Teachers, students and lovers

Harminder Singh Mashiana

I have the highest respect (most likely as everybody does, who interacted with Prof Bains in 1980's) for both his helping attitude and intellect. At PAU, he was one of the very few loving Profs by students. Dear Prof, you may have forgotten when there was no body to help me, a fist year college student in 1984 from a very difficult situation, imagine the environment, Punjab police those days, he reached out without asking and used his personal power (humanistic) to help a fellow human being (happened to be his student). Without his help I could have received a punishment way greater than what I deserved for whatever I did wrong at that time.
My political views are against both the ruling Akali party, (whose

media advisor, very powerful position, he happened to be) and Congress party but this does not affect my respect for Prof. Bains.

Vigilante Punjab

Bains Sahib, the hostility is towards govt. since nobody else is on facebook. and frankly nobody else would have endured or cared to go through what you do daily(I admire you for taking heat..ANd I think I do a good job at that...i.e...letting you know what is on my mind..and I also think it's fair(letting you know about the misgivings of this govt.) since you are on duty 24 hours representing govt..I think you also know that we should be doing much better..Akalies should do better than any other party due to our(I am Akali.. just not the Sad(b)type..these days) rich heritage.. ).the way punjab is being runied gives us heart burns..I know our people have also shown decline in morality and SAD should not be blamed solely but It should be akalies showing leadership and bringing us back from 'has beens'

... I think you are one of the 'few good men' left in Akali politics...but that is sad situation. leadership should have unblimished character and conviction ..everybody should do their best to restore our glory

• Harcharan Bains

  VP: Its so nice and kind of you to say all those nice things about me and generally about Akali culture. Believe me I am not the only in Mr. Badal's close circle to be worried about the general decline in polity. But I am sure that as one who understand both politics and social philosophy, you would appreciate that its not really so simple to cut through this maze, even given the best of intentions. May be one of the reasons why i have enjoyed such close proximity with Mr. Badal for over three decades now could be that in all these thirty years, I have never even once allowed him or anyone in the party or the government to extend any personal help to me or my family, even in the most difficult of circumstances, like extreme poverty { I know some people won't believe that !! because I belong to a relatively "big" (sic !) and well known family -- or a family that was once big and well known. }
  
  But that is only part of the reason, or so I believe at least. This is the way I look at it: Mr. Badal may not always have done all that was necessary to be done to bring about transparency in public life, but I have never found him short on pious sentiments, ideals for a better Punjab and cleaner polity -- and within the constraints imposed by the system, he has been trying to do much of what is possible -- and he sets high standards in commitment, hard work, genuine compassion for the common people, especially the poor ( believe me I am not doing any PR here and am speaking to you from the core of my heart; in any case, I consider you too intellgent for such PR to work) - and ensuring decorum, simplicity and some degree of transparency in governance. And he is at heart a true democrat , perhaps the only I know in public life.

  about an hour ago · · 1 person
• 

  Harcharan Bains

  VP: Its so nice and kind of you to say all those nice things about me and generally about Akali culture. Believe me I am not the only in Mr. Badal's close circle to be worried about the general decline in polity. But I am sure that as one who understand both politics and social philosophy, you would appreciate that its not really so simple to cut through this maze, even given the best of intentions. May be one of the reasons why i have enjoyed such close proximity with Mr. Badal for over three decades now could be that in all these thirty years, I have never even once allowed him or anyone in the party or the government to extend any personal help to me or my family, even in the most difficult of circumstances, like extreme poverty { I know some people won't believe that !! because I belong to a relatively "big" (sic !) and well known family -- or a family that was once big and well known. }
  
  But that is only part of the reason, or so I believe at least. This is the way I look at it: Mr. Badal may not always have done all that was necessary to be done to bring about transparency in public life, but I have never found him short on pious sentiments, ideals for a better Punjab and cleaner polity -- and within the constraints imposed by the system, he has been trying to do much of what is possible -- and he sets high standards in commitment, hard work, genuine compassion for the common people, especially the poor ( believe me I am not doing any PR here and am speaking to you from the core of my heart; in any case, I consider you too intellgent for such PR to work) - and ensuring decorum, simplicity and some degree of transparency in governance. And he is at heart a true democrat , perhaps the only I know in public life.
  

  
  Harcharan Bains

  Vigilante Punjab: VP: And yet I agree with you that there is a lot that is left to be desired. And I share almost all of your concerns and also genuinely believe that your words flow more from anguish than anger. I wish I could sit with you some day and talk at greater length about what should be done - and how - within the given parameters.
  
  I will refrain from sayng anything about Sukhbir and Manpreet here because I am aware of the strong views you have on both. And i totally respect those. Plus, i am willing to wait for the final verdict of history on Sukhbir -- and even more so on Manpreet. I am as likely to be wrong as anyone else, but there are things about both that I know and very others do. So I am willing to take a chance with Sukhbir who , allow me to say so, still represents the best hope for a forward looking modern Punjab. There are issues regarding him and I am hoping that time and experience will take care of those. i ahve seen him grow incredibly over the past ten years. One thing he is not is: hypocrite.
  But we ahve agreed to disagree on him and both you and I can always exercise our freedom of expression without hurting our mutual feelings and respect.
  You are among the select number of persons I am willing to bet the future of Punjab on. Jasdeep is another. There are some others too, who are not directly active with political views but who symbolise Punajb's future more forcefully than I do. There is a guy called Pukhraj. He has set my imagination on fire and forced me to dare to entertain a hope about our people. Poet Harman, a modest, self effacing young lad, is another. There are quite a few other stars in formation on the new skies. We will be seeing and hearing a lot more about them in years to come -- hopefully for all the right reasons. Many of them have anything to do with politics at ths stage. But politics is not the only way to change life, although I agree it is a major component of our social lives.
  
  And I see nothing wrong with your passionate espousal of Manpreet. After all, he deserves to be tested out --and there is time enough time left to bring the truth about both him and Sukhbir out in the open. Trust Time.
  
  Is it possible to meet some time? How often do you come to India ?Now don't blame me if I end up calling you only VP -- at the expense of warm personal forms of address -- all our lives.
  
  Again, i am so obliged to you for enriching my view of life.

  
  

  47 minutes ago ·
• 

  Harcharan Bains Aneet: Yes, and thanks, and also thanks all the more for sending me bribes that vigilance has no powers to stop, not even the eyes to see.!!

  43 minutes ago ·
• 

  Harcharan Bains

  Harminder Mansaiah: For one little good deed, such massive recompense so many years into the future! Who would want to exchange this with any other possession in life. Over the past few weeks, my students on Facebook have conspired to defeat my guilt over not being a success as a teacher. They have placed multiple universes in my lap , and I don't even know how to thank them for such immortal reward -- much less repay them. I was thrown out of five colleges because of my love for my students , something the authorities always found "subversive and against the rules", . I recall that when I was interviewed for the post of an Assistant Porfessor in PAU, dr M L Raina had asked me, "Young man, what explains your dismissal from these colleges?" And I had replied without batting an eye lid:"My love for what is central to my job." And he asked me with a an almost knowing smile, "And what is that, please?" And I replied, "Students." Prof Raina then said, "And keeps you in this profession despite these set backs?" And I again said: "The reason behind these set backs -- students." And then this followed:
  
  Prof Raina: "Anything else you would like to offer as a reason why we must select you over better qualified competitors ?" ( There were several far moe experienced and highly qualified applicants there, whereas I had a simple Masters degree to show -- plus a certificate from my college principal whom I used to trouble a lot as a student. it said about me " amazing sensibility and an extraordinarily critical mind. I should be forced to remain to remain in the profession of teaching." That was Princnipal S S Chawla, a known authority on Shakespeare , our principal at Govt College Hoshiarpur.
  
  Prf Hazara Singh, who was also present in that interview, asked me: "What proof would you give us that you love your students?"
  
  And I said: "Wait till you throw me out -- that is if you select me in the first place."
  
  I was selected and put at the top of the list.
  
  Interestingly, one of my competitors at that interview was close to Mr. Badal and was rumoured to have carried a strong recommendation from Jagdev Singh Talwandi also.
  
  I once teased Mr. Badal about this incident. And he smiled back : "Kakaji, I wanted to give you a recommendation for your present post !"
  
  Life is really a funny thing -- when it is not tragic !!
  
  Thanks Harminder for reminding of the wonderful moments we spent together at the PAU. And for sending me on this nostalgic trip.

  19 minutes ago ·