I worked as an ELT resource person mainly for the eastern region for Oxford University Press (OUP) for about seven years where, I had some wonderful experiences, which I will share later. There was a time when there was hardly any work and the honorarium was also not increasing. Then came an offer from Pearson with a better honorarium but the area of work was vastly reduced. It was only the northern part of West Bengal generally known as North Bengal. The offer was also more lucrative as I could work for any other Book House and they would put my credentials on their website for anyone to offer me any assignment. With Oxford, I was not allowed to accept assignments from any other Book House. Then came the COVID pandemic and Pearson could not give me any work for over two years, whereas Oxford gave a lot of online assignments to my erstwhile colleagues. I was elated to receive a call from Oxford in early June this year asking me to rejoin OUP. I was simply elated. There was no saying no. I have already been approached for at least two assignments.

I have launched a new YouTube Channel: Aniruddha Burmon
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aniruddha+burmon
Please subcribe to my YouTube channel and like my videos.

Inquiry Training Model by Dr Aniruddha Burmon

22/01/2019

University BT & Evening College, Cooch Behar, West Bengal

I joined University BT & Evening College on the 18^th of October 2001 just before the Puja vacation. As the college reopened after the vacation I observed quite a few things that seemed strange. It is obvious that a lot of things will not meet my expectations. One of the many things I observed was a man called Gautam Roy the computer operator used bring a CPU on a rickshaw and take it back after the completion of the work each day. He used to be paid six hundred rupees for his work and another six hundred for the CPU including conveyance charges. He was quite a good operator. There was a Dot Mtrix Printer with the help of which he used complete the accounts and issue us Pay Slips.

On one occasion he invited me and two other colleagues to Sitai where he was starting a Computer Centre in collaboration with the Panchayet Samity. He requested me to take my car along and volunteered to pay me for the fuel expenses. I owned a Maruti Van those days. Before leaving he pushed in three computers in my car.

In the programme that was attended by quite a lot of people I gave my maiden speech in Bengali (that too in West Bengal). After the programme the Computer Centre was inaugurated. Smoke stated coming out of one of the monitors that came with me. The monitor was shut down soon after.

The principal used to keep on telling us that the college owned a number of computers and that University engineers had told him that they can be repaired. Tired of this I took one member of the non-teaching staff and tried looking for the computers. We found three boxes which contained the CPUs. I asked the Principal where the computers were. He simply pleaded ignorance. I argued, ‘Sir you are one who kept on saying that there were some computers’. He repeated his ignorance. I insisted, ‘Sir, you have taken over charge from the previous Teacher-in-Charge.’ He simply repeated his ignorance. Ignorance, they say is bliss! I requested the Principal to get them back but he kept on procrastinating. Ultimately he said that Gautam had written to him that the computers were with him. I wanted to see the letter, which he said he had thrown away. ‘OMG, how could he have spoiled such an important evidence?!’  Then I told him at least to get them back, that to with no effect. Ultimately, Bikash who had joined the office by now volunteered and got back the computers, albeit without one monitor! I remembered that Gautam had taken away three computers and one monitor had caught fire.

 That was towards the end of September 2002 when one day Anadi babu, the Head Assistant entered the chamber of the Principal when I was discussing something with the Principal. Anadi Babu informed him that one lakh rupees had been received from the UGC for the purchase of equipments and the money had to be spent by the 30^th of September. I butted in and asked the Principal to buy computers. Anadi Babu said, ‘We have a different head for computers, this amount is not for computers but for equipments.’ I argued in vain, ‘If computers do not fall under the category of equipments then what will? For B.Ed computers are definitely equipments!’ Anadi Babu of course agreed to look into the list of equipments provided by the University.

It was 28^th of September – Saturday – I was in a hurry to return home. Somehow it was being difficult to dodge the queries of the trainees. At last, as I free and about to rush out of the gates Anadi Babu wanted to talk to me. ‘Let’s talk some other day, Anadida!’ I pleaded, ‘I have to rush home.’ ‘Computers are in the list of equipments. We can buy computers!’ Anadi Babu shouted from behind. Instead of going home straight I reached the computer dealer whom I knew and asked the proprietor Izaz to get three quotations ready (giving back dates of course) in the way that the computers could be delivered by the 30^th! 5% of the total amount was supposed to be used for storage purposes. With the amount left we could get one Pentium 3 machine (Compaq), one Celeron and another CPU only which could used with one of the monitors we possessed.

I was out of station for quite a number of days. Luckily, the principal didn’t receive the computers. After I returned the college got its computers. One computer room was constructed behind the Principal’s chamber covered by dark glass.

No sooner the computers were procured and people started trickling in the first of the comments I heard, ‘Prof Burmon has bought computers but he hasn’t bought any printer!’ As if people could not use computers without printers. As I was not told directly I informed the middle man that there was already a printer in place which was being used by Gautam earlier. It was a Dot Matrix printer though but it was in a working condition. In any case we could buy as much as the funds that were available. The next allegation was, ‘He has bought computers, but hasn’t got an SPSS package! What shall we from Social Science do? Had he bought the computers from Computer World he could have got the package free!’ In the first place a person who was unable to handle computers was bringing these allegations. Secondly, one has to learn using this package in order to use this. And what even I didn’t know was this package cost over a hundred thousand rupees. During my next visit to Shillong I procured a demo version. I could hardly use it as I didn’t have any knowledge of Statistics. I never found anyone from Social Sciences use it either. The person or persons who were bringing these allegations are still not very conversant with computers even after some fifteen years.

I thought if I could attract the Group C and D employees we shall be able to use them later in life. And the easiest method to motivate them was to make them play games. In fact, most of them could hardly do any better than this. Again the same group was against this idea and informed the Principal. Even the principal thought that the computers would be damaged if people played games. So the project had to be shelved ultimately.

I started teaching three of my colleagues. They seemed quite happy too. But again the same group became vocal. ‘Why should U---- babu enter the computer room?’!!! Another person was lost.

Life in St Edmund’s College, Shillong

Serene surroundings with beautiful Assam type building and quite a number of gardens surrounded by hedges marked St. Edmund’s College. On the other side was the famous St. Edmund’s School.

What made St. Edmund’s unique was the Principal himself used to mow the grass and trim the hedges. He used to type the notice himself and nail it on to the Notice Board himself. He used to ring the bell himself. Right after ringing the bell and rush off to check all the classes with the routine of the whole college glued to the cover page of ‘practical note books’ with a swish of the cassock. We watched the same characteristics with Bro Shannon when he took over as the Principal. Of course Bro Vieyra was always followed by two huge dogs, which used to be there inside the classroom too. Both Bro Vieyra and Bro Shannon were idols to be emulated. As was their wont they used to mow the grass in the gardens as well as the playgrounds. It was a normal sight to find them trimming the hedges around the gardens. The Principal was always busy. Whenever he was served tea he would let the tea get cold, finish it in one gulp and resume his work. We had to address the brothers (our teachers) as ‘sir’, as is the tradition in India to address teachers.

The Principal, Bro R.B. Vieyra used to teach us both English and Chemistry. Prof Purnendu Bhattacharjee, Prof Dulal Bhattacharjee and Bro M.G. Shannon (Vice-Principal) used to teach us Physics, Prof Banamali Das Purkayastha Chemistry, Prof Mithila BHattacharjee English, Dr Dilip Lahiri Bengali, Prof R.B. Gurung, Prof Dinendu Bhattacharjee and another professor were in charge of Biology, Prof Jayanta Lahiri and Prof Biswas Mathematics.

We had a Games Secretary who was from Singapore. The time in his watch showed Singapore time. Whenever anyone wanted to know the time he would look at his watch, calculate & find out the time in India and tell! There was a recess everyday from 12.15 pm to 12.30 pm. On one occasion he called for a meeting during the recess. We had to assemble near the Notice Board. The Principal arrived and the Games Secretary started his speech. He said, ‘Last year we won the inter-college Badminton championship but there was hardly anyone to clap for us. Though St. Anthony’s College lost to us in the finals but nearly the whole stadium was clapping for them. For us, the prize was big but the path was narrow but for St. Anthony’s the prize was small but the path was big.’ The principal said, ‘The place where I was brought up people make you mad for games. Earlier a whole week was marked as College Week but no one used to turn up. Now, first half of everyday during College Week was devoted to studies. The second half was for games and sports. But sadly students leave the college after the first half. A dead person has not interested in anything. As you are not in anything you are also dead. Everybody may not play but there should be someone to cheer. I would like to see everyone in the field this time during Inter-College sports.’ These speeches had tremendous effect on us. During the next Inter-College Sports we found students of St. Edmund’s everywhere. We won most of the games and in most others we became runners up. St. Edmund’s was adjudged the overall champions. Then there was no looking back.

19/01/2019

I was a student of B.Sc then. One of my classmates wanted to bunk classes. There were three exit points – one towards the back which led to a market place in a place called Laitumkhrah, another towards the main gate and the other leading towards New Hostel and beyond, this again forked out near the Squash court towards BT hostel. He was possibly trying to take the third option and was in the narrow lane by the side of the Principal’s office. Bro Shannon, the then principal, rang the bell and started rushing towards the Library building which also housed a few classrooms and the physics laboratory. And very naturally they met face to face. The principal blurted, ‘Where are you going?’ ‘Biology lab, sir, I have a Zoology class, sir’, came the prompt reply. ‘You are from 1^st year B.Sc, isn’t it?’ (He had an uncanny knowledge of knowing every student by name and class.) Bro Shannon brought out the routine from under his armpit and checked the B.Sc 1^st year routine. ‘You have Chemistry. Why did you say, Zoology?’ He held my friend by the neck and took him to the Chemistry class. Chemistry class was housed in the Assam typed building, which also housed the Chemistry laboratory. ‘Sir, please take him in.’ Bro Shannon asked the teacher.

On another occasion, Bro Shannon was making his rounds after ringing the bell. He didn’t find a teacher in one of the classes. On query it was found that it was Prof Hassan Yousuf’s class, who took history. Prof Hassan Yousuf was the person who had defeated first Indian Chess Master Manual Aaron, when the latter had come to Shillong and played with some ten players at the same time. He used to be normally found in the teachers’ canteen (which was behind ours) and playing chess. Bro Shannon went to the Staff room collected the attendance register of students, a duster and a few pieces of chalk and went to the teachers’ canteen. Very quietly, keeping the collectibles on the table where Prof Yousuf was engrossed in his game, very politely said, ‘Sir, I thought you had a class!’ Prof Hassan was not seen anywhere near by the next second.

Prof Aga Ahmed of the Department of Economics was always late and naturally students wouldn’t wait very long. They didn’t have the courage of staying outside the class for long too. They would disappear fast! Not seeing the students Prof Aga Ahmed would leave. Bro Shannon had been watching this for quite sometime. One day, he picked up his lawn mower and started mowing the grass in the garden facing the class. It was the wont of all the Principals of or college to mow the grass whether in gardens or the football fields and trim the hedges. Prof Ahmed was late and seeing the Principal around most of the students disappeared. Prof Aga Ahmed came and not seeing the students in the classroom tried to leave. To everyone’s surprise Bro Shannon sprang from almost nowhere and catching the Prof by the waist and thrust him inside the class saying, ‘Not this time sir!’ Prof Ahmed never ever missed a class.

Pre-University or present day Higher Secondary (or +2 stage after class X) was taught in colleges those days and all the top ten positions in the University merit list in Pre-University (Science) was ‘reserved’ for students of St. Edmund’s. Only on the rarest of rare occasions one position went to some other college. Getting results was very difficult those. People had to visit the Telephone Exchange to get their results. Two boys went to meet the Principal and inform him of their results. ‘Sir, I have stood second and he has secured the fourth position in the merit panel’. Bro Shannon punched in their tummies and the poor boys fell down, hurt they were physically but more confused thinking what better result they could have brought! The principal picked them and apologized saying, ‘I was so happy that out of my happiness I punched you!’ What a principal! The rapport was never to be broken in their lifetime.

After my masters I joined a college in Nagaland. Somehow, whenever I met him after, he used to shout taking off his cap with his left hand and extending his right hand for a warm handshake, ‘Hey, you from Mizoram!’ Every time I had to correct him saying, ‘Sorry, sir, I work in Nagaland and not Mizoram!’ But he would repeat the same mistake over and over again!

Bro Shannon as a teacher of Physics volunteered to show us the cathode ray experiment, which is never shown in any college I was told.

A Story in Bengali

ত্রিমূর্তি

তখন তুরা গভরমেন্ট কলেজে অধ্যাপনা করছিলাম। শহরের একটা ক্লাব – তার নাম নাট্য সমিতি। সেখানে আনাগোনা ছিল। এক ছাত্র স্নাতক স্তরের পড়াশুনো শেষ করে বসে আছে। কোথাও কোন চাকরির সুযোগ নেই। সরকারি চাকরিতে ৮০% তপশিলি জনজাতিদের জন্য সংরক্ষিত আর বাকি ২০%-ও বাকিদের পাওয়ার উপায় ছিল না। বেসরকারি চাকরির তো কোন সুযোগই নেই। তাও স্নাতক স্তরে ভালো ফল করে থাকলে একটা কথা। সবদিকে একটা নৈরাশ্য। উদ্দমেরও অভাব ছিল।  তখন আমার এক ভগ্নিপতির সৌজন্যে এক ইংরেজি দৈনিক পত্রিকায় স্থানীয় ক্রিকেটের ওপর মাঝে মধ্যে লেখালিখি করতাম। সেটা অবশ্য কোন সাম্মানিক ছাড়াই। বুদ্ধর ওপর একটু মায়া পরে গিয়েছিল। দারুণ হাতের লেখা। সব সংস্থার সার্টিফিকেটগুলো লিখ্‌ত। ভালো টাইপ করত। একটা চোখ পাথরের – অন্য চোখটার অবস্থাও খুব ভালো নয়। মেসোমশাই বহু বছর আগে চাকরি থেকে অবসর নিয়ে বসে আছেন। মাসিমা গৃহবধূ। একদিন বুদ্ধকে নিয়ে বসলাম ক্লাব ঘরে। বললাম এক ইংরেজি দৈনিক পত্রিকা ‘দ্যি শিলং টাইমসে’র সাংবাদিক এর পদের জন্য আবেদন করতে। ‘স্যার, আমিতো ভালো করে ইংরেজি বলতেও পাড়িনা আর লেখা তো দূরের কথা’। ‘লেখার কাজটা আমিই করে দেব। তোমার লিখতে হবে না। তুমি শুধু পুলিসের সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ রেখে  প্রতিদিনের ক্রাইমের খবরগুলো যোগাড় কর। আবেদনটাও আমি লিখে দিলাম। চাকরি পাওয়া গেলো। প্রতি খবরের ওপর ভিত্তি করে একটা সাম্মানিক পাওয়া যাবে। শুরু হোল কাজ। প্রতদিন পুলিসের কাছ থেকে পাওয়া খবর ও অন্যান্ন খবর। একটা ব্যস্ততার জীবন শুরু হোল। বুদ্ধ খুশি, আমিও। স্কুটার নিয়ে গেলাম তেল ভরতে। পেছনে বুদ্ধ। পেট্রোল পাম্পে দেখা আমার এংলো-ইন্ডিয়ান বন্ধুর সঙ্গে। ওর মোটর সাইকেল নিয়ে এসেছে তেল ভরতে। টাইরন একটা স্কুল চালাতো। খুব ভালো স্কুল। ‘দেখনা, বুদ্ধকে কোন কাজ দেওয়া যায় কিনা তোমার স্কুলে। ও তো শিলং টাইমসে সাংবাদিকতা করছে’। ‘তাই নাকি। বুদ্ধ, তুমি কাল চলে এসতো আমার স্কুলে’। আবার আবেদন লিখলাম। পরদিন রাস্তায় দেখা। টাইরনের মোটর সাইকেলের পেছনে একটা বড় টাইপরাইটার নিয়ে বুদ্ধ চলছে স্কুলে। চাকরিদাতা খুশি – চাকুরে খুশি – আর শিক্ষক মহাশয়ের তো খুশিই খুশি। এইভাবে চলল চেশ কিছু দিন নাকি বছর! ততদিনে বুদ্ধর ভেতর থেকে চাকরি পাবার ও চেষ্টা করার প্রবণতা জেগেছে। জুনিয়ার ডিভিশনাল একাউন্টেন্ট পদে আবেদন করল, পরীক্ষা দিল, পাস করল, চাক

রিও পেল। একেবারে সরকারি। টাইরন খুব দুঃখ পেল এত ভালো একজন কর্মীকে হারাতে হয়ে। কিন্তু জীবন তো আর থেমে থাকে না।

ততদিনে শিলং টাইমসের একটা অফিস হয়েছে তুরা শহরে। আমি যেই বাড়িতে ভাড়া থাকতাম তার পাশেরর বাড়িতে ভাড়া নিয়েছিল এক পরিবার। সেই পরিবারের একজন বাদে বাকি সব ছেলেমেয়েরা আমরা ছাত্রছাত্রী। ছোট ছেলে শিবু। স্নাতক স্তরের পড়াশুনো শেষ করে বসে আছে। বুদ্ধর একটা হিল্লে হোল। এবার শিবুকে নিয়ে পরা যাক। ছেলেটা ভালো টাইপ করে। সেই আবার শিলং টাইমস! না এবার আর সাংবাদিক নয়। টাইপিস্টের চাকরি পাওয়া গেল। সেই সুত্র ধরে আবার টাইরন ডি ব্রাসের ‘শেরউড স্কুল’। মালিক-করমচারি সখ্য এবারও জমে উঠল। সেই স্কুল থেকেই  ভাগ্য ফিরল শিবুরও। ডাক ও তার বিভাগের আপ্ত সহায়কের চাকরি যোগাড় করে নিল শিবু।

একদিন আমার বাড়িতে এল রামধন। গত পরীক্ষায় ইংরেজি বিষয়ে পাস করতে পারেনি। পরের পরীক্ষার ঠিক এক মাস আগে আমার কাছে এল ইংরেজিতে টিউশন পড়ার জন্য। ঘাড় ধরে বের করে দিলাম। ‘এই পরীক্ষায় ফেল করে পরের বছর এস’। তাতে কি আর মন মানে? অনুরোধ করতে লাগল বারে বারে। চিড়ে তো আর গলে না। ‘বললাম তো আগামি বছর এস। এই শেষ সময়ে আমার কিছু করার নেই’। একটু পরে জিজ্ঞেস করলাম, ‘কোথায় থাক?’ জানা গেল আমার একটা বাড়ি পরে থাকে। ‘তুমি কি আগে আসতে পারলে না?’ ‘স্যার, আমার তো টিউশানির টাকা দেবার ক্ষমতা নেই’। ‘আমি কি টাকার কথা বলেছি? কত ছেলে-মেয়ে তো বিনা পয়সায় পড়ে যায় আমার কাছে। তুমি কি আসতে পারতে না’। ‘স্যার, খুব ভয় করে আপনাকে’। ‘তাহলে তো আমার করার কিছু নেই। আমাকে যে কেউ ভয় পায় সেটা তো আমার জানা ছিল না। আগামি বছর এস।’ মুখ কাচুমাচু করে চলে গেল। আবার পরের দিন – দিনের পড় দিন একই আবদার নিয়ে আসতে থাকল। একদিন বাধ্য হয়ে ওকে বসিয়ে একটা রচনা লিখতে দিলাম। লেখার পর ভুলগুলোর চারদিকে লাল কালি দিয়ে গোল গোল দাগ দিলাম। দিয়ে বললাম। ‘এই দেখ তোমার অবসস্থা। এই অবসস্থা থেকে তোমাকে পাস করানো আমার পক্ষে সম্ভব নয়। আগামি বছর সময় মত এস তখন দেখা যাবে’। তাও তার আসা কমেনা। পরে একদিন আমার লেখা কিছু নোট দিয়ে দিলাম। যথারীতি আবার অসফল হোল। পরেরবার অবশ্য ঠিক সময়মত এল পড়তে। সপ্তাহে তিন দিন। একদিন কথায় কথায় বললাম, ‘প্রতি মাসে কিছু কিছু করে টাকা জমাও’। ‘কি ভাবে জমাবো, স্যার? পাসের বাড়িতে টিউশন পড়িয়ে মাসে একশ টাকা পাই আর দাদার বাড়িতে থাকি আর খাই। বাবা নেই আর মা থাকেন শিলচরে’। ‘একশ টাকার মধ্যে দশ টাকা হলেও জমাও’। যা হোক পড়াশুনো চলতে লাগল আর মাঝে মধ্যে গাল গল্প। পরীক্ষায় পাস করল। এবার বি.এ. ক্লাসে ভরতি হোল। এক সময় পাসও করল। একদিন বলল। ‘স্যার, একটু বাড়ি যাব। মাকে কিছু টাকা দিয়ে আসব’। আমি অবাক হয়ে বললাম, ‘তোমার আবার টাকা কোথা থেকে এল। চুরি করলে নাকি?’ ‘না, স্যার, আপনি যে টাকা জমাতে বলেছিলেন, জমিয়েছিলাম। কিছু টাকা হয়েছে। এবার মাকে দিয়ে আসব’। দারুণ আনন্দ হোল।

এদিকে বুদ্ধরও চাকরি হয়ে গেছে, শিবুরও হয়ে গেছে। রামধনের চাকরি হোল শিলং টাইমস অফিসে। তুরা অফিসের ব্যুরো চীফ একদিন আমায় বলল, ‘তুমি তো রামুকে ইংরেজি শেখাও নি শুধু কিভাবে ইংরেজিতে পাস করতে হয় তা শিখিয়েছ’। ‘ঠিক তাই’। আমি স্বীকার করলাম। শিলং টাইমস অফিসে খুব জাঁকিয়ে বসেছে রামধন। একদিন কথায় কথায় ওকে বললাম একটু টাকা পয়শার টানাটানি চলছে। রামধন বলল, ‘স্যার, কিছু টাকা দেব নাকি। আমার কাছে আছে’!!! টাকা রোজগার করা ও টাকা জমানো ভালো আয়ত্ত করে নিছে ততদিনে।

যাক, তিনজনই ভালো আছে। শিবু চলে গেছে শিলঙে। বিয়ে করেছে। ভালই আছে। রমধন বিয়ে করে ভালই আছে। ওর বিয়েতে বর যাত্রী হয়ে গিয়েছিলাম মহেন্দ্রগঞ্জে। না বুদ্ধর কথা ভুলে গেলে চলবে না। এদের আগেই অবশ্য বিয়ে করেছে। হ্যাঁ, আমারও আগে। তবে সে আরেক ইতিহাস।

বয়েস চলে যাচ্ছে কিন্তু বুদ্ধর বিয়ের কোন উদ্যোগ নেই ওর বাবার। অরুপের সঙ্গে আলোচনা করি। কিন্তু আগে তো বুদ্ধকে বোঝাতে হবে। দুজনে একদিন ওকে পাকড়াও করলাম। বোঝালাম অনেক কিছু। উৎসাহ দেখালো। কিন্তু মেশমশাইকে বলার সাহস নেই। আর দেখে মনে হচ্ছে ছেলের বিয়ের ব্যাপারে মেসোমশাইএর কোন আগ্রহ নেই। কিন্তুওনাকে বোঝায় কে? মাসিমার দ্বারাও সম্ভব নয়। একদিন অরুপ শিলং যাচ্ছে রাতের বাসে। তার আগে ফোন করল। ‘স্যার, বুদ্ধর নাম করে খবরের কাগজে একটা বিজ্ঞাপন দিচ্ছি। দেখুনত বয়ানটা ঠিক আছে কিনা?’ বয়ানের একটা খসড়া তৈরি করা গেল। কিন্তু একটা ঠিকানা তো দরকার চিঠি আসার জন্য। ঠিক করা  হোল আমার পোস্ট বক্স। বিজ্ঞাপন বেরুল। চিঠি আসাও শুরু হোল। মাঝে একজন ঘ্টকও ঢুকে পড়ল। যা হোক, চিঠি গুলো নিয়ে অরুপ আর আমি বসলাম। পরে একদিন বুদ্ধকে ডেকে পুরো ঘটনাটা বুঝিয়ে বলা হোল ও পড়ান হোল। কিন্তু বেড়ালের গলায় ঘণ্টা কে বাঁধবে? মেসোমশাইএর সঙ্গে কে কথা বলবে? তখন না আছে বুদ্ধর দেখা না আছে অরুপের দেখা। মেসোমশাইএর একটা লাঠি ছিল। ভুল বললাম অনেক গুলই ছিল। যেটা প্রতিদিন ব্যাবহার করতেন সেটার কথাই বলছি। ভয় ছিল, ওটা কার পিঠে ভাঙে? অগত্যা একদিন সাহস করে চিঠি গুলো নিয়ে দুরুদূর বক্ষে রওয়ানা দিলাম বুদ্ধর বাড়ির উদ্দেশ্যে। মেসোমশাই বাড়িতে নেই। ‘বাঁচা গেল এই যাত্রা’। এসে পরার আগে তাড়াতাড়ি করে মাসিমার হাতে চিঠি গুলো দিয়ে বললাম মেসোমশাইকে দিয়ে দিতে।  রাস্তায় মেসোমশাইএর সঙ্গে দেখা। বললাম, ‘মাসিমার কাছে একটা জিনিষ দিয়ে এসেছি। একটু দেখবেন’। বলে আর দাঁড়ান নয়। এক কথায় পালালাম। পরদিন দুপুরে মেসোমশাই আমার বাড়ি এশে হাজির। ভাগ্য ভালো বাড়ি ছিলাম না। ফিরতেই মা বললেন মেসোমশাই  এসেছিলেন। আর একবার বাঁচলাম। সন্ধ্যের সময় আবার হাজির। মনের ভেতর আতঙ্ক কিন্তু বাইরে তার কোন ছাপ নেই। সামনে গিয়ে বসলাম। লাঠিটাকে দূর থেকে আড় চোখে দেখতে লাগলাম। শান্ত চোখে দেখতে লাগলাম – একটা প্যাকেট বের করলেন। হৃদপিণ্ডটা যেন হাতে চলে এল – প্যাকেট থেকে বেরুল সেই চিঠিগুলো! শ্বাস বন্ধ হবার যোগাড় – শাস্তি শোনার জন্য অপেক্ষা এক ছোট শিশুর মত অবস্থা তখন আমার। হঠাথ পরিবেশটা পালটে গেল। একটা একটা করে চিঠি খুলতে লাগলেন। প্রত্যেকটা চিঠিতে প্রয়োজন মত কিছু কিছু শব্দের নিচে দাগ দেওয়া। চিঠিগুলো মেসোমশাই খুঁটিয়ে খুঁটিয়ে পড়েছেন, যথেষ্ট মনোযোগ দিয়ে। ‘সিলেটি হলে চলবে না। গোয়ালা ঘোষ হলে চলবে না’। এই করে করে প্রায় সবটাই বাতিল হোল। আপাতত লাঠিটা এবারকার মত আমার পিঠে ভাঙল না। একটা নতুন অধ্যায় শুরু হলে। কিন্তু কিছুদিন পর আবার সব চুপচাপ। হঠাথ শুনলাম বদ্ধর বিয়ে ধুবড়িতে! খুব খুশি হলাম কিন্থু একটু দুঃখও পেলাম। কিভাবে খবর পাওয়া গেল, কবে মেয়ে দেখা হোল কিছুই জানলাম না। যাক  তাও তো  বুদ্ধর বিয়ে বলে কথা - খুব আনন্দ করলাম।

নিজে নিজেকে বাহবা দিলাম – আমার ত্রিমূর্তির হিল্লে হোল অনেকদিন পর।

NCC

NCC

I was a cadet of the Jr Air wing NCC in school. There rose up to the rank of Corporal. I passed the ‘A’ Certificate Examination. I attended one Annual Training Camp too once. NCC in college belonged to the army. It was a Signals unit. I was not too happy but nevertheless I joined and could firing practice once. As I joined Tura Government College I found out that there were two NCC units, one for the boys and another for the girls. Prof (Lt) Niren Sangma was in-charge of the boys’ unit under 2 Meghalaya BN NCC and Prof (Ms) (Lt) Bianna W. Momin was in-charge of the girls’ unit under 61 Meghalaya Girls BN NCC. I wanted to join as an officer but there was no opportunity. I was once told that one more unit may be opened and I may be made in-charge there. But this never materialized. As Lt Sangma retired as an Associate NCC Officer (ANO) I was called upon to take charge. That was in the year 1996. I was called for interview in Shillong after the authorities were satisfied with my credentials. There were others too. In the corridors of the DPI’s office (where the interview was supposed to have been held) we met Col Gogoi, the Commanding Officer. He suggested we could have gone to the unit itself. In fact, we had no such idea or knowledge. The interview was just a formality. As the appointment letter came I was shocked to find that instead of my name, it carried the name of my dad!!! It was rectified much later. I took over as a Care Taking Officer. I was worried about the kind of instructor I might have to expect. The first duty was to arrange a firing practice. NCC in Tura Govt. College was dead before I joined. Students were not interested in joining NCC, there was hardly any back up from the HQ in Shillong. Lt Sangma also had lost all interested. As hung the notice for firing some fifty-two cadets turned up. I was overjoyed. One of the cadets was Rangku Orris N. Sangma. I will talk about him in details later. Luckily for me as well as NCC of Tura Govt. College Hav ST Tamang was sent. There was an immediate rapport with the cadets. Lt Sangma was sad. He expressed his sorrow to Bianna, “When I called not a single cadet turned up but as Prof Burmon called so many cadets turned up!!!” Bianna, who happened to be departmental colleague too was quite diplomatic in her reply, “Please don’t feel sad, Burmon is young and hence they may be feel close to him. There is nothing against you personally, I believe.” Prof Sangma was satisfied. My cadets were very happy with the practice too. I got some practice myself too. Soon I received an intimation to join the Republic Day (RD) Parade but as I was not a commissioned Officer till then, I lost the chance. In fact, I lost three more chances of attending the RD Parade!!!

Havildar Instructor Tamang and Rangku Orris N. Sangma gave shape to the TGC NCC. Rangku was a great leader. He proved to be best among the commanders of all the contingents in parade in the Chandmary play groung both in Republic and Inependence Day parades. There were other cadets too who deserve a mention here - Russel R. Marak, Jim Momin, Festus, Jen Muller, Triobirth. As I 

used to take care of the Girls unit too, unfficially though, I will be failing in my duties if I do not make a mention of Nancy Sangma and Janice Marak. Nancy is a school teacher as I know. Janice is in Meghalaya Police Service.
I was detailed for training. Three of us were supposed to travel to Nagpur. Mr Sinil Pio fromUnion Christian College, Barapani and Mr Indrajit Das from Ramakrishna Mission, Cherrapunji. In fact, Indrajit was a year junior to me in school. We were given our tickets and some money for our expenses. I was lucky to have taken my cadets to some camp where I had some practice with .303 and Light Machine Gun. Pio and me reached Guwahati and learnt about a bandh. So promptly took a bus and reached Cooch Behar. This was the first time I actually stayed in Cooch Behar. We found some accomodation for the night in Hotel Mayur. In fact, when I actually started living in Cooch Behar in a rented house the owner of the hotel happened to be the brother -in-law of my landlord. In fact, he used to look after the house. We reached Howrah the next day. There we met Indrajit who did not face any problem as the trains were not affected by the bandh. We reached Nagpur. There on to a place called Kamptee. Here was our Officers' Training Academy. We were housed in 'S' Coy barrack. Indrajit was in Junior Division, so he was in a separate barrack. Didn't have much to do in the evening. We wer all lined in white shorts and briefed in the vening by quite a friendly looking Halvidar Instructor. He was our Basic HI. Somehow I seem to forget his name. Our Course Officer-in-Charge was Major Anil Puri. We were some 60 of us.
The Ordeal
The ordeal started the very next day. Around 4 in the morning we had to wake up with a shriek, "Chaye". All the lights were turned on. There was a huge rush. Taking tea, preparing our beds, brushing, shaving, clearing the bowels, bathing and ready in the ground for PT in shorts by 6 am. And then the killing 2.4 km run!!! Why the hell on earth did I have to choose this?! Straight for breakfast after PT and rush for changing clothes and parade in the 'Kala Ground' which we used to refer to as 'Killing Ground'. A slightly better time was class. It was impossible to control the drooping eyelids. A number of stand ups and sit downs of course helped keep us awake. A cup of tea and then Weapons Training or Map Reading Class. One HI asked who would like to be the leader. Not knowing that one should not take a lead in the army the nly one hand that went up that was mine. I was promptly made the senior and the Senior Under Officer. In fact, my being the senior did help me a lot later in the course.
On one occasion during the first phase of RD selection at Umroi Cantt TGC unit was alloted the fifty percent of the total strength of Meghalaya. Colleges in Shillong were not amused. The Group Commander replied, "Given the scope I would have given the whole quota to TGC, as things are happening there." By that time it was clear that in TGC serious NCC activities were taking place. The Deputy Director General was paying us a visit. Our cadets got an opportunity to take care of the Quarter Guard as well as the RP. All seven tall, Garo cadets looked brilliant in thhier uniform. the HIs left no stone unturned to train them. Unluckily for us the RP fell ill so a cadet from Shillong College got the chance. The DDG arrived. He asked each cadet in the Quarter Guard which college they belonged to. 'Tura Govt. College, Sir!' resounded everytime. The DDG looked pleased. Then met the ANOs. I was first in the line. REturning the salute he asked me which college I was from. There was the same resounding, 'Tura Govt. College, Sir!' Very clearly the DDG was pleased. So he asked, 'Parade karate hain?!" 'Han Saab karate hain.' I said. The DDG replied, 'Dekhke lagt hain karate hain!' There was a huge pat at the back. We have proved it that we were the best in Meghalaya!