Mukundan Swami and his Cricket Language !

He keeps popping up in my life like the 'breaking news' messages on those 24-Hour news channels. He is Mukundan, fondly called "Mukunda Mukunda" or "Dashavatharam" or "Swami" by me and "Kuntham" by his friends as he himself confessed. He's a class nine student in a CBSE school and only son of his doting parents. He knows my daughter too is in class nine and he thinks that might help him. He prefers to converse in English with me because his mother wanted him to improve his English by talking to that Doctor who doesn't speak good Malayalam.

But he is very unlike the teenagers on the Facebook who brag about their hitherto invisible capabilities or who warn us about their attitude. He doesn't like the word 'Dude' being used to address a girl because his Mom told him that is used only for boys. He is a very modest boy with some serious issues with English language, Science and Mathematics.

He was brought to me about 4 years ago with some persistent wheezing problems and after initiating on Inhalers, he had completely recovered from the Asthma that used to plague him. He is fond of me because he believes I had helped him to do what he loved the most; play Cricket ! Cricket is the only thing worth talking about and Sachin Tendulkar is the only God for this 15 year old with a thin mustache threatening to make it's presence felt above his upper lips.

One day, he drops into my Clinic with a doubt, "Saar, egg eating help my muscle build ?". He is from a Tambram family that still remains vegetarian. But he was impressed by a a boy twisting Sachin's arm in an Egg ad on the TV and wanted to know if he could be stronger by eating eggs. His Mom was not averse to cooking eggs for him and I told him to go ahead. He is an Eggetarian now according to himself and says, "I'll never eat chicken. I don't like bones".

His propensity to use Cricket language for every conversation is what makes him endearing to me. When I asked him about the Summative assessment part-1, he replied, "Saar, Malayalam and Social like leg side full toss. I just hit six. English always yorker. Grammar like my Grandmother. I never understand both are very tough and strict. No this thing and no that thing. Like in-swing, out-swing bowling. Ho, life is waste Saare. Don't even ask Max [Maths]. It is all bouncer going top of head. I will go to Max exam with a helmet. My head goes round round seeing question paper. Science is just nonsense Saar. Like Rohit Sharma. Everybody hates but teachers always forcing to study Science. Believe me Saar, ninth standard boy life is very tough. You just can't imagine...". I replied, "Yes my Dear, that is why I chose medical graduation because ninth grade is so very tough !" He got the sarcasm for once and gave a sheepish grin and scooted off.

He is a simple boy who shares most of his happiness and sadness with me. When his mother refused to buy a mobile phone for him, he told me, "Father cool Saar. But mother noballed my mobile. Sometimes she like Steve Buckner Saar. Always against India wrong decision. I now only no mobile boy in my group. All teases me like Jadeja Saar. I feels like out of form dropped batsman Saar".

When he finally got his prized mobile phone, he waved it at me and declared, "Saar, Umpire finally give right decision. I cry, cry and cry and she brought this. Mother is Sehwag like Saar. When good mood, she hit 300 and not good mood, she hit zero. Today, I feels like Sachin Tendulkar 100th 100 Saar. Paavam Mukundan now head lift and walk with friends. Saar all features like blue tooth and all is there. Look like Virat Kohli no ? Stylish !"

"Saar, our neighbor one Paattiamma clean bowled today Saar. She was some sugar, pressure patient. 2 days some problem and today morning not get up only. What Saar, everybody crying and my mother also crying. She was nice, not my Hitler Paatti type. She was 92 Saar. Missed century by 8, very bad Saar. All people crying I thinks like India losted match against Pakistan Saar". This is how he reported the demise of a neighborhood lady.

"Saar, my final exams coming, please pray for me Saar" said Mukundan last week. He added, "I don't know what this CBSE peoples doing. Old kids enjoyed life till class 9. We have board exams even in 9th. You know Saar, it is like a 5 match one day series. First is Monday, Social. That is good. I read 1 paragraph, I write 3 page. It is good batting pitch. Then Wednesday Science Saar. That is most terrific. It is like playing in Perth, Dale Steyn balls. I really want to take helmet to Science and Max exam Saar. Friday is Malayalam. Malayalam in my house not speak, but I manage. After 3 day rest for horror Max next Monday. That is simbly reverse swing Saar. Always confusing. Wednesday English. Grammar Saar, believe me, grammar made by people hate children. Only to torture poor children. If I don't killed, I come see you Wednesday Saar. You know Saar, Sachin Tendulkar, the God failed exams because of Max Saar. Then what is my condition ? Anyway, please pray for me Saar !"

In an age where expecting innocence in boys aged 15 years is like expecting a spinner friendly track in South Africa, Mukundan is a delightful exception and I hope he manages to keep his innocence forever !



Dr. Punned-it

Squaring up 25 !

After squaring up numbers ending with 5, me and my daughter have moved onto squaring numbers ending with 25. We proceed exactly the same way we did with 5, but with a larger number. That is all.

We will begin with same equation of (a + b)2= a2 + 2ab + b2.

Here b = 25.

Now the equation gets simplified like this:  

a2 + (2 x a x 25) + 625

That is further simplified into: 

 a2 + (50a) + 625. 

Now we will leave out 625 to be added at the end.

a2 + (50a) is further simplified as:

a (a + 50)

Here 'a' is any number that ends with 00, like 100, 200, 300 and so on. We have 625 at the end of the number. 

a (a + 50) is a round figure that will end with at least '000' because we are multiplying 100 x 150 or 200 x 250 and so on. Leaving out the 'three zeros' we will further simplify the equation a (a + 50).

We will take the two zeros [00] from 'a' and arrive at a simpler number 'n'. We will remove the third zero [0] from the [a + 50]. We remove these three zeros [000] because we have 625 at the end of the answer and hence we are simplifying the multiplication leaving out the '0's.

That means: 150 becomes 15, 250 becomes 25, 350 becomes 35 and so on.

So what we have is following simplified equation:

n (n5) - *n5* here is NOT a product here, but we just write n and place 5 next to it to derive the number. So if 'n' is 7, n5 is 75.

Now the n (n5) product is placed before 625 and we have the whole square.

Like: n25 whole squared = n(n5) followed by 625 

Some examples: 

For Whole square of 125: 1 x 15 = 15. Whole square: 15625

For Whole square of 225: 2 x 25 = 50. Whole square: 50625

For Whole square of 425: 4 x 45 = 180. Whole square: 180625

For Whole square of 725: 7 x 75 = 525. Whole square: 525625

For Whole square of 1025: 10 x 105 = 1050. Whole square: 1050625

For Whole square of 1325: 13 x 135 = 1755. Whole square: 1755625

This is quicker, accurate and time saving way of doing Arithmetic for school kids. This again can be worked out without a paper and pencil, if we know our simple multiplication well.

 

Dr. Punned-it

Solving the 9th Wonder !

Multiplying any number ending with 9 is a big 'scare crow' for kids in primary school. It becomes virtually a non-issue if we approach it as a process of addition and subtraction rather than multiplication. Once again unfortunately, people shut their minds even before we count from 1 - 9.

My daughter used to do the same till I made her use a method that has eradicated the fear of multiplication from her mind. She now enjoys doing it in the mind and she is always correct. But she still hasn't exorcised the 'Ghost' from her mind and wants to check if her answer is correct. She will be confident with time.

So what do we do ?

Simple. Let us take the simplest of numbers ending from 9, that is 19. Most kids would know the multiplication table by heart. But is that necessary ? I have never found that necessary. I approach it as adding 19 as many times as I am supposed to multiply. So 38, 57, 76 and there goes the table.

Often kids get stuck on reaching 7, 8 and 9. That is where the realization comes that it actually is easier to add and delete than do a table. I do it this way.

19 is 1 less than 20. 

We all can have multiples of 20 easily because 20 is nothing but 2 x 10. 

So just check this method. 

I do 20 x 9 = 180. 

When it comes to 19 x 9, that means it actually is one 9 less than 20 x 9. 

So just delete 9 from 180. 

That means 19 x 9 = 171. 

That is it !

Let us move to larger numbers.

Let us take 89 x 7. 

What I do is 90 x 7 = 630. 

We know 89 x 7 is one less times 7.

So just delete 7 and that means 623.

Let us take another example of 99 x 8. 

100 x 8 = 800. 

Minus 8 means the answer is 792. 

The riddle solved, in the mind. 

No paper, no pencil and in no time. And of course no tension !

Dr. Punned-it

High Fives to Mathematics !

Continuing with my Maths posts, let me deal with one more easy way to Maths. We all love 'Five', may be because we have 'five' fingers and 'five' toes in each of our limbs; well mostly. But '5' is a lot more useful in Mathematics. It is a wonderful number that makes Maths lot more easier, fun and even entertaining.

I asked my daughter, "Do you know the easy way to obtain whole squares of numbers ending with 5 ? Like say, 25, 35, 45 or even 115 and so on ?" I knew she doesn't and hence went on to explain. This isn't anything new again, but somehow not many Maths teachers follow this and I don't know why !

Let me first show how we do it and then explain how it actually happens. We have to remember all numbers ending with 5 will end with 25 when squared. The 25 will remain constant. We just have to look at the first number. Let us say 'u' and multiply that with (u+1) and the product has to be written before 25 and we have a whole square. 

u x (u + 1) before 25

For example: 

Let us take 25: u here is 2. Hence: 2 X 3 = 6. The whole square of 25 is 625.

Let us take 35: u here is 3. Hence: 3 x 4 = 12. The whole square of 35 is 1225.

Let us take 45: u here is 4. Hence: 4 x 5 = 20. The whole square of 45 is 2025.

Let us take 55: u here is 5. Hence: 5 x 6 = 30. The whole square of 55 is 3025.

This will go on and on. Now let us see how this actually happens. Once we know that, we will never have a problem with 'Five' !

-> Let us begin with 55. What is the easiest way to square a big number ? 

-> We have already dealt with that in (a + b)2= a2 + 2ab + b2.

-> When we deal with any number ending from 5, we know the 'b' in the equation and that is 5. 

-> So the equation gets simplified as follows.

* a2 + (2 x a x 5) + 25.

-> That is further simplified into

* a2 + 10 x a + 25

-> Now what are we left with ?

* a2 + 10a + 25 

Now let us keep the 25 away for the time being because we are going to add it at the end. Thus we have

* a2 + 10a

This is further simplified into

* a (a +10)

-> In reality 'a' is a round figure here like 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, so on to 90, 100, 110 and more. Multiplying a round figure with a round figure [a x (a + 10)] always yields a multiple of 100 with 00 at the end. We just have to ignore those zeros for the sake of ease and speed. Thus the 00 goes with 25 as just 25.

So we have to remove the '0's from [a] and [a + 10] to get the smaller simpler numbers.

-> Thus we have: 

*a / 10 and [a + 10] / 10

Thus the equation becomes: 

* (a / 10) x (a + 10) / 10 = (a / 10) x (a / 10 + 1)

-> [a / 10] here is the simplified small number after removing the 'Zero'. 

So we will name it [u] for convenience. So the equation becomes simpler:

* u x (u + 1) with the 00 going with 25. 

Now we just put the product of u x (u + 1) before 25 and we have the whole square.

Let us take 145: u here is 14. Hence: 14 x 15 = 210. The whole square of 145 is 21025 !

Simply put, what are we doing ?

Take the number before 5 and multiply that with the one more than the same number and put the product before 25. We are home !

Hope I have made it simpler for those who like to make things easier in life; especially Mathematics !

Dr. Punned-it

Why Cricket is Religion in the Land of Zero ?

 Why Cricket is Religion in the Land of Zero ? Or Why Cricket is Mathematics ?

Pre-Script: This is an original research article done on my Cricket blog. But since I realized this is more about numbers, Gods and Mathematics; this deserves to be on "Live, Love and Laugh". So I am re-posting it here with my own due permission !

Disclaimer: This is an original research article and hence might appear extremely long. Any perceived humor in any part of this article is unintended and is purely accidental like the 23.5 degree bend of Saeed Ajmal's elbow. If any part / parts of this piece appear disjointed like Suresh Raina's technique, that too is coincidental. The author holds all copyrights over the article. Any reproduction of any part of this post done any time in the past by anyone should be considered as pardonable acts of flattery.

While I was bothered by India missing out on an Asia Cup Final berth, most of India was busy celebrating Tendulkar’s 100^th 100. So I was wondering, “Is there something wrong with me ? Why am I hurt so much when even the players don’t appear to be hurt by losing the Asia Cup crown they had held thus far ?”

A Soccer fan on Facebook who hates Cricket pestered me a lot the other day. He refused to recognize Cricket World Cup and believed Soccer fans are jovial and Cricket fans turn violent if someone derides Cricket. He used a lot of convoluted logic and then demanded that I must give up on Cricket because I happen to be a Doctor and because one of his teachers believed Cricket meant Crick [whatever that meant].

After banishing him to pavilion, oops oblivion; I sat down and thought; “Why is Cricket so popular in India ? And why do I love it so much ?”. Since I am a hardcore Indian, who has never ventured out of the borders, if I find an answer to why Indians love Cricket so much, we’ll know the answer to why I love it so much !

Here is what I have come to understand why the game is so humongous in India ! The reason is Cricket is a religion in India and we knew it long ago. We have the proof for that and will give a link at the end of this post.

We Indians found out ‘Zero’ and we hold on to the Zero with all the love, affection and even jingoism. We celebrate ‘Numbers’ and Mathematics. Just take a look at our festivals, “Nav Ratra or Dusshera”. They denote numbers. Just imagine the Australians referring to the Don as “99.94 Sir Don Bradman” ! That never happens. But we revere our Swamis with “108 Sri So and So Swami” and “1008 Sri So and So Swami” and so on.

I am often confused about our rituals ‘Sahasra Kumbhabhishekam’, ‘Laksharchana’, “Shata-Koti Rama-naama Japa Utsav” and many such magnificent numbers. I don’t know if we are celebrating the Gods or the numbers. No wonder we are brought up with imposition like “Write this 500 times”.

When someone completes 84 years and 4 months, we celebrate "Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshan" that indicates the person has witnessed 1000 full moons. That is apart from the small numbers like "Shasti poorti" or 60th birthday or "Sapthathi" or 70th birthday. We also celebrate western influenced Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum jubilees. We are a land of an over a billion number of people who love celebrating numbers and landmarks; more the merrier !

We have a Trinity of Gods and many Cricket fanatic Indians equate the 3 Stumps to the 3 Gods; Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. We have 33 Crore Gods and we adore a man with over 33,000 international runs as God. How we love our bloated numbers can be understood by taking a look at our ‘Puranas’. 

The creator Brahma had four heads. Vishnu had four hands and Shiva had a ‘Third eye’. Cricket maniacs would love to compare Shiva with ‘Third Umpire’ or the four hands of Vishnu with a ‘Boundary Hit’. A ‘Sixer’ will be equated to ‘Shanmukha’ the God with six faces who went around the world on a peacock, again the national bird of India.

Imagine what Ravan would have done as a Bowler !

Even our villains were no lesser. Ravan was supposed to have had 10 heads, though one always wonders how he managed symmetry and equilibrium with that rather odd looking even number of heads. If Ravan were to play Cricket, would he be considered as one player or ten different players ? Very tough question before the ICC. Thankfully I am not on the ICC and neither is Ravan playing Cricket today.

Cricket Sri Lanka would have done their best to prove that was a congenital deformity that he was born with 10 heads and 20 hands. Murali with just 2 hands was more than a handful for the batsmen. Imagine the confusion the batsman would have faced as to which hand was Ravan going to bowl. Just mind-boggling !

Well, I have digressed from numbers to Ravan. Let me come back to Cricket and the love for numbers. No other sport celebrates numbers like Cricket. We have half-century, century, double century, triple century, quadruple century and a fifty between each landmark. We have five-for as a matter of celebration for a bowler and then 10 wickets in a match. We have seen different kinds of celebrations by different batsmen on reaching the coveted mark. Why a century ? We even had a player do an impromptu dance on the pitch after hitting a six !

Every time Sachin Tendulkar steps on the ground, he is creating a new record. He will retire with the record of holding the most number of records in any sport. I think he already has crossed a century of them; the number of records he is holding.

Every moment in a Cricket match brings out numbers. Kids who play or watch Cricket regularly will be very sound in Mathematics. They will calculate the required run-rate after every over and will be full and thorough with their fractions. How a required rate of 6.15 RPO becomes 6.67 after a maiden over; only a Cricket kid can tell. No other kids can do the Maths in the mind like the Cricket kids. The economy rate, the RPO, the batting average, the bowling average and the strike rate; Cricket has numbers within numbers within numbers and then more numbers, records and then Sachin Tendulkar.

Most of the games and sporting events are over and done within minutes, hours or at worst a day. Mike Tyson had once finished a boxing bout even before people could settle down in their seats. Whereas a Cricket Test match lasts almost a third of an entire Olympic game or a Grand-slam Tennis tourney, 2 days longer than the Davis Cup Final and almost as long as a North Indian wedding discounting the first night. Cricket is nothing but pure and unadulterated Mathematics simplified and made enjoyable for all age groups !

Diving deeper into the matter of Maths, Cricket is played inside an Oval with a quadrilateral pitch in the middle with cylindrical stumps on both ends of the pitch. The ball is a perfect sphere, though it can change shapes when certain highly talented bowlers are in action. The bat and ball have specified weight and size guidelines. We have square cut and square drive which actually are played square of the wicket but somehow end up at point or third-man.

The good batsman is expected to play within the 'V' or the triangle. A bowler's wrist, elbow and the shoulder should have prescribed angles unless he is born with a deformity or has acquired one due to an accident. The concepts of 'line and length' can never be explained better in any other sport. Ajit Agarkar and Irfan Pathan will stand testimony to this. Ask Sehwag about the horizontal bat and Dravid about the straight bat. This simply is a limitless list.

Look at the fielding places. Silly point isn't silly at all; they place the best fielder there. We have slips from where things very rarely slip. Then there is square leg and squarish gully. Fine Third man from one side becomes long on from the other. Mid-wicket is actually far from the mid point of the wicket. Covers and extra-covers often uncover the best of Cricket.

An Indian's love for Cricket is nothing but an extension of the love for numbers and Mathematics. And people think we are crazy, lazy, unproductive and waste time. Far from it, we actually celebrate Mathematics which is the foundation of all that is Science. Those who don't know Cricket will never understand this. In fact, I strongly believe those who hate Cricket are actually bad in Mathematics. I vehemently recommend, we should teach Cricket to all our kids to drive the fear of Mathematics from their minds !

All original research articles tend to be quite long like this one had turned out to be. There already is a Prequel to this. Readers who haven't exhausted their patience or slept off or not lost consciousness are advised to revise their knowledge with the help of the exhaustive original research article.

We will come back with more details, once people are able to read, understand and digest this piece of wisdom !

Dr. Punned-it

Multiply from Left to Right: Eco-friendly Mathematics !

After assisting my daughter to "Love Maths" I have decided to indulge in Mathematics because that has always been a favorite subject. If this sharing helps people, that should be wonderful. I am mostly dealing with simple Mathematics here, because I believe in beginning from the foundation. If this endeavor proves to be useful, I shall dive deeper into this in future with a series of short articles.

Yesterday Piya was struggling with 'Pi' diagrams. I don't understand why the texts and the so called guides [I would call them misguides] make it so convoluted and so tough. A simple act of multiplication for a Class 6 or 7 or 8 student is made so complicated by the texts.

I have a problem with doing addition and multiplication from right to left. It is cumbersome, time consuming and downright unintelligent. Addition and Multiplication should be done left to right; just like we write and most of this world writes.

How do we go about it ? In reality, we don't even need a paper and pencil to do multiplication of two digit numbers and three digit numbers. Honestly, this isn't any new or revolutionary idea. It just is that most of our education simply doesn't encourage using the mind or the brain. 

Kids are encouraged and even forced to learn all things by heart. We used to call that 'mugging' in the Medical College. There can't be a better word to describe this system. We are 'mugging' the thinking ability of our kids. Let me explain how we go about it. 

For a beginning, let us take a multiplication of 137 X 25. 

Our books teach us to multiply 137 X 5

And then 137 X 2 and then add the second number one place to the left to get the answer. 

We have to begin by multiplying 7 X 5

And move with the product to left and add it to 3 X 5

And then move further left and add the next product to 1 X 5. 

Then we multiply 137 X 2 similarly and add the product one place to the left. 

Most of the kids get confused here.

Now let us do it from left to right. 

For this, we use the simple formula of,

A X B = [u + v + w] X B = [u X B + v X B + w X B]. 

Here [u + v + w = A]

Let us make it simpler. 137 = [100 + 30 + 7]. 

So what do we have ? 

[100 + 30 + 7] X 25.

Now look at the answer: 2500 + 750 + 175 = 3425. 

This splitting, multiplying and adding is all done in the mind once we develop the practice. 

Right to left Maths can never be done in the mind so easily.

If we teach our kids to learn multiplication tables with proper technique, Maths becomes a cakewalk. There is no point in mugging up tables. We have to help them to understand multiplication table is nothing but adding the same number as many times as the second number suggests. By doing away with papers, we can save a lot of trees too. Thus Mathematics becomes Eco-friendly !

Dr. Punned-it

How my kid came to LOVE Maths !

 

My daughter is in the middle of her final examinations of class 8. She has a trait quite opposite to me. She just hates Maths while I have always loved Mathematics. I have my reasons o love Maths and I have never really managed to understand why a large number of kids hate it. May be there is something wrong in the way Mathematics is being taught.

I have tried to encourage her to develop the ability to do simple mental Maths with very little success in the past. She was in a relaxed mood this evening and I asked her, “Do you know the Algebra equation (a + b)² ?”. 

She said, “Oh yeah. I don’t know why we have to learn that kind of nonsense. It is some a² + b² + 2ab. What is the use of our suffering all these a, b, c and x, y, z ?”

I asked her “Can you tell me the whole square of 55 ? And without using a pen and paper ?” Her face went down. I said, “It is 3025”. She countered me with, “But you have known that before…”

I said, “No, you give me any number and I can give you the whole square of that using the equation, (a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b². You just need to listen to me and I bet you’ll enjoy it in the end”

So she came with a paper and and a pen I showed her how to derive the whole square of 59; step by step and then to do it in the mind.

Step-1: 59 is 50 + 9 (a + B)

Step-2: Applying the Equation, we have 50² = 2500 and 2a = 100 ready for all numbers from 50.

Step-3: So what do we have ? 2500 + 100b+ b² [That means 2500 + Hundred times the second number + the square of second number]

Step-4: That is 2500 + 900 + 81 = 3481

Since we know the round figures of 50 square and small squares well, all four steps get condensed into just one step in our mind and we have the answer in double quick time compared to the cumbersome method of doing the multiplication of 59 X 59.

Similarly, for numbers below 50, we can apply the (a - b)² = a² – 2ab + b² equation.

Thus 44 (50 – 6) square can be calculated in no time with 2500 – 600 + 36 = 1936

We can use this method to calculate whole square of big numbers by just remembering the round figures and then the 'dreaded equation' ! It isn't necessary to be an Abacus product to know Mathematics.

Once she came to terms with this, there was a BIG smile on her face and she asked me, “Why don’t they teach us these things at school ? I LOVE this Maths. Why don’t you take some Maths classes in our school, Appe ?" 

Maths: As easy as that !

It wasn’t any big deal teaching a class 8 student, something she already should be knowing. But for someone who was carrying the burden of not being able to break the mental barrier she had created around her, this was a BIG break through. I know I have managed to breach her fortress. My day was made !

Dr. Punned-it

Learning is Living !

"Getting better is a process that never stops. It's the reason why I get up every morning and head out there for training" Said Sachin Tendulkar after his historical 200 in ODI ! That is definitely a topic to think, mull over and ruminate and then "Learn from it" !

Think of it, a man with most number of runs, centuries, records and awards in the history of Cricket talks about getting better. And he has proved he means every word of it. He has got better and better and then BETTER! The reason for his name, game and fame is this... Getting Better !

Learning is a process as vital as life itself. I just love the word 'Learning'. While at school, I always wondered why the word 'Studying' was used at all. That to me sounded like a punishment. "I am studying in sixth standard". Most of the kids look so solemn and so lost; there never was any fun in it.

I realized 'Learning' was a better word and 'Studying' was a poor cousin. You study something when circumstances force you to; but you learn something because you want to ! This is what I feel about these two words.

My English and vocabulary aren't as good as those of Shashi Tharoor and neither am I as smart as him. So let me be pardoned if my version is not acceptable to someone.

Learning starts with life, that is from the womb; and it continues till death and ends in the tomb! A newborn baby has to learn every bit about life from the moment it is born. It starts with the 'Cry'. The cry is vital to life, because that is when the hitherto unacclimatized lungs learn to breathe. The cry then helps the baby to communicate with the mother; hunger, thirst, discomfort and everything.

Then comes the sucking of breast-milk. The sleep, the smile and all the milestones. The milestones of a baby's growth that make the parents happy and proud are but a continued process of learning. Why do we all enjoy this ? Because we are 'Learning' and NOT Studying !

Even as the baby is learning to grow up, the parents too are learning. Learning about parenting and about the responsibilities of parenthood. At any socioeconomic level, in any society, country or religion; growing up of a baby is a special feeling and nothing can better it.

Every baby is born special and smart. Perhaps our education that demands studying rather than learning makes us dumb. I have discussed in an earlier post "Mathematics: Cutting the Diamond simplified" how vision in teaching can turn the dull and drab studying into an enjoyable learning process!

As we progress, a lot of people think we have learned everything. Well, to be precise, 'Studied everything'. This feeling is the beginning of the end of progress. I remember a very talented pace-bowler from Karnataka who shot to fame during the boom-time of Karnataka Cricket in the 90s.

His name was David Johnson. He was quick and he swung the ball both ways and bowled a good bouncer. The BCCI sent him to the Dennis Lillee Pace Academy in Chennai to train better. He left the Academy within a short span claiming, "I have learned EVERYTHING". This attitude irked T. A. Shekar the Coach and he was disappointed. Just look at David Johnson's career stats. Well, no need actually. He hardly had any career at all! The importance of Sachin Tendulkar's words become evident here !

Lack of opportunities is a common refrain used by lazy people. I love the quotable quote, "You are unlucky if you are born poor, but you are a fool if you die one". The urge to improve oneself forms the foundation of a successful life. Nothing new learned is ever a loss; we never know when it comes handy.

I developed a fascination for Computers when I was finding it difficult to get a break in my Post-Graduate Entrance Examinations. I never got a PG seat. But what I got instead was a flair for the Technology. That meant I was quicker in picking up the nuances of newer testing methods and the use of Computer aided technology in Medical Field. This has created a place of my own for me in my institution.

But is this enough ? No, I have to keep learning something; some new thing and sometimes even old things ! At the risk of sounding Philosophical in the '3 Idiots' mood, I don't believe life is a race. Life  is rather like 'running on a treadmill'.

We have to keep on running on the treadmill. The speed might increase and the inclination might go upwards, but we have to cope up and keep up. If we don't, we fall down ! We can decide the speed and the inclination to suit us, but never give up on learning and never stop running ! Running keeps one 'Fit and Fine' !

The process of learning continues with age. Learning to adjust to new school, new friends, new jobs and everything new. Teen-age brings teen-aches. Youth brings responsibilities. Adulthood brings added weight. Middle-age brings insecurities. Older we get; pains, illnesses and sufferings increase.

Every born individual has to go through these if one lives long enough. Looking at some extraordinary and eminent people going through extremely difficult days in old-age has convinced me about the futility of 'Carrying Ego' !

Death is the final and definite frontier and not a single human has crossed and 'Outlived' it ! But does the process of learning end here ? Yes and No ! 'Yes' only to the one who has died and 'No' to all the others.

Life goes on and the process of learning goes on. The kith and kin have to learn to live with the pain and sorrows and without their loved ones. This too is learning, howsoever painful it is. And this pain and final and binding truth also comes with a lot of wisdom !

If we keep our mind, eyes, ears and all the senses open and alert; we keep learning something every moment of life! And that to me is the essence of life itself; Learning is Living !


Dr. Pun-dit