Difficulties test the courage, patience, perseverance and true character of a human being, making us strong and ready to face the challenges of life with equanimity. If we didn’t have difficulties…If we didn’t have struggles…If we didn’t have disappointment, we could have no strength, no courage and no compassion since these qualities are made from our pain and struggle. Struggle is a form of training. It prepares us and forces us, to be ready for the next step. In fact, each and every life is struggling, not only few individuals. All such struggles are inextricably linked to purpose. We struggle, because we are working towards something meaningful. That is how we grow in life. Let me share a similar story on vicissitudes of my life.

I was born to a poor family in Darya Ganj of old Delhi on 4th August 1955 as an eldest son. I studied in a Government School upto 8th grade with ‘blacksmith’ as one of the subjects. I completed my secondary education in 1971 from DAV Public School and graduation in 1974 from Delhi College (presently known as Dr. Zakir Hussain College) of Delhi University. Actually, I got a chance for admission in ‘School of Planning & Architecture’ and ‘College of Art’, the two premier institutions of national repute for BArch and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. Since, unfortunately, my parents were not educated; I was made to pursue ‘Bachelor of Arts’ degree by my family friends and relatives, a case of regret for whole life.

During adolescence I started playing Cricket, Football, Hockey, Sprint, Badminton and Carrom. I was doing exceptionally well as a sprinter. Unfortunately in the absence of any knowledge about that sport or training I could not expose my talent properly as an athlete. On Sundays and holidays I was going at 5 AM with my friends to play cricket, football, etc in open grounds near Rajghat. During late evening hours I started playing carrom occasionally in a street behind Golcha cinema in Darya Ganj. I won many school and inter-school competitions in different sports and was also awarded CBSE ‘Three Star’ certificates. Later, I developed keen interest in Tennis when Vijay Amrithraj started defeating top tennis players of the world. I tried not to miss running radio commentary of any major competition of hockey, cricket and tennis. The live commentary which I enjoyed most was of Hockey World Cup 1975 won by India under Ajit Pal Singh. Jasdev Singh was my favourite commentator.

Besides sports, I was a front runner ‘Scout’ and ‘NCC’ cadet and undertook training of operating 303 rifle. I was awarded ‘C’ Certificate in NCC, a matter of pride at that time and attended advance camp at Agra. Both as a Scout and NCC cadet, I took part in Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort on 15 th August. I also performed in a special act on Indo-Pak 1971 War at ‘Rajpath’ in front of President and Prime Minister of India etc during Republic Day parade in 1972.

‘Drawing’ (fine art) was my hobby and also one of the subjects for my secondary education. I drew live pencil sketches of my friends and oil & water colour paintings. Few of my paintings and sketches drawn about 40 to 45 years ago are displayed in my house. Music and reading were my other hobbies. During my school days, I was borrowing books from School and Public libraries. For listening to music and running sports commentaries or to watch weekly TV shows like ‘Chitrahaar’ a programme of bollywood songs, first ever Hindi TV series ‘Hum Log’ and my first film on TV ‘Saraswati Chandra’ telecast in lots, I was going to neighbours or my cousin brother’s house. My elder cousin brother took me to see first film of my life ‘Bombay to Goa’ at Jagat Cinema Hall in old Delhi and then to second film ‘Guide’ at the only carpeted cinema hall ‘Golcha’ at Darya Ganj in Delhi.

At the same time, I was taking keen interest in multifarious religious activities. I was singing ‘bhajans’ in temples and public functions. Before each religious function, I, along with other members of temple society, was going door to door covering an area of about 3-4 kms early in the mornings to collect donations for upgradation/renovation of temple and for organizing special religious functions. ‘Mahalaxmi Yagna’ was the main highlight during which marriage of a poor girl was performed. Bride, selected by the temple society, was presented Gold & Silver jewellery, clothes and household items. A ‘bhandara’ was organized as a marriage reception. I performed ‘Kanyadan’ of that girl as her father. Since I did not have daughter, I took it as a blessing of Mahalaxmi for bestowing such an opportunity on me.

In addition to my studies, sports & religious activities plus hobby of fine art, I developed high level of skill in certain areas of mechanical engineering. I operated moulding machines for manufacturing of pens & ball pens, lathe & drill machines, hand press for 4-5 hours daily in manufacturing units of my father after my school and college. Operating those machines was hard & tiring physical work. Besides, I was also assisting in assembly and packaging of pens & ball pens, spectacles & goggle frames, electric irons, refrigerator parts and public address system. I achieved expertise in manufacturing of injecting moulding dies which required highest level of accuracy and skill, a rare feat to achieve without any formal training. My father, my cousin brother and my uncle under whose supervision I was working on machines, felt elated with pride and happiness after noticing finesse of my work in that area of job. I could never forget those moments.

When on the advice of all known elders I was well set to enter into my own business of a manufacturing unit after completing my graduation, life took a sudden turn. It looked Almighty had different plans for me. In Hamlet, Shakespeare said, “There is a divinity which shapes the outcome of our plans”.

Due to persisting health problems of my father and continuous financial losses, I joined a Government job as an ad-hoc clerk in April 1974 at Faridabad after qualifying my first ever competitive exam. I got Government job right at the age of 18 years. But instead of getting happy I joined my first job with the feelings of sadness. For my first job, I commuted daily from Darya Ganj to Faridabad by walk, bus and local train. I missed final year graduation exams which I took later. Whenever I was getting time I was working with my father and brother in a new but small manufacturing unit of ‘public address system’ established by my father after his recovery. Besides, I joined typing and stenography classes in the early morning. On achieving proficiency, I joined a part-time job in a legal firm so that I could earn more. Simultaneously, I prepared and appeared in different competitive examinations for promotions and higher jobs and successfully qualified all examinations including UPSC and MMTC. From the first salary of my part-time job, I bought first electronic item of my family i.e. a Radio Transistor since we did not have any radio, TV and refrigerator till few years after joining my job. It was only after four years of my marriage and five years of job in MMTC, I bought my first vehicle, a used Bajaj scooter. A used ‘Cielo’ was the first car I could own at the age of 45 years or 20 years after my marriage.

After putting in about six years of service in different offices, I joined a Public Sector company, MMTC Limited, New Delhi in February 1980. I served MMTC for about 35 years with ‘Outstanding’ ratings in most of my Annual Reports. I retired in May 2015 after completing 41 years of overall service from 1974 to 2015. To earn additional income, I worked ‘overtime’ in my offices particularly during first 15 years of my job. In all offices wherever I worked, I initiated and created Sports Clubs and organised regular sports competitions for employees.

I started playing competitive carrom in 1971. As a player, I participated in carrom championships at National, State, District and local levels. I entered carrom administration in 1985 and administered the game by holding key positions at International, Continental, National, State and District levels for about 30 years. I also qualified as State, National and International Umpires. I performed the role of a Mentor for Indian Carrom Teams effectively.

I successfully brought revolutionary changes in the working of the Federation/Associations and in uplifting the status of the game and its players. In my efforts to take carrom to next level I worked extra for 6 to 8 hours daily after attending my office. My journey of about 18 years in National Federation was full of challenges, obstacles and struggles in the shape of legal cases, life threatening calls to family, physical assaults, efforts of coup, razing of carrom boards of a national with swords and several complaints to my office. But my whole journey was governed by passion, achieving in the process moments of pride and satisfaction for carrom fraternity. It was a continuing saga, above all, of a journey, individual and collective, which made the All India Carrom Federation as one of the best Federations in India during that period.

As if hard work, struggles and poor conditions of my family were not enough, there was something more in store for me. At the young age, I suffered some serious illnesses like partial paralysis, deadly reaction of a dog bite, epilepsy, heart problems, chronic fatigue syndrome and deep depression besides essential hypertension. I never allowed getting myself caught in the oft-repeated question – ‘God, why everything was happening to me?’ I moved on blissfully as strongly as ever without getting dejected and recovered fully from all those illnesses

My father was always working for more than 12 hours a day. Before establishing manufacturing units, my father was a farmer and was starting his work routine at 4 AM daily. Hence, hard work was in my blood. I lost my father in 2003. I not only admired my father but followed his life style of hard work and dedication. I thus got in legacy hard work and dedication from my father and love and compassion from my mother. I ultimately realized there was no substitute for hard work. Henry Ford said, “The harder you work, the luckier you get”. At many critical junctures of my life I experienced this theory. I struggled in all spheres and phases of my life but came out of all successfully.

Following my father’s life style, I happily worked for about 15 to 16 hours daily since my adolescence. After my school and office hours, first I worked in manufacturing units, then as a part-time employee in a legal firm and later as a carrom administrator. But I never regretted or shied away from problems and responsibilities. Life was never comfortable for me. I enjoyed my work and did well in my studies. My whole life was full of struggles and challenges. Realizing there was something greater inside me than obstacles I got the courage to overcome hurdles and sufferings and continued to rise in my life.

I got married on 11th December 1980 and was blessed with two sons. My wife remained a housewife. Both my sons got married in December 2011 and I was blessed with a grandson and a granddaughter.

After 1986 riots and bullet injuries to my father, my family shifted from Delhi to Faridabad. Ultimately, from a poor struggler, with the grace of Almighty, I not only grew in my job with good salary but was also able to own a car and construct my own independent house in 1988 at Faridabad and shifted to a new house in 2012 at Gurgaon. Besides, I achieved ultimate and envious positions in sports organizations.

I survived vicissitudes of a difficult and complicated life by accepting my sufferings and struggles with humility. I advised my sons to follow suit and move on strongly. I never blamed Almighty for unending sufferings, hurdles, adversities and particularly for the things which I could not get in my life but remained contented.

Fulfillment doesn’t come from living in a happy paradise. It comes from facing the struggle head on and achieving little wins slowly over time. When I look back at challenges and struggles I faced, I realize that the time was not so bad, after all. I kept going despite all odds. Hence, it was a fulfilling life.

I owe my success and achievements to the divine force which guided me to rise and to achieve many impossible looking things. The prayers, inspiration and sacrifices of my family became my strength to grow and to perform successfully.