My colleague was shocked to see this board when we went to meet a doctor who gave us appointment to listen to our insurance plans. Though I was not able to reproduce all the degrees that the board listed, I still remember eight to nine degrees that were written on the board which probably contained all the alphabets the English has got.
When we entered the clinic it looked like a museum. The walls in the huge hall bore all the certificates that were awarded to the doctor. There were several patients who were patiently trying to understand what kind of person they are going to consult.
Most of the certificates were from less famous countries like Ukraine, Czechoslovakia etc. This was not an end. There were several photographs in costly frames that adorn the walls. The doctor took photographs with every possible person in the world who was in a white coat.
My colleague was shocked. He never thought that anybody can get these many degrees and so called diplomas. When he patiently counted they exceeded the life span of a person, around 80 in all.
Before I could explain him how one gets these kind of cheap diplomas and fellowships by just passing some online tests the doctor called us inside.
Though I could not see any great number of patients waiting outside, the doctor acted very busy. He displayed his wisdom. He tried to look familiar with anything that is under the son. It was an hour of time waste where the doctor spent most of the time proving that he is not less than a noble laureate. He was not there to listen to our product. He only had one clear agenda, enacting his own advertisement show. He had one album full of his certificates and photographs which he kept inside as his walls were not sufficient to put them upon.
It made me to remember one incident that taught me a lot as to how a human being should be because one is called HUMAN BEING.
When I was in Dr Reddys labs I had been to one of the famous hospitals in Andhrapradesh. It was Satyasai Institute of medical sciences in a place called Puttaparthy.
Built by the famous Satyasaibaba trust this hospital is meant for providing super specialty services to poor patients who can't afford such expensive treatment outside.
When myself and my colleague entered the hospital for the first time, it did not look like yet another hospital rather it looked like a temple that provides peace of mind too.
We went to meet one of the doctors. There was a person in white clothes and a badge of Satyasaibaba outside the doctor's chamber. These are the people who come to do voluntary service. I just asked the person if the doctor was inside. He was extra polite and was very cordial too. He went inside and informed the doctor about us. While waiting to get inside the doctor's chamber we started chatting with the old person who looked very ordinary.
He did not look like south Indian. After a small probe about the person's background we were more than shocked. He was an old IIT graduate who further went and continued his studies in MIT, USA. He worked as professor and dean in many universities where people love to get admission world wide. He was invited by the government to head some of the important committees that made policy decisions. At last he served his alumnus IIT as director and retired. He still is in advisory role for Govt of India. All this he told as a matter of fact. To my dismay I could not find even a small trace of ego. He devotes one month of his time every year to serve the people and that is how he ended up in this hospital as an attendant for patients. I asked him if he could ask for a better job. His answer is a lesson of a life time.
"God chose me to do the service. Whether it was as a professor or as an attendant. The choice was of god. I am here to deliver his wishes."
It left a deep impact on me. As Swamy Vivekananda says, accumulation of knowledge is good but unused knowledge is like food undigested, it does more harm than good.
Degrees and diplomas don't make us human beings. Wisdom makes us. Craving for recognition up to a certain age is normal. But with the age if the chronic craving continues then it is called IDENTITY SYNDROME.
Somebody who failed to develop solid attitude and character always tries to depend on external means to derive value.
Let us strive for achieving something worthwhile rather than spending whole life to prove that we are great to others. It.s waste of LIFE.
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