Cuting the Diamond
“Hey Surajit, any plans after graduation?”, asked Anuj, Surajit’s roommate. Although it was a relatively simple question , Surajit just stared at the ceiling blankly. “I was laying in bed while reading some magazines, when Anuj [shot] me with a subject, that I thought about all the time; my future.”, Surajit recalled. Almost instantaneously, Surajit replied, “Petroleum Engineering, United Kingdom”; it seemed as if he was certain that he knew the entire course of his life. Ever since he was a little boy, he had always had a keen interest in the Earth’s geology. His son, Monojit, shared how he would even “pick up rocks and stones off the street that he thought had interesting colors, as a little boy.”
It was a cold, rainy night. Surajit walked up to his father, Kuladhar, who was sitting on his armchair reading the newspaper, and asked, “P-Papa, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, what is it?” replied his father in a firm tone.
“I really want to study in the UK at the University of Leeds, is it possible if you would fund me?” proposed Surajit.
“Absolutely not. I want you to study in India, and be a great man right here in India. I don’t want you going over to those b*****s who stole our country from us! Plus, paying for this university would destroy our financial status!”, snarled his father.
Surajit understood that his father could barely afford it. Regardless of this fact, he told his father that sending him to this university, “would be an investment” and that he “promised to be successful”, but Kuladhar was still adamant. (Chaliha, S)
Feet stomping. Volumes of voices increasing. There was complete chaos at that house at that time, when the two who both wouldn’t take “no” for an answer were going at it. Surajit was absolutely determined to apply to this college, and he would do almost anything to attend.
After hours of argument, Surajit fell to the floor on his knees, clasped his two hands together, looked up at his father, and said, “Papa, I promise I will not let you down. I promise I’ll do anything you ever tell me to. I promise I’ll be the best son I could be. Just please pay for this college.”
Even though Kuladhar despised the British, and could barely afford the University of Leeds, he decided to go through with it eventually, after his son literally begged him. When Surajit saw his dad’s mouth utter the words, “Okay," his eyes started to tear up and gave his dad the biggest hug he’d ever given anyone; he knew that he was one major step closer to his dream of success. If Surajit hadn’t had the relationship that he did with his father, he would’ve never gotten the mental and financial support he needed to be successful. And if it wasn’t for his determination, he wouldn’t have been able to persist with this, and he might’ve never lived the dream he had as a young boy, of being a successful man in the oil industry.