Abraham Lincoln, Gandhiji, and Kochappan.

'' I have done nothing to make any human being remember that I have lived. yet what I wish to live for is to connect my name with the events of my day and generation, to link my name with something which will be of interest to my fellow men.''

Abraham Lincoln ( 1809-1865 )

Kochappan used to quote this frequently, saying that the purpose of his life is also the same; to provide something of interest to his fellow men.

Steven Spielberg's movie "The Close Encounters of the Third kind" gives you an audio visual idea of three encounters with the UFOs (Un identified Flying Objects).

'Heard but never seen.'
'Heard and seen', and
'Coming in actual contact with the object'

Having had the fortune of having the close encounter of the third kind with Kochappan I have been at the receiving end of matters of interest from him.

Let me relate to you and provide you with some of them.

I sent him a mail of ' Heartfelt Congratulations' on his receiving 35th Anniversary Commemorative Award for Management Services from the ICRISAT, a UN organisation, at Sri Lanka two days back.

In reply, instead of thanking me for the message, he corrected my English and mentioned that
though 'Heartfelt' means sincere, it's normally used with sadness like 'Heartfelt' condolences,
and that I should have used the word 'Hearty' if I meant what I sent. This is what he wants to
provide people during his life time.

Many a time in my life have I got such invaluable guidance from him, a few of them I would like to relate to less fortunate people like you, who have not had the 3rd type of close encounter with him.

When I was infactuated with a young lass of surpassing beauty during my adolescence, he had warned me that though she is like 'pure snow' to look at she has a tendency to drift like snow, and that if she drifts like what she was doing then, she would end up like the 'Indian Railway' ; laid right across the country.

Once when I used the expression, 'I want to have the cake and eat it too', he admonished me by saying that I should have said 'I want to eat the cake and have it too' to mean what I really meant.

When I reminded him to put his 'best foot forward' when he was entering his newly built flat
at Hyderabad he asked me sarcastically whether he had the option of 'good' and 'better' foot to choose! Such is his brilliance!

In another occasion while travelling long distance by train he asked me ''If a turtle loses it's shell
is it naked or homeless?'' Another occasion when we were in his car he asked why one gets
'in' and 'out' of a car but gets 'on' and 'off' a bus. Questions of sheer brilliance which made me think.

He advised me not to 'assume' things in life because it will make an 'ass' of 'u' and 'me'.

To impress upon me the necessity to know about great people and their lives he used ask me questions about them. One late evening,while sitting and sipping a cup of tea in his balcony he asked whether I knew what one leg of Marilyn Monroe say to the other when she was dead and laid in the coffin. I couldn't give the answer. '' At last we are together''. He gave the answer himself.
'' Between you and me we have made lot of money'' ; before being buried, at the end of a long journey of life, that was what one leg of Marilyn in it's last conversation to other said; with a sigh of relief.''These might sound a bit lewd, indecent. But see the construction of the sentences
and the clarity of expression'' .He added.
Profound knowledge; that was what he was parting with .

He taught me that 'History' is about past and I need not say 'Past history', that I need not 'lift up' (because I cannot lift anything down) nor 'raise it up', he doesn't like getting 'free gifts' and 'advance warning' and that I should not ' mix things together' and that he won't 'repeat again' these lessons.

While on the topic of history he told me that they were called 'Romans' , because those people had the habit of roaming around.

I can go on with examples of his attempts to be of use to people. The one such saying of his which I still remember is the one he told me on the day of my marriage.

''Aniyan, a happiness of life is having a loving,caring, and close knit family; in another city''

That could be the reason why he goes on frequent tours to cities of Syria, Africa and SriLanka.

Like Gandhiji he practises what he preaches. Such is his greatness !!!

menon ( aniyan )