Thrivikramji wins General's prize, 1959. My surprise in the high school !

ut" a#ter leaving the $% &igh $chool at 'ow(iar, Trivan(rum was earning the !est !oy awar( ) a.k.a the General's *rize, +t was given to me in ,ov.1959 !y the &ea( Master o# the school, $hri - - .ajaiah. This was institute( in the previous year, when a $alvation %rmy General) a /ritish citizen pai( a visit to our school. ,ow the #ull story. + le#t high school in the %0 1959, to stu(y college an( joine( the +nterme(iate 1ollege , Trivan(rum in May 1959. +n #act the course + went through was an one year !ri(ge course !etween college an( high school. $ay !y ,ov., 1959, + ha( wor( #rom the school that + have a prize waiting to !e collecte( an( was with the hea( master o# the school. +n #act, my !rother 2alsan !roke the news in one evening chat session. 3ate *1 -ohn sir a har(core task master who !elieve( in the stick more than the carrot, an( my !rothers #rien( was the one who conveye( the goo( news. The #ollowing (ay or so on my way !ack #rom college + went to my ol( high school an( to the &ea( Master's o##ice to collect the prize. + was sort o# stresse( to approach the hea( master. +n my three yearlong school (ays, + was in his o##ice room only once. +n general all those trou!le maker ki(s line( up in #ront o# hea( masters o##ice to get punishe(, i.e., nothing else than say three or si4 cane lashes (elivere( !y the &ea(master himsel#. 3uckily + was not that mischievous an( stoo( short o# earning cane lashes. 5n reaching his o##ice (oor, + #igure( that he was in an( so so#tly aske( in Malayalam i# + coul( go in. The answer was yes, an( the moment he notice( me he sporte( a pleasing smile, an( aske( how my stu(ies went in the college. + replie( that it was not (i##icult a#ter the #irst week an( + un(erstoo( all the lectures even though the me(ium was strictly 6nglish. &ea( master then opene( his ta!le (rawer an( pulle( out a thick !ook with a re()an()!lack wrapper. + was tol( that it was a prize #or me, + can have it an( take it home. Then + was aske( to pick it up as it was the prize + earne(. To my surprise, it was a 1ham!ers 78th 1entury 6nglish 9ictionary : weighing roughly two poun(s. +n(ee( + #elt very prou( o# me. The hea( teacher, Mr. -.ajayah, signe( the citation that was paste( in the insi(e #ront cover. &e wishe( me great luck in my college stu(ies an( wante( me to work har( to achieve !etter trophies in the stu(ies as well as in the li#e that lay ahea(. The la!el paste( insi(e the #ront cover rea( like ;This awar( is presente( to Thrivikramji. '.*. a#ter having !een nominate( !y the teachers as the !est !oy o# the school in the %0 1959; an( !ore the signature o# the &ea( Master Mr - - .alaiah, There was one other girl who earne( the same prize, an( + guess she was 9r" *.'.$arala who stu(ie( with my woul( !e wi#e in the Me(ical 1ollege, Trivan(rum. + was very prou( o# the prize an( the (ictionary, which staye( with me #or several (eca(es in my o##ice (esk an( later in my home, where my son was going through the school classes. <inally the (ictionary was given away to a mem!er o# o# my M$c class in the university park at 'ariavattom. + (iscovere( the poor wor( power o# a young man in my class. 5n en=uiry, + (iscovere( that he (i( not have a (ictionary nor he was in a position to a##or( one. + tol( him i# a (ictionary woul( help him he woul(

!e #ree to have it #rom o##ice. the one #rom my o##ice. %lso + a((e( that he nee( not give an answer to me, an( he coul( think over the o##er an( +# he (eci(e( to have it , he can collect it later. +n a (ay or two he came !ack to my o##ice an( collecte( the (ictionary. %#ter his (egree he continue( his stu(ies an( later joine( the oil in(ustry. + !elieve that this young man is working an( living well in some part o# the large worl(. ))))))))))))))