Dear, ...........,
Namaskar. Yesterday on Father’s
Day, I conveyed to you what I remember about our father. What I wrote was only
about 5% of what I remember about him. I will in days to come write more about
him. You will enjoy reading my remembrances about him.
Now I will continue with what
I was on with my blog on 17th June. While I was in the midst of my
exams, I was promoted to the post of Senior Engineering Assistant. The
promotion had nothing to do with my appearing for the exams. The promotion was
routine depending upon my seniority and fitness. The promotion meant a little
more money. Meanwhile my eagerness to appear in more papers continued unabated.
I had to clear three more papers to complete the programme. Then they decided
to add one more paper on Accountancy. I had no clue how to prepare for the
programme. Then I was sent to Delhi for TV training programme. Here I joined
a coaching institute at Connaught Place. The class was held twice a week. First
time that I attended the coaching, I found about a dozen students in the class.
The coaching tempo was slow because most of the students were slowing the instructor
down. At his rate of progress, it would take him six months and more to
complete the course. I looked at the book he was teaching us from when he
briefly left the room. Next day I went to the book market in Old Delhi and
bought the book. I did not attend the coaching class. I studied the book and
within one month, I had studied it from page one to the end. On the exams day,
I appeared in all the rest of papers and on the result day, I had passed all
but one. (Later I taught this subject to others sitting for the exams.) I had failed one paper – Electronic Measurements by three marks. I had
to wait for six more months to attempt clearing the paper.
TV Studio Centre was under
construction at Srinagar, when I was in the process of writing for the exams.
Till then only one TV Studio Centre had been in operation in India and that was
at Delhi. Along with Srinagar TV Studio, two or three more TV Centres were in
the process of construction at Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata The Centre Government picked up staff from All
India Radio Stations all over the country for training in Delhi. I was picked
up from All India Radio Srinagar along with one Technician. The training was
for 24 weeks and was conducted by UNDP and was staffed by experts in the field
from all over the world. There were about twenty engineers and another twenty
programmers, camera men, sound recordists editors etc. attending the training.
The first eight weeks, all were trained together (this was necessary as TV
Programme production is a process where all are involved and it is necessary to know what is possible by each member.) Every week there
would be a test. In the first test itself, I stood first among the lot. I was
noticed. In subsequent tests, I would be always among the first three all the
time. When the tests progressed, there would be negative marking meaning that
if we answer 25 questions correctly and 25 questions wrongly, our total marks
would add to ZERO. This was a great lesson that if we did not know the answer,
we should not answer it as a guess. The last eight weeks involved hand on training on the
production. The instructors would create a system fault and we were to correct
it. Here also I was very good. I completed the training with great confidence.
Unfortunately, the technician from Srinagar who was sent for training with me,
fell seriously ill with Jaundice. He was dead within one week of our return to
Srinagar after the training.
After my return to Srinagar,
the Six-monthly Grad I.E.E.E. exams date came near. This time, we had an exams
centre in Srinagar itself. I had prepared for my last paper thoroughly. I sat
for the exams and the way I answered the questions, I was sure that I would
pass easily. I did pass when the results were declared. I was now a Graduate in
an approved programme. I informed the head office and supported it with the
papers. I was promoted to the post of Assistant Engineer. My friend Mr. Omkar Nath also completed the course and
he was also promoted. I was allotted to TV Centre Srinagar and he was posted to
All India Radio Srinagar. We continued to be close friends although we never
worked together again in our professional life.
That is
enough for the day. Bye.
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