Economic development of families
A strange sounding topic. I could not think of a better caption.
Recently , I attended a marriage of a biologically distant relative but personally very close to our family. They are from a poor family of four sons and a daughter with the dad earning his living as a supervisor in a small hotel.
The second son , say Mr.X , proved to be exceptionally good in academics but was forced to take up employment in a central government laboratory after a bachelor's degree in chemistry. He published some research papers in German journals. He got a break at an Amercian University in 1976 ( two years after graduation ) as a prominent member of faculty there was on a visit to India and was impressed by Mr.X's work and secured him admission.
Mr.X went on to do M S in two subjects and a Ph D in chemistry. He has been a reserach scientist at a leading pharmaceutical company ever since and has completed twenty five years of service. He worked for several years in drug formulation department.Now he is in charge of India Program of his company in addition to holding responsibilities in USA as well.
He has been instrumental in outsourcing clinical and research work to India. He was involved in gradually increasing the size of the pie from year 2000 and his company has awarded a contract for USD 200 millions per year of contract work to a Bangalore based company from 2007. He is also the director of the Reserach centre of his company at Bangalore.
Mr. X is a case of self made rags to well to do story. I would not say "rags to riches" as he is still an employee. He stayed at free hostel during his college days in India and has worked part time serving food in a small hotel near his college hostel to augment his family income. Mr X is around 54 years old now.
Unfortunately his two younger brothers never showed any inclination towards academics and are employed in "normal" jobs in Chennai. His eldest brother was not too bright and is on a low paying government job. His son was the one whose marriage I attended few days ago.
In our family and circle of relatives, ours is the generation which has gone to college and earned degrees and in some cases post graduate degrees. The families which attended the wedding were in various stages of economic development like developing countries. Some families are having a smooth drive with their wards on good jobs.For some others, life is looking up as their wards are completing employment fetching academic degrees with good scores. Some families have miserably failed and are languishing at the bottom with the family members in mid forties ekking out a living. They have to inspire their wards to do well for a good future.
Mr.X is an exception and he made it to the big league on his own steam. As for the other families, I noticed that their forutne were directly proportional to the academic performance of the youngsters and the determination shown by their parents. To make their wards work with a hope on good future several years later alone as incentive is not easy but some parents have done it.
Some parents are on the verge of crossing over to the economic growth path with their wards about to complete studies. I met one such parent and spent time discussing the dynamics. He has a son working as a lawyer and the second one training to be marine officer who would be sailing the seven seas in a year's time. Through him I vicariously visualised the effort my dad had put in to make me and my sister move forward. Those were moments of nostalgia.
Recently , I attended a marriage of a biologically distant relative but personally very close to our family. They are from a poor family of four sons and a daughter with the dad earning his living as a supervisor in a small hotel.
The second son , say Mr.X , proved to be exceptionally good in academics but was forced to take up employment in a central government laboratory after a bachelor's degree in chemistry. He published some research papers in German journals. He got a break at an Amercian University in 1976 ( two years after graduation ) as a prominent member of faculty there was on a visit to India and was impressed by Mr.X's work and secured him admission.
Mr.X went on to do M S in two subjects and a Ph D in chemistry. He has been a reserach scientist at a leading pharmaceutical company ever since and has completed twenty five years of service. He worked for several years in drug formulation department.Now he is in charge of India Program of his company in addition to holding responsibilities in USA as well.
He has been instrumental in outsourcing clinical and research work to India. He was involved in gradually increasing the size of the pie from year 2000 and his company has awarded a contract for USD 200 millions per year of contract work to a Bangalore based company from 2007. He is also the director of the Reserach centre of his company at Bangalore.
Mr. X is a case of self made rags to well to do story. I would not say "rags to riches" as he is still an employee. He stayed at free hostel during his college days in India and has worked part time serving food in a small hotel near his college hostel to augment his family income. Mr X is around 54 years old now.
Unfortunately his two younger brothers never showed any inclination towards academics and are employed in "normal" jobs in Chennai. His eldest brother was not too bright and is on a low paying government job. His son was the one whose marriage I attended few days ago.
In our family and circle of relatives, ours is the generation which has gone to college and earned degrees and in some cases post graduate degrees. The families which attended the wedding were in various stages of economic development like developing countries. Some families are having a smooth drive with their wards on good jobs.For some others, life is looking up as their wards are completing employment fetching academic degrees with good scores. Some families have miserably failed and are languishing at the bottom with the family members in mid forties ekking out a living. They have to inspire their wards to do well for a good future.
Mr.X is an exception and he made it to the big league on his own steam. As for the other families, I noticed that their forutne were directly proportional to the academic performance of the youngsters and the determination shown by their parents. To make their wards work with a hope on good future several years later alone as incentive is not easy but some parents have done it.
Some parents are on the verge of crossing over to the economic growth path with their wards about to complete studies. I met one such parent and spent time discussing the dynamics. He has a son working as a lawyer and the second one training to be marine officer who would be sailing the seven seas in a year's time. Through him I vicariously visualised the effort my dad had put in to make me and my sister move forward. Those were moments of nostalgia.
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