In our MSc first year external examiner was Dr.Tondon (Proffesor chemistry department Jaipur University of Rajasthan). After Viva voce was over he casually asked me what I want to do after MSc?
Doing PhD was always my dream and I told him so. All went well. I cleared my exams with 68% marks. (great achievement in 1976)
Those were the days when 60 % and above marks were tough to get.
The real thing starts in jaipur where I went to do PhD under the guidance of Dr. B. C. Joshi. Why I gave you all the introduction to Dr. Tondon will be clear later.
It was one of the rare idyllic day in lab. Our chemical reaction were set up and they continue for 24-48 hrs or more. So except being in lab and occasionally checking the temperature, water flow etc nothing much was to be done. I picked my register and pen and was about to head for library when I heard some one saying "Miss Pant where are you going". He was one of my senior. I told him "I am going to library to do literature survey on the review I have to publish".Wait please he said and announced to all in lab अरे boss (Dr. Joshi) आज नहीं आने वाले, आज मस्ती करते हैं (Boss is not going to come today so let us have some fun).I was all smiles at their suggestion.
Four seniors who had finished their PhD and were perusing post doctoral put ₹100 each on the table and said Miss Pant are you ready to take a challenge?
I naturally asked what challenge? No no first you tell if you are ready? If you do the task we give we will give you all this money ₹400! Big sum in 1977, just ₹ 50 short of my monthly scholarship. But if you fail you will have to give treat to whole lab (13 person in all).
I weighed both option without having an inkling of what the task would be. Treat would cost me maximum 150 (1samosa +1 pastry tea from our lab tea club stock), but if I finish I get ₹400!. I agreed. May be it was my daredevil nature and fun of seeing senior most person losing ₹100 each made me do that. But certainly it was not greed.
Then came the bombshell! चलो बाहर, अब passage way में बैठ कर सामने के कमरे की ओर देख कर जोर जोर से 3 बार बोलो HOD मुर्दाबाद ( come out, sit in the passageway, face the room in the front end and say thrice loudly HOD murdabad). I was stunned. Blood drained from my face, because I knew that room is of senior proffesor and I Wil be in thick sizzling hot soup. I thought for a moment of accepting defeat.
Looking at me they laughed which made me angry and I sat cross legged in the middle of the passage and shouted as loudly as possible raising my fist "HOD murdabad".
Now it was their turn to be stunned. They all vanished inside lab and before I could get up go inside to collect my winning a peon came and said Sir is calling you.
For few seconds I was terrified and so were rest of the collegues inside lab. Then I thought जो होगा देखा जाएगा and remembered the saying जब ओखली में सर ड़ाला तो मूसली से क्या डर (when decided to put head in mortar then why fear the pestle). I went near proffesor room and knocked "Come in came booming voice". I went in and was shocked to see proffesor Dr. Tondon yes the same Prof. Tondon who took my viva-voce in MSc sitting there.
Why is He here, He should have been in HOD room. I was petrified, went cold, but put a bold face and smiled. Morning sir I said.
You are the same girl who told me "I want to do PhD", during viva-voce in Almora isn't it. I noded my head in assertion.
क्या कहा तुमने वहाँ बैठ कर? He asked seriously.
Sir ssir I I said "HOD murdabad " I blurted hurriedly.
Why? But why are so angry with me, he asked?
No sir न नहीं. नाराज नहीं। It was a challenge sir?
Now it was he who was shocked. कैसा challenge? Who gave?
I told him everything.
Lo and behold he started laughing and I started looking at him quizically.
Then he said एक बार और जोर से कहो HOD murdabad outside my room and I will also give you ₹100.
I was like is it really happening?
By this time students from other labs had also come out to see what is happening.
I came out sat facing HOD's room and shouted to my loudest "HOD murdabad " and got up rushed to HOD's room to collect my ₹100.
When I came out dancing with joy waiving ₹100 note my seniors had no option but to give me ₹400. The expression on their face made me have hearty laugh.
We all laughed. I was richer by ₹500. I was, dancing with joy, till I got a message that I have got a call from my Boss (guide). He wants me at his home ASAP.
All the joy evaporated like ether from bottle in summer days. Dr. Tondon had told him whole episode.
Instead of angry outburst I got home cooked food (I was a, hosteler ) and just an advise "अब तो serious हो जा" Tondon Sir is a happy go lucky person कोई और होता तो disciplinary action हो जाता beta " (Atleast now become serious beta. Tondon sir is happy go lucky gentleman, if someone else would have been in his place surely he would have taken disciplinary action).
I decided to treat my lab collegues and seniors to 2 samosas each. So while on the way back took samosa.When I reached the lab they were expecting a teary eyed girl instead got smile and samosas. चाय बनाऊं (shall I make tea) I said.
Indeed what I did or was tricked to do was reckless. But not being defeatist is my nature and I am incredibly lucky.
We all enjoyed chai and samosas. I was richer and satiated with home cooked tasty food and Samosas.
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