Babu Mooken
- Son of Rosy & Thomas -> Son of Porunju -> Son of Thomas Mooken
- Born Moospet Road, Thrissur
Love is not just words
but action which come from sincerity and unflinching passion for the
good and growth of the other. Babu chetttan (elder brother) is that
true love personified. If somebody is unwell you can bet a hundred
dollars that chettan will be the first to visit them. If there is a
marriage or get together to be organised he will be at the helm of
the work. You will not find him at a sick man’s bedside with a
bouquet of roses but with a more healthy two kg of apples. You will
not find him gifting a photo album or frame but with a more practical
and long term item like a food processor.
My maternal cousin is
currently retired, father of two, brother to 5 siblings and a mentor
of many. A person towards him respect came automatically. There is no
double guessing, there is no complicated mind games …. Frank and to
the point … (I am over weight and he would not hesitate to point
out within a jiffy)
He did his schooling from
Kerala he did some odd jobs like working in a wholesale and a
chemist shop, a sales job in Reckitt and Colman Agency. He still
remembers brands like Cherry Blossom he used to deal, with a tinge of
nostalgia. In January 1968 he came to Delhi, the city of eternal hope
in those days.
A 22 year old coming to
Delhi via Chennai (a 4 days journey in those days) in search of a job
is right out of Bollywood. Our hero arrives in Delhi and stays with
his Uncle and Aunt’s in their small house in a railway colony.
After a couple of days this young boy caught a Bus No 6: Lodhi
Colony to Tilak Nagar with an address in hand in a strange land,
struggling to speak Hindi and hoping to reach a place in Kirti Nagar.
“Hope he makes it” was my mother’s prayer and “World is my
stage” was in Babu chettan’s heart. But fate had planned to test
this young lad. And a test in fire it was, searching for the address
for 2-3 hours the knight returned home only to get a scolding from
his uncle on his gross inability to locate the place. Babu chettan
tightened his resolve and the very next day was on Bus 6 once again.
He worked as a typist,
took accredeition from a government agency and finally got a
government job. People take a lot of struggle to get a house but Babu
Chettan was no ordinary man he got flat allotted to him in his very
first government job as a Lower Division Clerk (LDC). Destiny, Fate
or was it his mother’s prayer back in Kerala … but in any case
Chettan’s life was on track (not very smooth but more like a roller
coaster). He later went on to resign his government job and joined an
agriculture business enterprise as business was in his blood like his
grandfather.
Born in 1946 the second
child and eldest son in a family of 6 children. He is married and
now resides in Delhi with his wife(Jessy) and two kids (Leo and
Cyril).
Not very good in studies
is what he recollects from his school days … some of his friends
and relations remember that he did struggle in Maths. Very active in
drama, church activities and member of an active social service group
(closing pot holes on the road to distributing milk)
A dream to go to Russia
!! Maybe influenced by his communist inclined neighbours in his teen
years or maybe because of an essay he wrote for a magazine in his
youth. It seemed unlikely when he worked as a sales man in a chemist
shop and as a 10th pass in Delhi.
But this matriculate
later in life cleared Intermediate and Bachelor in Commerce from
Delhi University. Post Graduate Degree in Marketing from Bhartya
Vidya Bhavan later added a feather to his cap.
Worked very hard not for
money, fame or greater opportunities but his simple philosophy to do
what you do well. Babu chettan travelled extensively all across India
as part of his job profile. He met farmers as well as officials in
remote places. He worked with passion and zeal second to none at his
workplace. It was not surprising then as he rose up in the cadre from
a clerk to a manager. Finally his most cherished moment at work when
he got an opportunity to go to Russia.
Babu chettan retired as a
General Manager but his feet was always firmly grounded, no
pompous air and no jazzy car. He is on a pacemaker now but still
talks and laughs with nonchalant ease, came to meet and motivate my
ailing dad, went to attend funeral of his aunt in Kerala ….. As
somebody once said “A life is not important except in the
impact it has on others lives” .....
and
in this category of
the award goes to our family role model ....
Babu Mooken.
