I remember very clearly, it was the evening of 13th June 2001. I had completed 18 years of my life that fateful day – 18 years of living carelessly, with no or very small and short lived objectives and absolutely no sense of direction. I did not have any ambitions, any ideas or any motives in my life. I was living the life of a sheep in a herd that was just following all other sheep and had no clue about who or what was directing that heard. I was just blindly following everyone else. Also, that was the day, when I had almost given up – given up fighting, given up trying, given up even the Idea of trying and fighting. I had not been selected in any of the Engineering Entrance Exams, I had secured a meagre 77% marks in Class XII boards and I was going to Pursue a B.Sc. course in any of the colleges at Delhi University with absolutely no idea or clue as to why I wanted to do that.

My parents were never of the interfering sorts. Surprisingly, even at my failure they were indifferent. They gave me an option to do whatever I wanted, whatever I felt right…and on the other hand…I never knew what was right? …or what I wanted to do?...But this is not about me…this about you my friend.

That very fateful day when I was all alone, as all my friends were off to join their colleges and universities…lost into thoughts like a loser and feeling a low I had never ever felt… I was sent a messiah…a saviour of my soul…a guiding light who I later realised would help me find my way all through my life whenever I was or will be lost. May be he himself was looking for support and wanted someone to help him…may be whatever he said that day was to console himself too…but that day proved to be a turning point of my life. Within a few hours of talk he was able to give me a reason to believe in myself. He made me take one the best decisions to drop a year and go for engineering (even though I am of no use as an engineer now). He gave me direction. He made me dream. He made me realise that dreams are just not there to be dreamt in the night…but to be lived in the day. And all these were not just his preaching, he practised them…and practiced them well. We achieved what at that time was believed unachievable. He deserved much more…and he kept on moving forward…leaps and bounds…and Today he has again proved his mettle.

There are very few who have the audacity to walk the unbeaten path. There are very few who are able to match their actions with their words. There are a few who have the capability to stick their neck out of the crowd irrespective of their height. There are very few who have the courage and the heart to practice something as unorthodox and often rebuked as quitting a Rs 15 Lakhs + Benefits job and sitting down for a year to pursue what they always wanted to pursue. Very few of those who do have this courage and heart, have the capability to achieve it. And You – Mr Chandra Mohan Thakur - my friend have done it all. (OK! Agreed! There are few more of my friends who have done this…and done this all through their life…but Dudes! For today…Let it be him!) Proud to be able to just tell that you studied with me and I taught you Physics (although you never utilised it at any point after JEE…but still I taught you ;) )

Well Done! But…there’s still miles to go before you sleep…and miles to go before you sleep! So...All the best! I know you will keep shining...mightier and higher!