Recently, I happened to see a video clip on a fifty years old story. It was about a young engineer, who rebuilt the Pamban bridge, which was torn into scraps by wind and waves. He did this job within 46 days. This was the first Indian sea bridge built in 1914, connecting Mandapam in mainland India with Pamban island and Rameswaram. The young engineer was E Sreedharan who was only 31 while doing this. Reconstruction of this sea bridge was a big challenge which he could accomplish unbelievably fast.
There always are stunning stories of determination and will with which people create miracles. Construction of the famous Brooklyn Bridge was just one example. Chief Engineer Washington was paralysed in an accident that happened at the site
All that he could move was just a finger. He wrote his instructions on the palm of his wife with this finger and thus completed the bridge that reached the other side of the ocean.
Another thrilling story is that of Jean-Dominique Bauby, who was the author and editor of the French fashion magazine ‘Elle’. One day Bauby suffered a cerebrovascular seizure and when he woke up in the hospital after a few weeks, all that he could do was blink his left eyelid. He planned a blinking code and thus wrote the book, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” At one time, it was the best seller in Europe. It all raises the big question – what is impossible?
The new generation continues to swim in troubled waters. They haven’t the capacity to envision possibilities everywhere.
We always love to blame somebody for everything – sometimes ourselves. There is an Indian woman whom I salute with respect. Her name is Baby Halder. She is an Indian most known for her autobiography, Aalo Aandhari which describes her harsh life as a domestic worker. This book was translated into 24 languages and could fetch many awards – national and international. From W. Bengal she reached Gargaon in Delhi, to the house of anthropology professor Prabodh Kumar. It was he who motivated her to write her autobiography – a chain of exploitation stories. Prof. Prabodh Kumar had seen her trying to read books while cleaning his library room. Not only he allowed her to read her choice books but also gave a notebook asking her to write about her experiences. That’s how she began her ‘Aalo Andhari’ (Bengali), which was followed by ‘Eshast Rupantar’. Though not been to school for long, she is an acknowledged writer today. See the difference that the words spoken by Pro. Prabodhkumar could make. Never under evaluate the power of encouraging words.
Franklin Roosevelt, was President of United States for four times. He was paralysed from the waist down by polio before running for office.
The story of Tom Cruise the Hollywood actor is stunning. He is the highest paid actor in the world. According to 2012 statistics, 20 of his films have grossed in excess of $200 million. He grew up in near poverty. Tom Cruise himself have described his abusive father, ‘merchant of chaos’. Tom grew up beaten and kicked by his own father. The winners always had the necessary ‘will’ and clear goals with them.
