Remembering other coaches> Mr Khatri
Remembering Mr Khatri
Your mail remind me of an regretful incident and I wish we were as sensitive in eighties and nineties!
It so happened that I had to go and collect my Degree Certificate from admin office after two decades from graduation. I showed myself , told my roll number and a new employee in her twenties produced my certificate in a jiffy. But she would not part with it till I showed her some identity .
I was an out of towner and had nothing on me . But the lady was bright and asked me if I could find someone on the campus who would know me personally! I imagine , with all your batch mates out of school , who would know you personally and remember after 20 years ? But I used all my memories and started taking names of a few people whom I thought would know me personally .
A lady from administration who used to give me my scholar ship , my two HODs , a PG student who helped me with my project , a Professor whose experimental IC Engine was burned by me [ surely by mistake !] – – I went on rattling names and she went on checking with her own memories and that of her seniors around . No clue – – most were retired or unknown.
Then I suddenly remembered Mr Khatri , my Gymnastics Coach whose team I had captained for three years . I almost shouted his name and the lady quietly took my signature , handed over the Certificate and with some faint comment [which I did not hear] , turned around and walked away.
I went straight to the Gym to find that our Dear Khatri Sabu had passed away a few years ago !
And although in my forties , I almost cried!
Chandrashekhar Dasnurkar