Literary lessons
Though he said he did not know much about literature, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar went on to beautifully describe the finer points of literature and its power to change society at the District-level Primary and High School Teachers’ Sahitya Sammelan held at Kota on October 3.
He spoke extempore and eloquently about the contributions of literary giants such as late Kota Shivaram Karanth, Kuvempu and Poornachandra Tejaswi. He said he had read Karanth’s Jnanpith award-winning work “Mookajjiya Kanasugalu” four times and kept referring to it whenever he had doubts. This book had a simple message for all people on how people should lead their lives, which is, they should try as much as possible to help others and not trouble anyone.
“If this message is followed, many problems will get solved. Teachers should convey the essence of great literary works to students and encourage them to read them. Reading habit among students is declining steadily,” he said.
It was a good lesson from the Education Minister to the teachers.
The better half
Recently, at a meet held in the city on obstetric anaesthesiology, some doctors were telling this reporter about how an anaesthesiologist in obstetrics requires a team to work successfully. Other than staff members to support him or her in the work, an anaesthesiologist must have a good rapport with the obstetrician as well, said one doctor. At the end of the conversation, when asked for his phone number, the anaesthesiologist quickly reeled off a mobile number. Then he stopped and said, “No, wait. That is my wife’s number. More patients call her. She is an obstetrician. I am used to giving her mobile number first to patients.” Then he went on to mention his mobile number.
