Munna Bhai MBBS-1

Hari Prasad Sharma turns Murli Prasad Sharma into Munna Bhai in the search of the ever elusive word MBBS. As Munna Bhai says that he had to run away from home because his father wanted him to be a doctor which he could never become. As I see advertisements of ‘Aakash Institute’ and ‘Sachdeva PT College’ I wonder how many more Munnas and Munnis are in the making. Even I could have been one but thanks to my destiny my parents were not so pushing.

In the late 1960s, my Nanaji (mom’s dad) was a big business man in a small town having got all the glory in trade circles and wanted to do some philanthropy but with little glory so he decided that he will open a charitable clinic for the poor in the name of his father (my great grand father) where his daughter (my mother) would be the doctor. Now being a small town he did not know how to get his daughter to be a Doctor. And the daughter herself did not know how to do so. There were no Aaakash institutes then nor were the Dhami or Khetarpal reference books around. You had to have access to a good library to get good books and ya there was no Google either. They both tried, tried hard .. also tried the money way. There were no donation, capitation fee colleges in Karnataka then or they did not have the info.. maybe it was also the luck factor but they failed. Mom completed her graduation became a teacher.

Never saw Dadaji (dad’s dad) nor do I know much about him but have heard he was very similar to Nanaji. Also that my Dad wanted to be a doctor but ended up being an engineer.

Now 20 years later I enter the picture, having completed my class 10 and raring to leave studies and do some ‘Dhanda’, but after some counseling am cajoled into atleast completing school (12). I was sure that I would be studying sciences as I always liked it over social studies and had decent marks also, but was not sure about Biology as a subject, somehow both Mom and Dad were keen that I do study biology as a subject even if I have to take it as an extra subject. And it was then first time I came to know the stories and hidden emotions of my parents that they also wanted to be the proud parents of a doctor.

Though I was never too good at Maths, I never liked the idea of studying biology either. I had heard experiences of my cousins who went into medicine, about studying late nights and slogging for atleast 6 years. After some talking mom had given up the hope but dad still thought there was light at the end of the tunnel. I enrolled into a coaching class who claimed to be an expert in both Medical as well as Engineering entrance exams but attended only engg classes. My dad enthusiastically brought all the medical entrance exam forms while I had to go hunting for the engg ones. Finally I prevailed and flunked badly in all medical entrances and got through some of the engineering ones. Got into an engineering school. My dad had yet not given up – he tried to explain me the benefits f being a doctor, he threatened he would not pay the fees and also kept searching for affordable back door entries into private colleges in Karnataka but it was quiet late by that time. Fate had that I would be an engineer.

3 years later.. it was my younger sister who had seen and observed my case, is obedient and well mannered, Dad loves her (he loves me too), she has all the interest in Biology wants to be doctor is getting ready for her entrance medical exams. Meanwhile I have convinced her to study maths also as a subject (its either of the two or both: biology and maths). Dad has got the medical forms, I have got some engineering ones. She flunks badly in engineering ones, unfortunately doesn’t do very well in the medical ones also. But wonders in an exam which tested both Bio and Maths along with Physics and Chem and that was for an engineering course in BioTechnology. Now she is excited, I am excited. Mom is ok, Dad is ok. She completed her B.Tech last year.

Part 2 later.. have to rush home today for Lohri celebrations