I want to share a story, a real life story about someone I met last year. Yup, a post pending from one year! Today, I am in the right mood to share it with you all since they never fail to inspire me. Ok, now into the details:
The year was mid 90's when software just started to take off a big way all over the world.
A mechanical engineer from IIT and postgraduate from US university was working in US as a software engineer along with his wife who is a product of IISc (bangalore).
Guess what would the couple be doing NOW??
Well a fair guess would be the person would have become a CTO or a Divison head "enjoying" life in the US with a big house, a big car and most probably a green card!
Well if that was the case I would not be telling you this story!
So here is what they are doing:
They live in a thatched roof hut in a small tribal hamlet off a small village in INDIA practicing agriculture, encouraging afforestation, working on water conservation and learning about traditional ayurvedic medicines and all this by CHOICE!
Mr Nagesh and Aparna are the couple I am referring. I am fortunate to meet them in person and "experience" their hospitality and life style over a weekend. This is the first time in my life I came across such an idealistic people! The couple came back to India in late 90's and started living in a hamlet with the tribals and took up agriculture, experimented and worked with another visionary of the village.
Later they formed a forest protection committee along with villagers and started afforestation. They had dedicated some acres of land to plant commercial trees, the yield of which can be taken back by the committee and benefit the villagers. They went through lot of tough times. I personally saw the place and witnessed the land and the trees. Besides these I practically saw how check dams and rock filled dams can prevent soil erosion.
The live in a simple house, with basic amenities. Their daughter Turiya goes to nearby village school along with the children of the hamlet, far from the cartoons, sops, theme parks etc, yet brilliant and speaks impressive English since her mother tutors her along with the kids in the hamlet. I learnt how simple life can one live, how humble a person can be, how committed an individual can be, how idealistic one can be!
That made me think, what do I want out of life?What stops us from being dedicated for a cause? I know each of us had our own commitments, promises and things that keep us sticking to our current life. But sometimes I feel there are more things one can do in life than we can think of! Being simple is no easy job, I would say, being idealistic is even tougher!Kudos to the couple and may god bless them with more good things!
The year was mid 90's when software just started to take off a big way all over the world.
A mechanical engineer from IIT and postgraduate from US university was working in US as a software engineer along with his wife who is a product of IISc (bangalore).
Guess what would the couple be doing NOW??
Well a fair guess would be the person would have become a CTO or a Divison head "enjoying" life in the US with a big house, a big car and most probably a green card!
Well if that was the case I would not be telling you this story!
So here is what they are doing:
They live in a thatched roof hut in a small tribal hamlet off a small village in INDIA practicing agriculture, encouraging afforestation, working on water conservation and learning about traditional ayurvedic medicines and all this by CHOICE!
Mr Nagesh and Aparna are the couple I am referring. I am fortunate to meet them in person and "experience" their hospitality and life style over a weekend. This is the first time in my life I came across such an idealistic people! The couple came back to India in late 90's and started living in a hamlet with the tribals and took up agriculture, experimented and worked with another visionary of the village.
Later they formed a forest protection committee along with villagers and started afforestation. They had dedicated some acres of land to plant commercial trees, the yield of which can be taken back by the committee and benefit the villagers. They went through lot of tough times. I personally saw the place and witnessed the land and the trees. Besides these I practically saw how check dams and rock filled dams can prevent soil erosion.
The live in a simple house, with basic amenities. Their daughter Turiya goes to nearby village school along with the children of the hamlet, far from the cartoons, sops, theme parks etc, yet brilliant and speaks impressive English since her mother tutors her along with the kids in the hamlet. I learnt how simple life can one live, how humble a person can be, how committed an individual can be, how idealistic one can be!
That made me think, what do I want out of life?What stops us from being dedicated for a cause? I know each of us had our own commitments, promises and things that keep us sticking to our current life. But sometimes I feel there are more things one can do in life than we can think of! Being simple is no easy job, I would say, being idealistic is even tougher!Kudos to the couple and may god bless them with more good things!
