A Life Dream

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In 2011, the Indian government changed its visa policy. I was supposed to major in Computer Science in order to work in an IT company. I had to leave India within a year. However, the company didn’t want to let go of me. I was asked if I would like to join its office in USA or Singapore. But I had a debt to pay to India. So I prayed for a way to stay in India. One day, Jane, my wife, came back from Christ University after her Korean language class. She told me that the University had built a tennis court. As I’m crazy about the sport, I ran to the court and played alone. After a few days, a priest came and asked me who I was. I apologised for playing at the court without official permission. But to my surprise, he asked me if I could give tennis lessons to students. As advised, the next day I was on my way to get his signature on a tennis lesson poster. This time, another priest stopped me. He asked me what I was good at apart from tennis. I told him about my academic and professional careers. He was impressed by my blended experience—a Social Science PhD from J.N.U. working in a multinational IT company. He advised me to submit a resume the next day. “Sure sir,” I replied, “but may I know who you are?” “I’m only a poor priest,” he replied, “but sometimes they call me Vice-Chancellor.” I got the University offer letter after two weeks and put down my resignation letter at the office. But the company requested me to work for six months more. So, I joined the University on April 23, 2012. It was the day my life dream came true after 19 long years. All I ever wanted was to serve the Indian youth.

Life is unpredictable. As a result, our dreams get smaller and smaller. We turn our life switch to a survival mode even from a young age. But a life dream to a person is like a steering wheel to a ship. A ship without steering wheel reaches nowhere. But a ship with steering wheel reaches its destiny. A life dream transforms one’s life from a survival mode to a surpassing mode. God be with you!