CE and the Imp

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Vinod was one of the brightest I taught at IIT KGP. He was also one of the shyest (with me). But I got to know that he was as rowdy as they come in their Halls of Residence. And was one of a crowd of hundred odd ‘Hall-Tempo’ kids involved in one of those Inter-Hall things that happen every decade or so. And ‘awarded’ due punishments like Fines, Library Assistance, Social Service. He swept all the Medals and Prizes of his batch. But, as per rules of the Standing Disciplinary Committee, he would get his Degrees alright but forfeit all his Medals and Prizes as collateral exemplary punishment. Sad!

He left for his Graduate Studies in one of the most sought-after US Universities much before the KGP Convocation could be held. As usual, there was one of those ‘last-minute-strictly-one-off-not-to-be-quoted-as-precedent’ wholesale pardons, and he did get his prizes after all. As the Departmental UG Chairman, it was my pleasure to break the good news to him by e-mail. He was happy, more for his dad than himself.

A good 2 years later, I got an e-mail from Vinod stating that he got his Degree Certificate Register-Posted to his dad’s address at Mughalsarai but not the prizes. Apparently, these have to be collected in person from IIT KGP by someone to whom he mails an Authorization Letter. He waited till his dad, Vianyjee, could get a transfer as Chief Engineer to the sprawling Railway Workshop at KGP. And wrote to me to please help his dad collect the things, mentioning that his dad was shyer than him.

One night I duly got a phone call from Vinayjee profusely apologizing and seeking my help. Apparently this was what happened that day:

Vianyjee parked his Staff Car near the Canteen instead of the Portico and walked up the daunting steps laid by Nehrujee as proudly proclaimed by the inlaid Foundation Stone. He was too shy to flash his Visiting Card and seek help from the Reception, and so toured all possible Sections (except perhaps the Cash and the Recruitment). At the end of two futile hours of merry-go-round, it occurred to him to try the Physics Office. Our courteous and efficient Didi told him where exactly to go and which AR to meet. By the time he reached the labyrinthine sanctum sanctorum, it was Lunch Hour, and was deserted but for a lean and thin gentleman poring over king-size Drawing Sheets spread before him. Vinayjee felt too shy to disturb him and returned to his Railway Workshop CE Office empty-handed.

He didn’t know that for him it was the proverbial ‘slip between the cup and the lip’: the gentleman he backed away from was none other than Tapan-da who has all Students’ Roll Numbers, Names, Halls of Residences, Degrees, Prizes and Medals for his Breakfast, Lunch and Tea. Tapan-da would have sorted out his problem in 2 minutes.

Anyway, I told him to come next day sharp at noon, call me from the Security Entry Gate, park his Staff Car right in the Portico where he would find me waiting. I also promised him that all Medals and Prizes of Vinod would be in his hands in 10 minutes flat.

Next day, I made one of those many trips to Tapan-da and got everything readied to be delivered to Vinayjee by the AR (UG). Vinayjee found me chatting up the Security Guard who clicked his boots and fell to Attention as soon as he saw the Railway Workshop Staff Car, which off-loaded an embarrassed Vinayjee. I took Vinayjee to the relevant AR’s cubicle and, as promised, he got all the shining Medals, gorgeous Certificates and glorious Checks of his son in 10 minutes.

As we were about to take leave, the ‘Imp of the Perverse’ (vide Edgar Ellen Poe) descended on me, and I blurted out that Vinayjee happened to be the newly posted CE of the Railway Workshop. The AR at once stood up, asked us to be re-seated and ordered chai & biscuits. Vinayjee’s face fell; and I excused myself saying that I had a Lecture Class. I don’t know what happened later; but I guess Vianyjee was held up for quite a while and had a grand see-off.

The thousand fly-wheels of the Railway Workshop are forever humming; and most folks at KGP have axes to grind. That was possibly why Vinayjee was trying to visit IIT incognito. …..Sorry, Vinayjee!
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