"BE BOLD, STAY REAL" - to reach your dreams and goals

All parents instill good values in their children. Along with good values,  they teach some life skills too.  Like many parents, my parents too have instilled good values  and skills in us.  Like for instance, anytime we face a tough situation, my parents have said in my mother tongue” Idhuvum kadandu pogum” which translates to ’’this too shall pass” meaning that the tough situation too shall pass.  Similarly, whenever I have feared something,  my parents would say  “You have to fear only when you have done something wrong, else stay fearless  and be genuine”. When I lose any contest, they would encourage me with " failure is the stepping stone" and so on.

These and many such values and skills   like “Be bold, be real”  and others are ingrained into me . They  come handy for me in life whenever I face tough situations.

I recall here an incident especially this has been refreshed in my memory eversince I saw the movie “ 3 idiots”.

The year 1991,  I had cleared one of the central government competitive examination.  It was time for the personal interview.  The venue was Cauvery Bhavan, 4^th floor in Bangalore’s KG road.  There were a few more candidates with me in the waiting room who had cleared the examination and each one of us were called by turns.

 I was in the midst of Jeffrey Archer’s “Shall we tell the President?” when my name was called for the interview. The loud second call walked  me towards the interview cabin. 

Whenever I  have faced an important interview , unlike many I am not nervous or don’t bite my nails. My parents mantra “ If god be with you, who can be against you” comes to my aid.

With those words ringing in my ears, I entered the cabin . Inside were seated not one, two or three but 5 senior officers of Intelligence Bureau.

 I  faced the many questions that were posed to me ranging from my hometown, politics,  educational background, my field of specialization etc.,  all with a genuine smile on my face. I replied to some and for some I boldly told them with a broad smile that I did not know the answer. But one question on politics which I gave a genuine answer was cross examined by all the five one after the other.  And I replied boldly  without giving up my stand and genuinely  cited the reasons.   After the interview I walked out of the room with a  smile and confidence. The confidence that I would not get the job for being adamant on my stand.I was sure they would have read my strong belief as audacity or arrogance.

But guess what?

Two weeks later,  I got a  call letter asking me to join the training camp at Shivpuri  in Madhyapradesh as “ Trainee Assistant Central Intelligence officer”. I was surprised but proud i made into a prestigious Indian government organization.

It is an other story that I did not accept the offer since I was not keen on a Government job. My passion those days was electronics. But the reason,  I believe why I got the job was because I followed my parents mantra “Be Bold, stay real”.

I am also glad like many parents they did not push me to accept the offer and respected my passion.  I have passed on these baton of values to my children. Hope they and I follow them till our end.

The incident where Sharman joshi faces the interview board in the climax of ‘3 idiots” refreshed this incident and many such incidents makes me strongly believe that values like “ Be bold, stay real”  in any arena like politics, arts,  science, society, health or in real life will help you reach your dreams and goals.  

I am writing on Be Bold Stay real at Blogadda