November 1970

November fourteen 1970 . I am immersed in my professional duty as a Registrar in The Department of General Surgery at Nottingham General Hospital in Midland of England . I received news that my maternal grandmother BraahmaNi Srimathi Ramaraju Seshamma gaaru passed away of heart failure . She was also my Mother by way of adoption . She is 70 years in age and end was sudden , peaceful and she herself informed all that she is going away . She is A Blessed soul full of love and affection , simplicity personified . I decided not to extend my stay in England any longer even though my consultant Mister Sheehan wanted me to stay back . But no my mind and heart are set to go back to India . On 27th November 1970 I began my journey back from Heathrow Airport , London . It was a quirk of fate I booked my return by Kuwait Airways - a disappointing choice , but not to worry I am in a hurry to get back . On 28th November 1970 I landed in Santa Cruz Bombay ( Mumbai ) and no one was there to receive me . I had to pay Rupees 600.00 towards customs and collected my luggage from the carousel and then I see my inlaws with an apology that they were held up and delayed - whatever , I have no time for their excuses . I went on a pilgrimage to Gaya , VaaraNaasi and performed the necessary rituals for the departed soul of my mother , gave up smoking taking a vow sitting under Boddhi Tree in Gaya and now in 2014 I am happy to say that I smoked my last cigarette 44 years ago . After all the rituals I journeyed to Hyderabad , reported to duty at the office of Director of Medical Education and requested for a posting as A Surgeon . I am shocked and surprised when The DME Doctor K Ramesh Pai FRCS informed me that the State Government is not under any obligation to accept me as A Surgeon because 1. The Governement did not depute me to England , 2. That I am under legal obligation to serve the Government in any capacity that the Governement chooses , and 3. FRCS is not recognized as an additional qualification beyond MBBS and MS which I already possess . So what can I do - the outcome is I was asked to join as A Casualty Medical Officer CMO in the outpatient accidents and emergencies casualty department , Governement General Hospital GUNTUR to which I submitted and there I am as on First of January 1971 as CMO GGH GUNTUR and it was wilderness , a futile journey for the next five years . I will go through that half decade of painful chapter in my life from 1971 to 1976 - let me collect my thoughts - krishna , BaalaKrishna .