Memory lane ..

..walking down memory lane!

Since I topped NDMC's Hindi Noting & Drafting Competition thrice consecutively, they were planning to honour me with a Silver Medal. However, I resigned from the civic body before the function and joined Indian Airlines, initially at Srinagar. Here, I began to get their telegrams to make arrangements to reach in time to get the award as "you have to come on the stage first of all". Being on probation, I couldn't make it. Sometime later, our OLIC team visited Srinagar and noticed my small achievements. Had I informed them of my First Prize, I would have been granted special leave and passage to get the same (they told me) that I collected much later. They published my brief profile in our news letter "Image". I was then also deputed as part-time Hindi Translator besides my normal duties as a Traffic Assistant. In 1987, our Srinagar station was awarded the Rajbhasha Trophy for best Hindi work. The Trophy was given to the then Station Manager, Mr. R. Rai by the Lt. Governor at Chandigarh. On his return, Mr Rai gave me two photos of receiving the award which are still with me and being shared with his approval. I also received an appreciation letter in this regard. A special 4-page Souvenir was also published later.