I like to read 'The Hindu'. Its a nice newspaper that is not given to scandal or sensation. I even more like to read the Sunday Magazine. One of the reasons is V. Gangadhar who writes these wonderful nostalgic articles. This one is on the South Indian passion for 'Kanak' i.e. Maths ( or as the witty lady Smugbug might say quickmaths). My family is no different, and historically we have had quite a thing for it.
The problem of unreasonable expectations was created when my great grandfather was born with a huge brain, with which not only did he make a lot of money (and lose it promptly, long story, sometime later), but he also became the Principal of Vivekananda College and ran the Maths Department at Loyola College. My grandfather, ever the rebel, refused to do anything more than a B. Com. However, his father (i.e. my great grandfather) imposed his expectations on his dear daughter in law (my dear grandmother :)). Thus, my grandmother technically became smarter than my grandfather when she did a B.S. in Mathematics. She became the first grandmother in history capable of recognizing integral signs. She even got a gold medal, which no family member (male, female) has emulated since then. My uncle did many smart things, but not as smart. This was followed by me who decided to top things by making a career out of buying and selling peanuts.
Anyway, if you allow me to, I will digress till kingdom come. So, lets cut to the chase. Here it is.
The problem of unreasonable expectations was created when my great grandfather was born with a huge brain, with which not only did he make a lot of money (and lose it promptly, long story, sometime later), but he also became the Principal of Vivekananda College and ran the Maths Department at Loyola College. My grandfather, ever the rebel, refused to do anything more than a B. Com. However, his father (i.e. my great grandfather) imposed his expectations on his dear daughter in law (my dear grandmother :)). Thus, my grandmother technically became smarter than my grandfather when she did a B.S. in Mathematics. She became the first grandmother in history capable of recognizing integral signs. She even got a gold medal, which no family member (male, female) has emulated since then. My uncle did many smart things, but not as smart. This was followed by me who decided to top things by making a career out of buying and selling peanuts.
Anyway, if you allow me to, I will digress till kingdom come. So, lets cut to the chase. Here it is.
8 comments:
isnt it 'kanaku'?
:P
and thankee for the article...sigh, nostalgia.....
sigh, again.
I used to read Hindu whenever I was visiting Tam-land and the only fascination being the Crossword section. :-)
But anyway, thats quite cool about your grandmum. My dad, who was an insurance guy, is quite tech-savvy and enjoys hours in front of the computer. When the husband met him for the first time before our marriage, dad used the word "multithreading" in some real life, non-IT conversation and needless to say, the husband was zapped..:-)
[megha] yes it is kanaku :)..
hmm...he writes the most wonderful articles of old time reminiscences of tam brahm life....in the actual newspaper they come with a nice cartoon...
[rt] oh the famous hindu crossword...much the favorite by many of my friends but I suck at crosswords :(...
heh!...that is something!...even I barely know what multithreading is!...
Hmmm first time I've seen Bio-informatics being referred to as "buying and selling peanuts" :)
how fun, you're a peanut seller...you make much profit? enough to share?...
I love grandparent stories..
Someone thinks that I am a lady?! Heh!! Let me get my mom to read this!
[prashanth] my possible future profession is close...
[intern] interesting..how do you manage to get hold of such statistics?..
[alraqs] heh...well..its close..:)..
yes me too..i also love telling stories about my grandparents and family history...i am not sure how many like listenting to it..
[primalsoup] heh :)...don't be so self deprecating :)...you seem more lady like than most 'ladies' :)..
Post a Comment