Born Loser

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1965: IIT KGP:

Born Loser:

I had an offer of Lectureship in AMAL College, Anakapalle.

And then this offer of Associate Lectureship came from IIT KGP...

At first I thought why go so far for a designation lower then close-by.

But then looked into the fine print.

AMAL was giving me a consolidated Rs 250; while IIT KGP was offering nearly double Rs 465.

And AMAL will retire me at 55 while IIT KGP was willing to bear me till 60...(later extended to 62)

The die was cast and I joined IIT KGP on the 1st of May 1965 at the age of 21.

And then I was splurging my entire pay: some on my hostel fees, some sponsoring the education of two of my sisters, one in MBBS and the other in MA, and sending some money home.

At the end of the year my savings were NIL.

And then one day Dr DRR, senior to me by a decade, came to me and asked:

"Did you file your income tax return?"

"No! What is it and where?"

"If you don't file today you won't get your pay next month"

"Oh! No!"

"Come with me to the Old Building. You don't have to do anything. Chakravarty will do everything for you. You have to simply sign the form"

...And there it was first the turn of Dr DRR.

Chakravarty pushed an IT form unto him and asked:

"Name?"

" Dharanipragada Ranga Rao"

"Write down: Your consolidated annual income is Rs 6200. And IT is Rs 620 without deductions. Married?"

"Yes"

"Rs 50 off"

"Kids?"

"Six"

"Go away! Each kid will get a rebate. Your net Income Tax is zero"

"Next!"

"Gurram Prabhakara Sastry"

"Write down: Your consolidated annual income is Rs 5580. Income Tax is Rs 558 without deductions. Married?"

"No'

"Kids?"

"No"

"No relief for you. Go away!"

A decade and half later I triumphantly told Chakravarty:

"I got married. How much IT relief will I get?'

"NIL. Rules have changed. If you or your wife gets sterilized, you will get a Family Planning Increment till you retire or undergo reverse surgery whichever is earlier"

"No, thanks!"

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1975:

Someone told me I can get a refundable PF loan whose interest will be added to my own PF. So I went to the Accounts Section and met the Superintendent Gauri Babu, a nice bhadralog in dhoti-Punjabi.

"Your name?

"GP Sastry"

"Department?'

"Physics"

"Oh! You are the famous gps! Great teacher I hear. Hey! Satya Roy! Here is Dr GP Sastry! Find out how much loan he wants, process it, and deliver the cash at his desk by day after tomorrow without fail"

"A million thanks Gouri Babu!"

"It is ok. Just one thing. Satya Roy's daughter is in her final year Physics BSc (Hons) in the Inda College. She has some doubts to be cleared. She will go to your Qrs thrice a week. Please coach her. She is a nice girl. Hey! Satya Roy!"

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2000: Nellore:

My sister (whose MA  I had sponsored):

"You are retiring in five years. Where do you want to settle down?"

"I don't know. My son is still in his first year. Everything depends on what he wants to do later"

"Buy a flat in Nellore. I will help you"

"I don't have any ready money"

"Don't worry! I will get you an LIC Home Loan"

"How do I repay it?"

"Don't worry! I will rent it out and take care of the flat. And you will get an Income Tax relief on your home loan. Together the two will take care of your EMIs"

"That is swell! That means I get a flat for nothing!"

"Yes"

Back at KGP, in the office of the Assistant Registrar:

"I bought a flat on LIC Home Loan. I am told I will get an Income Tax relief"

"Are you living in your flat?"

"No"

"Are your dependent parents living there?"

"No"

"In that case you will get no IT relief. On the other hand, if you rent it out, you will have to add that rent to your annual income and pay Income Tax on it"

"Oh! Thank you! THANK YOU!!!"

THE END

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