Of Childhood Idols

A common question in interviews and one I have always liked to answer - ‘Do you consider anyone to be your idol?’ Being an avid reader and a superfan of technology, I always had an answer ready - Sudha Murthy! Why - cuz she has been a great inspiration for me - especially as a woman in technology - right from her standing first in her ME course at IISc to becoming the first hired woman employee (there’s a story behind this, too.. for interested readers) of TELCO, and from her being the seed investor behind Infosys to heading the Infosys Foundation which encourages and aids technology and science. I have always been deeply fascinated by her career and approach to life. I am sure if asked this question, you will have ready answers as well - ranging from Einstein to Tendulkar to Rooney to whoever-it-is.

On second thoughts, I discovered however, that more than these idols, it’s the ‘childhood idols’ - we’ll come to the definition in a minute - who inspire us the most. Remember when your cousin was posted to the USA? Or your neighbour stood first in the boards? Or your Professor received an award? Or some columnist who happened to sit next to you in a train journey telling you about his articles? Yes - somewhere or the other, it was these ‘normal’ people, who became your idols. Unknowingly, you were drawn towards their work and life and they became an inspiration for you.

In my case, I happened to idolize two such people in my life - as you can guess, one of them being my Uncle and the other, my cousin. Being from a normal family with a middle-class background, my uncle was the fifth in the line of siblings, the only son in the family. Obviously, he was supposed to manage the family soon enough, as my Mom tells me. She tells me how difficult it was, to study in a small house in a huge crowded community in Mumbai - whilst he seemed to ace the engineering exams like it were a ‘no big deal’. He was the first engineer in the family, only to be transported to the USA in the big boom of 90s, and has since ‘made it large’. Similar things can be said about my cousin. My Mom always told me - ‘Look at them, see how they worked hard for creating a life for themselves. And did so despite adversities - imagine giving an interview at wee hours of the morning (when it’s afternoon in the USA), preparing for it amidst all the hul-chul in the house...’

These words always remained at the back of my head. While preparing for JEE, while in IIT, while applying to univs and even studying and applying for jobs now - I keep in mind that hard work is what ultimately pays off. I keep in mind that one needs to dream big and work hard to achieve his dreams. I keep in mind that one needs to learn the ‘tricks of the trade’, be ready to change himself for the better and keep refreshing one’s knowledge for maintaining his success. I keep in mind all that these idols mean for me and speak to me - without actually speaking.

I remember all this now, as I happened to spend a three week vacation with them some days back. Well, it was, in a way, like you’d feel when you met Tendulkar. It was, in a way, like staying with your idols, and living with them. Maybe you won’t feel this now, but if you look deep in your heart and search for ‘that childhood idol’, you might be able to.