My first job- some memoirs

My first job-  some memoirs  

By

P.R.Ramachander

 It was way back in 1963,I had completed  eight years  of college education .By that time   whatever little savings   were  there  was exhausted  .We were literally  fighting a battle  of life .It was at this time (I had just completed   23 years of age)  I  got an offer of appointment as a Gazetted officer  (at that time equivalent to an IAS  officer  ) in The arecanut research  station  at Vittal , a small village  near Mangalore. Since this  was considered    extremely lucky, I decided to go and Join the  Institute. I could not afford a new shirt  or new  Chappals . So I , who was next in senior to  the Director  of that small  Institute   arrived there on 19^th  December  1963.  The Institute had send several staff members   to the bus stand to receive me . None of them recognized me   due to my  dress as well as my boyish look .At last  when night  fell one peon recognized that  I was the only one  waiting  for the bus stand. He approached  me   and asked   me whether  I am so and so. As soon as I  affirmed  I was almost taken in a procession to  the Government  guest house  , where  a party was going  on   in honour  of Dr.Pandalai  , the Director  of  Central coconut Research  Station , Kasargode . I was introduced him as the senior most officer   of the Institute . There was awe and surprise  in the faces  of all the guests.  Next day   Dr.Mohan Rao   who was   the Director  of the institute took me to  a dilapidated dark building near the temple    which was the temporary office .DR,Mohan Rao   called the Steno and instructed the steno to take  me to the local temple   and do pooja for my sake  on his behalf. Then he instructed the Steno   to bring  his private paper   and his private  fountain pen  , so that I can  sign the joining report. I was surprised . The first lesson that  I learnt from him was that  in all personal  letters including leave letter  I have to write in my personal  paper.  Then my work started  . That evening Dr.Mohan Rao   asked me to vacate the guest  house  and move with him as  he was  living alone . On 25^th when I was sleeping  , he woke me up and told   that  he normally   went to the church on Christmas .I was terribly surprised . He then showed me his Pooja room where   along with Hindu gods he had kept a picture  of Christ  . Next evening  at home he asked me whether  I  can afford a   not torn slippers and a shirt which is not torn. I was mere boy   at that time   and tears  welled  from my Eyes. On first January  I got my first salary    and he sent me  to Mangalore   to buy a slipper   and shirt .  Though I knew  my father  would be waiting   for money , I had to obey his wishes. After about a year , Dr.Mohan Rao retired  and Dr.Bavappa  who was elder to me became the Director  of The Institute  . He was my very close friend  and  as the senior most officer I learnt lot of administration from him. WE shifted to the new lab   after three  years. . The work done me and Dr.Bavappa   has stood   the test of time  .Many  of what we have done together  are practiced by the arecanut farmers. I left Vittal in 1969  to Coimbatore to join IARI   regional station there. What  a great  Man was my first  Director Mohan Rao and what a great life I had at Vittal.