MYSORE: Almost half a century after he turned his back on college, this old man has bounced back to campus, with vigour.K Marichamaiah, 76, who could not realise his dream of becoming a lecturer during his youth, now sees himself close to achieving it.Marichamaiah, who retired as Deputy Controller of Metrology Department, is pursuing his LLM degree in JSS Law College here. When asked what he intends doing next, the septuagenarian brimming with confidence says: “PhD, then National Entrance Test (NET) and then becoming a lecturer.”Meanwhile, the journey towards achieving the goal has not been easy. He could not enrol for PhD in his first attempt in the 1960s because of low percentage in MA (political science). Marichamaiah said that he could not go for a second attempt then because of his family’s poor financial status. The family had lost a lot of property due to land reforms, which forced him to take up a job. He worked as co-operatives extension officer for five years before he cleared Mysore Civil Service (today’s KAS) in 1970.After retirement in 1994, he joined LLB in JSS Law College but could not clear it in the given six attempts. He led the subsequent agitation launched by failed students demanding carry-over system in 2001 and cleared his LLB in his seventh attempt. Again he missed a PG seat in Mysore University because of low percentage and waited for almost ten years to get a seat in JSS Law College.“By the time I finish my PhD and NET, I will be 80, I may get a few years to teach,” he hopes. He exercises for one hour daily to keep himself fit. His college mates, who are less than a third his age, fondly address him as thatha, uncle, grandpa and Mr Chams to which he reciprocates with a broad smile. “With his caring nature, he has become a good friend of everyone in campus,” said Ashe, his senior in college.
Comments
0 comment