What a Waste! (Part II)

Recently, one boy, who had just completed his HSC, contacted my cousin sister, Gayatri, asking her how to become an entrepreneur. His father is the waterman in my sister’s area. His father cannot afford his further education. And the family belongs to the open category. She told him to first get the Economically Backward Class certificate, complete his education and then think of becoming an entrepreneur.

When my sister told me about this incident, I remembered this story, What a Waste! (Part II), that I had written years ago. I am sharing it with you here:

What a Waste! (Part II)

“My name is Brahma Bhatt. I am a Brahmin. My father used to be proud of his Brahminhood. I say this with shame today. I had just completed my 10^th standard when I lost my father. My distinction marks brought me scholarship for my further studies. Science fascinated me. I completed 12^th standard amidst hardships. I had to earn, too. How much money could my mother’s sewing bring in? As a result, I lost marks and could not make it to the merit list.

“Medicine posed another challenge. Neither did I belong to the reserved category not could I shell out the capitation fees, with my kind of marks. Finally, I opted to do B.Sc. in Chemistry. Today, nobody cares for graduates. People ask for additional qualifications in most places or experience. I had neither. Unless someone gives me a chance, how can I prove my capabilities?

“One man, who had known my father put me up in his lab as a packaging boy. But I couldn’t keep that job.”

“Why?”

“Is it my fault if I am a Brahmin? My name gives me away every time. Granted that Brahmins have tortured the scheduled caste people. But that is old story. The reservation has avenged all the atrocities of Brahmins of the olden days had meted out to the lower castes.”

“Yes,” she agreed at that. “But how does that connect with your losing the job?”

“My supervisor is a Buddhist!”

To be continued…