In this age of knowledge economy, there is a widespread belief that India is marching ahead to become a ‘knowledge society’.
Anil Gupta, a professor at IIM, Ahmedabad, is a torchbearer of the rediscovery of the essence of traditional wisdom and innovation. His movement to find, record and disseminate knowledge and carrying out Shodh Yatras has won him international recognition.
In this age of knowledge economy, there is a widespread belief that India is marching ahead to become a ‘knowledge society’. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam gave a call to make India a knowledge society and so has the Planning Commission. But few people who can guide society are engaged in spreading knowledge at the grassroots level.
I will give you an example of a few who I have met in the last 20 to 30 years, who have not only taught me personally, but have also guided me in the philosophy of the Honey Bee Network, and I think that the encounters with these minds on marching will essentially help us all understand what constitutes the knowledge of the society. I met this interesting person, a coolie, way back in 1971 when I was a student. It was the time of the Bangladesh War and I had gone for a debate to Kankay, a place near Bhagalpur.
While returning, a friend suggested we visit the Bangladesh border. There, we met an army officer who gave us some war mementos — spent bullets and other similar things.
On our way back, we were late and missed the train. Those were my student days, and hence I did not have enough money to buy another ticket, and the thought of travelling ticket-less from Kolkata to Delhi was appalling. A coolie noticed my condition and asked me what the problem was. I explained my predicament to him and he said: “Don’t worry. I will make you sit in the train.” However, when I told him that travelling ticket-less was not a very appealing idea to me, he said, “I’ll buy you a ticket.”
Taken by surprise at his generosity, I thanked him profusely and asked for his address so that I could repay him once I was back home. Stunned by my stand, the coolie snubbed my offer with his statement: “If you ask me once more for the address, I’ll not buy the ticket for you.” Needless to say, I was stumped! I touched his feet and said: “Please kindly explain to me what prevents you from giving me your address.” His reply was fascinating. “I am buying a ticket for you and will in return also buy a worry from you if I give you the address. Because if I give you my address and you fail to send the money, I’ll feel bad. But, if I don’t give the address, I save myself from this bad bargain.”
I can assure you that that extraordinary experience of generosity was permanently etched in my memory. It was a lesson that only life’s laboratory can teach. I remember his face, his feet and the station; but it was this kindness that makes this mission worth remembering. The reason I am narrating this incident is also to convey that today when there is a crisis in society. Who is helping whom becomes crucial for people who have to go through this process; a large number of workers have been laid off because of the recession; and children have been withdrawn from schools. When I look at the generosity of people, I wonder whether if this is an isolated case. Are there not millions in our country like that coolie?
...to be continued 
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