The day had begun, as usual, at 6 o'clock and I'd got ready, packing my stuff. We're off for the Foundation by 9 and at the office, there were a few important letters that Maman had to send. Since the computer expert, Sekhar, had fetched up late around a half past 10, we could leave for Kollam only by 12. Lekha, the office assistant, was accompanying us.
We could reach the office of the Jan Shikshan Sansthan at Paravoor by a half past 1. After a quick briefing, we're off to the government guest house at Kollam, the venue of our meeting and reached there by a half past 2. The director was at hand and had organised lunch for all of us. The meeting began on the dot at 1500 hrs but what I noticed was that a few of the members of the committee had expressed regrets for being unable to attend.
With a silent prayer the meeting was begun and my short speech followed, where the following points were highlighted:-
(a) Apology, on behalf of my organisation, for not increasing the frequency of the meetings
because such interactions helped in 'self audit' and to make necessary mid-course corrections.
(b) It was exactly a year back that I'd taken over the reins of the organisation from my Maman
and had purposely taken on the role of a 'hands off chairman' to facilitate the under mentioned:-
(i) full freedom to the director to take decisions and run the show as per the action plan.
(ii) the organisation was capable and doing a lot of training programmes for women
empowerment and it had been moulded by my illustrious predecessors viz. PN Panicker
and N Balagopal.
(iii) intervene only when things needed my personal attention.
(c) I was still not able to revive our unit at Chathannoor due to certain local misconception but the
light was in sight, finally, at the proverbial end of the tunnel. Its revival, I was sure, would
greatly enhance the image and the output of the JSS.
(d) While normal training programmes were being imparted, we needed to take on additional
innovative work because I wasn't satisfied being the head of an organisation, doing ordinary
things.
(e) The committee meetings should have full attendance because that indicated the attitude of
the other organisations' towards mine.
We, then, after discussions wound up by laying down our activities and the targets for the next quarter. Maman dropped me at the railway station so that I could board the Guruvayur Intercity Express, departing at 1840 hrs. My reservation was since confirmed when the chart was prepared but there was a change in my programme. Lekha was unable to return from Palakkad because of a 'lightning hartal' in Thrissur district and she would now return only on Sunday and I decided to stay put at my friend, Jojy Kunchattil's house at Ernakulam(Her going to Palakkad was decided after I'd taken off for Thiruvananthapuram in the wake of her assistant's medical requirements and I did not have the house key). He'd picked me up from the station and it was a lovely evening spent, with him and Saly.
Tailpiece.
An unscheduled halt and another day away from Lekha and 'The Quarterdeck'!
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