The Special Achievement That Left Me Speechless
Some moments in life stand out as THE MOMENT, and for me, it happened during my school days. It was a mixture of surprise, pride, and a dose of disbelief that I will never forget.
Receiving the Prize from My Father
It was 2007, and I was in 7th Standard. On the day of Republic Day, our teacher announced that there would be a prize distribution ceremony at the end of some tests conducted by our school within our state. I had secured 3rd place in those tests, and I was eagerly looking forward to receiving my prize.
The evening before the ceremony, our conversation went as follows:
Me (in a lazy tone): Dadin, I don't want to go to school tomorrow. I might go out somewhere or even to your office; I want to see the flag hoisting there.
Dad: Why not? If there's a prize distribution and you won one, you should definitely go.
Me: Hmm, actually, yes! They are distributing prizes, and I got one!
Dad: Then what's the problem? Go and get it. I'll be around your school, so if you want to come early, you can come with me with a witting smile.
Deal done.
The next morning, we went to the school assembly. We stood and waited for the chief guest to come and hoist the flag. The MC began to introduce the person coming to the stage, and the name seemed very familiar. So, now we were glad to welcome Mr. [Father's Name] and give him the honor!
Me: Whaaaaat!!!!
At that moment, my dad looked so dashing and the goosebumps were all alert as he went on to conduct the prize distribution after the formalities. Receiving the prize from my father's hand was an incredible sensation that I will never forget.
A Special Intrastate Sanskrit Competition
I have another special achievement to share, but it's been challenging to convince people about it, as it's not often highlighted.
During my schooling, there was a Bhagavad Gita sloka competition, an inter-school event where participants had to recite Sanskrit slokas from the Gita. If I had known it was a large-scale event, I wouldn't have attempted it. Nonetheless, the day arrived, and we, my schoolmates, gathered in a circle in front of the stage, waiting for the results.
To my utter surprise, I was placed third, and I was the only one from my school to get awarded. This achievement was special because the competition was held in my mother tongue, Telugu. People often question my ability to read or write in Telugu, but my achievement stands as proof of my proficiency.
Me (disappointed): Why didn't you tell me earlier?
Dad (With a wink): How come you wanted it? The surprise was the best present!
No words could express my emotions on that day. This moment of family pride and academic achievement left me speechless, and it's one of the most cherished memories from my school days.