IT happened last Monday. The day had been called off for Guru Gobind Singh’s tricentenary celebrations but time being short, classes were on as usual. Students milling around the lab. – normal, normal day. It was as I was stepping out for my walk at 10.30 in the night that my phone rang. I’m a little puzzled to get a call this late in the night.

The voice at the other end agitatedly confides that Kshaf has not returned home yet. Its Nadir, his brother – worrying over the fact that it is Guru Gobind Singh’s birthday, Kshaf had left the house at 8.0 in the morning and is unreachable on the phone. He is worried.

I have a mental picture of Kshaf – a seventh semester student, lanky young man with an engaging smile. I’ve known him in and out of classes for more than three years. Travels two hours everyday to and fro from his Mayur Vihar home to attend his classes. Brilliant, hard working, a devout muslim - one of the first of his batch to be placed, polite, sweet, caring to a fault.

No – something inside me says – he’ll be all right.

I assure Nadir that I will call back in a minute and get in touch with his classmates – two very smart girls who represent the class with much style. I hear the instant concern in their voices. They’ll get in touch with everyone and find out immediately. Over the next hour, the phone rang continuously and Kshaf’s whereabouts were traced down to the last moment. The entire student group was up and working, calling, asking.

Finally, at 11.30 the phone rang. It was Kshaf – apologizing profusely. His phone had jammed, it takes him so long, he didn’t realize people would be so worried.

In any case, all was well that ended well. Kshaf had his ears boxed and apologized profusely to everyone.

Some questions:

It’s sadness I felt at the statement from Nadir – linking his concern with the occasion at hand. It rang true. Why?

How do the parents of this city send out their children to study and to work?

Some thoughts:

I saw the way the entire class swung into action trying to ascertain Kshaf’s wellbeing. The instant response! Nobody said – why should I care? I never heard - its too late! It felt good.

We don’t really realize, how these students who are coming in and out of classes, asking for favors, classes, projects, marks, evaluations, opinions, advice – we don’t really know when they become so dear. Each one with their plans, dreams, ambitions, requests merges into your life and work.