchtime. The owner was having food from his lunchbox. The gentleman stood up at attention as we approached.

The doctor told him, this is the power. Immediately give this boy a pair of ready-made glasses with this power.

Then the doctor left. I still possess the prescription of Dr Bindra, an incarnation of God Supreme!

What a great personality! What a great Human Being! My heartfelt gratitude to you, sir.

Luckily, the shop owner searched and found a round-shaped silver-coloured frame fitted with the exact lenses that could correct my vision.

He hesitantly showed me the frame. My God, I could read the tiniest letters!

The glasses were round. These were the type of glasses that people used to wear in the early days. However, such glasses were out of fashion in 1982. I could understand his hesitation. I told him, ‘Chalega’ in Hindi, meaning, this shall do.

I had hardly any time left. I rushed back. The Military Eye Surgeon was waiting for me in the Northern Railway Hospital.

He took another test and cleared me!

In his stern look, I could find a tinge of compassion. Sincere regards, Sir. You detected for the first time, I had an eyesight issue.

***** ***** *****

At two o’clock sharp, we all again assembled in the main hall.

All the doctors on the Medical Board were present.

In the front row, I sat with Rohit by my side. Thank You, O God, for sending me such a Good Samaritan, a newfound friend. Like an angel, Rohit appeared from nowhere in the nick of time. He went out of his way and helped me. He skipped his lunch, too.

The medical board called out a few names one by one.

These candidates had some ailments that needed immediate attention.

The medical board advised them to return home as soon as possible and quickly pursue medical treatment.

Those candidates were in tears.

The rest of the candidates got cleared for the next day’s interview. I was also lucky to be among them.

***** ***** *****

I did reasonably well in the interview.

Subsequently, the police station near my workplace conducted verification.

A constable from the local police station came to my workplace.

He was expecting some gratification. He said he would send a good report. As a courtesy, I offered him a special office lunch.

However, I refused to pay him any bribe. I said I would visit the police station myself.

My senior colleagues counselled me.

They suggested that if I wish to continue working in high technology areas, then I should preferably stay back in the industry.

If I join IES, the Indian Engineering Services, then my administrative and technology-related policy-framing activities may increase.

I stayed back.

***** ***** *****

Those above episodes passed off.

However, I had a new irritation.

Everyone among my colleagues and friends started calling me ‘Subhas Chandra Bose’.

They found some commonality with the round-shaped glasses that this great pre-independence day leader, Subhas Chandra Bose, used.

I awkwardly realized my round-shaped glasses were stereotyping me with this great national hero.

I never knew looking glasses could make such a difference.

***** ***** *****

Before I end this story, I would like to mention here one important point.

From that day of the above episode, my sense of gratitude for the Delhi Megapolis went sky high.

“Salaam Delhi.”

You are so sensitive. You are so humane.

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