My first role model since childhood has been my father. The one and only person I know till now who is the most honest person in life for me is my dad. Whenever I get in a situation where I have to look upto someone whom I can rely upon for doing the right thing with integrity is him. Although it's true that I do have some issues with him personally, but it is also true that I idolize him for his passion for honesty.
As I am writing this post, I recall an incident when I might have been 15 or 16 years old. It was Diwali time, and since my father used to work as a Purchase Officer for his company in those days, he used to receive several gifts from the people required to maintain good professional relationship. The idea behind this must have been to get themselves considered for the tenders or material supply for the company my father used to work for.
Most of the times the gifts used to be Diwali sweets may or may not be accompanied by some small gift, like clothing iron, or toaster, or fm radio, etc. Generally my father would accept these gifts (only on Diwali time) as a token of goodwill from his professional relations. But once there was this fellow I remember who gifted a shirt cloth to my father. When he left after tea and we opened the packing, we were surprised to discover a cash of Rs. 1000/- inside it. My father's face got tensed up, as I recall. The words came out of his mouth "Ye kya hai, paise dekar gaya hai! Yeh main wapis kar doonga".
I asked him why would he want to return the money when he used to accept gifts from others. He replied that the profession he is in, he cannot turn away everyone for bringing him such gifts as most of the time people just want to extend their professional courtesy on such occasions as Diwali, a day which is meant to bring prosperity for their businesses. But that particular fellow who is gifting the cash has crossed the line of my father's integrity. It means he takes him as a person who can be bribed for that person's gains. It hurt my father and he respectfully called him the next day to return him his gift as it was (with the money inside) and asked him to refrain from such activities when it comes to him, i.e., my father.
I am proud of my father for doing the right thing with utmost integrity. I know he would have returned even if he had received an amount of Rs. 1 lac instead of one thousand rupees. He is a man of inner steel when it comes to honesty.
As I am writing this post, I recall an incident when I might have been 15 or 16 years old. It was Diwali time, and since my father used to work as a Purchase Officer for his company in those days, he used to receive several gifts from the people required to maintain good professional relationship. The idea behind this must have been to get themselves considered for the tenders or material supply for the company my father used to work for.
Most of the times the gifts used to be Diwali sweets may or may not be accompanied by some small gift, like clothing iron, or toaster, or fm radio, etc. Generally my father would accept these gifts (only on Diwali time) as a token of goodwill from his professional relations. But once there was this fellow I remember who gifted a shirt cloth to my father. When he left after tea and we opened the packing, we were surprised to discover a cash of Rs. 1000/- inside it. My father's face got tensed up, as I recall. The words came out of his mouth "Ye kya hai, paise dekar gaya hai! Yeh main wapis kar doonga".
I asked him why would he want to return the money when he used to accept gifts from others. He replied that the profession he is in, he cannot turn away everyone for bringing him such gifts as most of the time people just want to extend their professional courtesy on such occasions as Diwali, a day which is meant to bring prosperity for their businesses. But that particular fellow who is gifting the cash has crossed the line of my father's integrity. It means he takes him as a person who can be bribed for that person's gains. It hurt my father and he respectfully called him the next day to return him his gift as it was (with the money inside) and asked him to refrain from such activities when it comes to him, i.e., my father.
I am proud of my father for doing the right thing with utmost integrity. I know he would have returned even if he had received an amount of Rs. 1 lac instead of one thousand rupees. He is a man of inner steel when it comes to honesty.
No comments:
Post a Comment