HOW I TAUGHT MY GRAND MOTHER TO READ AND OTHER STORIES
Tales of Love, Learning, and Family Bonds
Tales of Love, Learning, and Family Bonds
This is a heartwarming tale about a grandmother's determination to learn how to read. The narrator recalls her childhood visits to her grandparents' village in north Karnataka, where her illiterate grandmother, Avva, would eagerly wait for her to read episodes of a popular Kannada serial novel "Kashi Yatre" by writer Triveni. When the 12-year-old narrator goes away to a wedding for a week, her grandmother is left unable to read the latest episode of the story she loves. This experience of helplessness and dependency deeply affects Avva, who breaks down in tears when her granddaughter returns. Despite being 62 years old with grey hair and wrinkled hands, Avva decides to learn the Kannada alphabet. She sets herself a deadline - Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara festival - to be able to read a novel independently. Though her granddaughter initially laughs at the idea, Avva proves to be an exceptional student, working harder than anyone. By Dassara, Avva successfully achieves her goal. In a touching reversal of tradition, she touches her granddaughter's feet, honoring her as a teacher rather than just a granddaughter. The story concludes with Avva confidently reading the title of "Kashi Yatre" when gifted the complete novel, proving that age is no barrier to learning when one is truly determined. The story beautifully illustrates themes of determination, the importance of literacy and independence, and the special bond between generations.
The story celebrates learning as a lifelong process, not bound by age, and how literacy brings personal dignity and emotional fulfillment.
This story is about the power of books, knowledge, and keeping promises across generations. The narrator comes from a middle-class teacher's family where knowledge was valued more than money. Her grandfather, though not wealthy, was deeply respected in their village because he was a teacher and source of wisdom. The grandfather explained the importance of respecting teachers by sharing a story from the Mahabharata about Arjuna's reverence for his guru Dronacharya, emphasizing that while material things perish, knowledge endures and grows when shared. As a child, the narrator's first adventure outside home was visiting the village library with her grandfather. She became an avid reader, eventually finishing almost all the books in the small library. One evening, when she was twelve and feeling bored with the limited collection, her grandfather tested her with a poem completion game. When he began "If I have wings..." expecting the traditional response about flying and exploring, she spontaneously answered "I will go to the neighbouring village library and read many more books." This unexpected response revealed her deep love for reading. Moved by her answer, the grandfather told her about Andrew Carnegie, the American billionaire who donated his wealth to build libraries in villages. He made her promise that if she ever had more money than needed, she would buy books for at least one library. The story concludes with the narrator fulfilling this childhood promise in a grand way - through the Infosys Foundation, she has now donated books to ten thousand libraries, showing how a grandfather's wisdom and a child's promise can create lasting impact on education and literacy.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
Knowledge is the only treasure that grows as it’s shared. Supporting learning spaces like libraries can transform generations.
This story recounts the author's meaningful friendship with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, which began through her writing and evolved into a deep personal connection. The relationship started when Kalam, then Principal Scientific Secretary to the Government of India, called her after reading her humorous column "IT Divide" in The Week magazine. Despite her initial surprise that such a distinguished person would contact her, Kalam praised her writing style and revealed he regularly read her columns. The author describes Kalam's remarkable simplicity and humility through various encounters. In their first meeting in Bangalore, she witnessed his kindness when he allowed an unscheduled visitor to meet him, and his gracious response when the man took back a shawl he had pretended to gift. Kalam's reaction was simply that the man probably needed it more than he did. Their friendship deepened over discussions about education, rural development, and literature. The author shares how Kalam was inspired by a story she told about a young fisherboy named Javed in Orissa, who said "It is better to be worn out than to be rusted" - words that Kalam immediately wrote down as profound wisdom. When Kalam became President, the author attended his oath-taking ceremony and was struck by how different it was from typical political events - filled with children, teachers, scientists, and ordinary people rather than VIPs and politicians. Even as President, Kalam remained unchanged, as demonstrated when he spent two hours in animated conversation with the author's teenage son, discussing everything from computer systems to Tamil saints. The story concludes with Kalam's tireless work ethic during a Bihar tour at age 71, his dedication to teaching children, and his faithfulness to promises - including keeping his word to inaugurate a pediatric hospital the author built in Orissa, despite his elevated position. The narrative portrays Kalam as a rare leader who combined scientific brilliance with childlike enthusiasm, deep humility, and genuine love for people, especially children.
No title, wealth, or status can replace the power of kindness, simplicity, and genuine human connection. Leadership is about service, not stature.
This story is about Hassan, a brilliant but undisciplined student who serves as a cautionary tale about wasted potential. The author, a Computer Science teacher, recalls Hassan from her early teaching days - a tall, handsome, intelligent boy from an affluent family who was chronically absent from classes. Hassan would rarely attend regular classes, appearing mainly for tests and exams. When confronted about his poor attendance, he would charm his way out of trouble with apologies and promises to improve, often quoting lessons about forgiveness. Despite his irregular attendance, his natural intelligence allowed him to consistently achieve first-class grades. Concerned about his lack of discipline, the teacher called his parents. His father was dismissive, believing good grades were sufficient, while his mother was in tears, explaining that Hassan stayed up all night with music and friends, sleeping until 6 AM. The parents ended up arguing with each other about responsibility, and nothing changed. Hassan graduated with first-class honors and thanked his teacher for her kindness in overlooking his attendance issues. Years passed without contact until one day, a software salesman requested to meet the teacher. She didn't recognize the plump, balding 35-year-old man until he identified himself as "the perpetual latecomer." Hassan's story had taken a tragic turn. His undisciplined habits continued after graduation - he remained lazy, irresponsible, and unpunctual. Despite his intelligence, his lack of proper study habits and work ethic made him unemployable. He lost multiple jobs due to his behavior, became frustrated and quarrelsome, and eventually his father asked him to leave home. Now he was reduced to selling educational software door-to-door while his former classmates had become successful professionals. Hassan acknowledged his mistakes, admitting he had taken his mother for granted, mocked hardworking students as "nerds" (who later became millionaires), and never developed good habits despite his father's freedom. The teacher encouraged him that it wasn't too late to change, emphasizing that excellence comes through practice, not accident. The story ends with Hassan promising to try his best, showing a glimpse of his former bright self. The teacher hopes to meet him again someday and find him happy and successful, but hasn't seen him since. The tale serves as a powerful reminder that natural talent without discipline and hard work often leads to failure, while those who are willing to work hard can achieve great success.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
Success is not determined by marks or talent alone, but by consistency, work ethic, and responsible habits. One can always restart and reshape life with effort and determination.
This story contrasts two different approaches to charity and giving, highlighting the difference between genuine generosity and superficial donation. The author begins by observing that during natural disasters in India, donations often come more from middle-class and lower middle-class people rather than the wealthy. The main narrative centers on the author's experience after delivering a lecture on Corporate Social Responsibility at a reputable Bangalore company. The well-dressed, affluent employees were moved by her speech and eagerly offered to donate old clothes, toys, and household items for earthquake victims. The author was initially pleased by their enthusiasm, comparing it to the squirrels helping Lord Rama build the bridge to Lanka in the Ramayana. However, when hundreds of donation bags arrived at her office, the author and her assistants discovered they were filled with complete junk - torn undergarments, mismatched slippers, broken toys, unusable items, and unwashed clothes. These educated, well-traveled professionals had essentially used the donation drive as a convenient way to dispose of their garbage rather than genuinely helping disaster victims. This disappointing experience reminded the author of a profound childhood lesson from her grandparents in Shiggaon village, Karnataka. Her grandfather was a retired schoolteacher and her grandmother Krishtakka was illiterate, yet they were deeply principled people who lived simply but gave generously. The family stored two types of rice - superior white rice in the front granary and inferior red rice in the back. When various people came seeking alms (Muslim fakirs, Hindu devotees, poor students, disabled individuals), her grandfather would send young her to fetch rice from the front granary - always giving the better quality rice to those in need. However, for their own family meals, they would use the inferior red rice from the back granary. When the author questioned why they ate the lesser quality rice while giving the better rice to poor people, her grandmother Krishtakka gave her a life-changing lesson: "Whenever you want to give something to somebody, give the best in you, never the second best... God is not there in the temple, mosque or church. He is with the people. If you serve them with whatever you have, you have served God." Her grandfather reinforced this with Vedic principles of donation, emphasizing that one should donate with kindness, happiness, sincerity, and without expectation - treating it as a duty rather than a gift. The story concludes with the author crediting these simple, uneducated grandparents for teaching her the most important lessons about genuine charity and service - lessons that no formal education could provide. The contrast between her grandparents' selfless giving of their best and the corporate employees' disposal of junk in the name of charity illustrates the difference between authentic compassion and superficial gestures
Real charity is about dignity, respect, and offering your finest with genuine intent — not just material, but through your words, emotions, and actions.
This story reflects on the importance of Teacher's Day and how disconnected many students have become from understanding the significance of national holidays. The author, a teacher, typically enjoys celebrating Teacher's Day (September 5th) with her students in Bangalore, where they take her out for lunch and movies as a gesture of love and appreciation. However, on Teacher's Day 2003, she was out of town and feeling depressed. A friend suggested watching a movie to cheer her up. At the theater, she was surprised to see a long queue filled entirely with school and college students. When she asked why they weren't celebrating Teacher's Day at their institutions, their responses shocked her. The students revealed they didn't know why September 5th was a holiday - they were simply happy to get a two-day weekend. When asked about other national holidays, they showed alarming ignorance: they couldn't identify what November 14th, August 15th, or January 26th commemorated. Only one girl knew October 2nd was Gandhi's birthday, and that was only because it was also her birthday. This girl, named Mohini after Gandhi (Mohandas), had changed her name to Monica because she found her original name "old-fashioned." The students were confused about basic facts like when India gained independence, with guesses ranging from 1942 to 1950, and they had no knowledge of previous presidents before Abdul Kalam. When the author asked about Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the students confused him with the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. She then explained that Radhakrishnan was a renowned philosopher and teacher whose birthday became Teacher's Day. She shared how beloved he was as an educator - students would pull his carriage to the station and attend his lectures regardless of their own subjects. The author initially felt the students should be ashamed, but then realized the fault wasn't entirely theirs. She recognized that educators and institutions were failing to make these important days meaningful. Instead of boring speeches to small audiences, teachers should create engaging activities like tree planting, environmental education, or outdoor bonding experiences. The story concludes with the author's realization that teachers must lead by example and work harder to make national holidays significant and educational for students. The responsibility lies with educators to inspire children and help them understand their heritage and the importance of these commemorative days, rather than simply treating them as meaningless holidays.
Celebrating important days without understanding their meaning is hollow. Real education involves actively connecting students to their cultural, historical, and ethical roots — and teachers must lead this by example, both inside and outside the classroom.
This heartwarming story tells of a New York police officer who encountered a mother and sick-looking child begging on the street. The child appeared to have cancer - with a shaved head, swollen eyes, and a sign asking for help. Moved by compassion, the officer gave away his entire bonus money to help them, despite having promised to buy things for his own family. When the officer told his family about his generous act, his son was skeptical and angry, questioning whether they had been deceived. Days later, the son's suspicions were confirmed when he read a newspaper article revealing that the mother had been arrested for fraud - she had deliberately made her healthy child appear sick to scam people. The son excitedly told his father about being cheated, expecting him to be upset or angry about losing his bonus money. Instead, the officer's response was simple and profound: "I am very happy. The child is healthy." The story's beautiful message comes through the officer's reaction - rather than feeling bitter about being deceived, he felt genuine joy knowing the child was actually well. His wife praised this extraordinary perspective to their son, explaining that his father's happiness about another person's child being healthy, rather than worry over his own financial loss, demonstrated true compassion and selfless character. The tale illustrates how genuine kindness focuses on the welfare of others rather than personal gain or loss, and how the best human response to discovering good news (even when it means you were deceived) is simply to be grateful for that good news.
Help others without expectation. Real charity is in the act, not in the outcome. Value human life and wellness over money or personal gain.
This story illustrates the spirit of sacrifice in the medical profession through two interconnected tales. The narrator's sister, a government hospital doctor, works exhausting hours including night duties to serve poor patients who can receive nearly free treatment. When called back for an emergency operation after working 24 hours straight, she responds to her sibling's concern about her need for rest by saying she must lead by example as the senior doctor, adding "In the larger interest of the people you must sacrifice your personal pain." She then references a story about anesthesia before leaving for the hospital. The main story she referenced tells of a father-son doctor pair in England who developed local anesthesia. The father had created an injection that could numb only the surgical area without making the patient unconscious, but needed human testing for official approval. His son, who had six fingers on his left hand, volunteered to have the extra finger removed publicly to demonstrate the anesthesia's effectiveness to the Academy of Medical Science. During the demonstration before assembled scientists and doctors, the son maintained a calm smile throughout the painful surgery. The audience was impressed and approved the anesthesia. However, after everyone left, the father broke down crying. In his nervousness before the operation, he had forgotten to add the fourth chemical, making the injection completely ineffective. The son had endured excruciating pain but never showed it, knowing that displaying his suffering would ruin his father's important medical breakthrough. When his father apologized, the son consoled him, saying he had controlled his pain "for the welfare of others." The narrator concludes by noting that while uncertain of the story's complete accuracy, he sees in his sister and her medical colleagues the same spirit of sacrifice that the profession demands - putting others' welfare above personal comfort and pain.
Real service means putting others first. Great professions are built on sacrifice, integrity, and responsibility.
This story explores the wisdom of elders in resolving property disputes through the traditional village panchayat system and a clever parable about inheritance. The narrator recalls how village councils (panchayats) would settle property disputes between brothers. When dividing inherited assets, they would create equal portions and allow the youngest brother to choose first, reasoning that he had spent the least time with his parents. These respected elders' decisions were final and widely accepted, avoiding costly court battles. The main story tells of three brothers who couldn't agree on their father's property division. When Sarpanch Som Gowda couldn't persuade them to accept the panchayat's decision, he shared a parable: A rich man with three argumentative sons died, leaving seventeen horses plus other assets. His will contained a puzzling directive: give half the horses to the eldest son, two-thirds of the remaining half to the second son, and two-thirds of what remained to the youngest. This seemed impossible without killing horses (half of seventeen is 8.5). The brothers consulted their father's wise friend Sumanth, who solved the puzzle ingeniously. He brought his own horse, making eighteen total, then divided according to the will: the eldest got 9 horses (half of 18), the second got 6 (two-thirds of the remaining 9), and the youngest got 2 (two-thirds of the remaining 3). One horse remained - Sumanth's own - which he took back home. Sumanth explained that their father deliberately created this puzzle to force them to seek advice, teaching them humility and the value of experience. He emphasized that life is an eternal teacher for those with open minds. After hearing this story, the three disputing brothers accepted the panchayat's property division, illustrating how traditional wisdom and clever storytelling can resolve seemingly intractable conflicts.
Life itself is an eternal teacher. Wisdom and experience gained over time often hold answers to the most difficult problems.
This story contrasts American and Indian education systems while highlighting the importance of honesty and character over grades. The narrator, a teacher, explains how the American university system differs from India's - using continuous assessment through multiple exams rather than relying heavily on final exams, allowing for better student-teacher interaction and fairer evaluation of knowledge. Her son, studying computer science in the US, calls after his mid-term exam devastated because he misread a digit (eight as six) and based all his calculations on this error. Despite knowing the material well, he expects poor results. When his mother tries to console him with perspective about exams not being everything, he responds angrily, saying she doesn't understand student pressures since she only gives grades rather than taking exams. Days later, the son calls again with surprising news - he received an 'A' grade despite his mistake. He discovered the professor had given him partial credit for the wrong answer, and his friends advised him to stay quiet about the grading error in such a competitive environment. However, the son chose honesty over advantage. Remembering a childhood lesson when his mother made him return extra change from a shopkeeper (even threatening no dinner if he didn't), he emailed the professor admitting he didn't deserve those marks. The professor's reply was even more surprising - the marks weren't given by mistake but deliberately. Through semester-long interactions, the professor had recognized the student's deep knowledge and passion for the subject, understanding that exam mistakes can happen due to oversight or tension. The professor believed exams should measure overall knowledge depth, not just test performance. The mother concludes with tears of joy - not because of the 'A' grade, but because her son practiced the values he believed in. She reflects that while such honesty might seem foolish to some, the good values learned will help in any crisis, noting that many of her own students have similarly chosen integrity over advantage.
Marks are temporary, but values like honesty stay with you for life and open unexpected doors of respect and trust.