You have seen him putting a state on
World Map. You have heard media go gaga about his visions for development. You
have heard about how good an administrator he is. You have read about him being
called a leader in truest sense. You have heard people acknowledging him as the
only hope for better India.
When people from other states praise the good roads or the
cleanliness they see around in your city, you feel proud for being resident of
that state. When you say that you work for his government, you see respect in their
eyes because you are a part of the government that has been working for the
betterment of its people ever since it came to power.
But, truth be told, you are just
another employee working for the state government, like thousands of
others. You are barely into the system with a meagre experience of 4.5 years in
your kitty. Since past approximately three years, you have been a part of the editorial team
of an in-house magazine published by your organization. A work that you love to be a part
of simply because there you are doing something that you think you are best at.
Write. The magazine being the only arena that leaves some room for creativity
as well as a chance to hone your writing skills in a proper government set-up.
And then you get a chance. A chance to
see him. A chance to meet him in person. Because he would be unveiling an edition
of your magazine which carries his article as the Cover Story. You are one of
the people to have been chosen to go and witness the occasion. Be a part of the
same. And all this happens so soon that you hardly get time to sink in what’s
happening.
Mind it, all during the way to his office,
you are confused and considering if you should opt out of all this because you
are just a newbie official on the block. But, before you know, you are in the
grandeur of his office. Awards won by various government offices lined up in
the balcony, super tight security, the magnificence of the building that could
put any five star hotel to shame, well defined procedures and zilch chances of
blips make you wonder. You wait for the time slot allotted to you for the unveiling.
While you wait, you are still discussing the rapidity of the sequence of events
which have brought you here with your colleagues and still considering if you
should stay right back and not go inside the cabin. But then, as they say, life
is what happens when you are busy making other plans. So while you were
discussing the chances of staying back, you are called inside with your
Chairman, your CEO and your colleagues.
And then you step inside one of the
most beautiful cabins you have seen in your entire life of being a government
official, which ofcourse is still very nascent. But, you are still sure, you wouldn’t
see anything as magnificent as that one simply because it belongs to the highest
authority of your state government. While you are overwhelmed at the thought of
it, you see him. His aura brightening the place much more than anything ever
could. After that, whatever happens, happens probably in your inebriated state
coz you are just awed by his persona. The work that you had come for - the
magazine launch, it happens. But, all during this, your sub-conscious has noticed
every single detail. The way he stood up from his table, the words he spoke to
your Chairman, how the magazine was handed to him, unveiling of the magazine, what
he spoke while he was unveiling the magazine, he handing some copies of the
magazine to your Chairman who in-turn gives a copy to you and the camera going
click click click.
And when you are out of that space,
what remains is the hangover. The hangover of seeing Mr. Narendra Modi in
person. The man for who rules the state government you have been working for. The
man you have only seen on television, hoardings and newspapers. You have just
met him, in person. You, a newbie government official who is still learning the
ropes of the trade. And there, you got a chance to meet him.
Do you consider yourself lucky? Yes
you do. Are you happy? No, you are elated. Aren’t you talking like a star
struck fan who has just met her favourite star? Yes, you kinda are, coz for a
newbie official, meeting the highest authority of your state government is no
small feat. Are you ever going to forget the incident? Nope. Never. And hence
this post. So that it remains etched. The incident. This incident of a young government
official getting a chance to meet the highest authority of the state government
she works for. The incident of me meeting Mr.
Narendra Modi. *Beams*
And by the way, this is the link to
his website about the unveiling of the magazine.
Good on you!
ReplyDelete:):)
Deletedid you meet him? :)
ReplyDeleteYes, Nabanita, I actually did meet him. The link has the details ;)
DeleteAwesome... was going to ask you for the pic, saw it on the magazine page :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Seeta !! Yes, the link has it ;)
DeleteWow.. I loved the way you have written this.. :) :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much .. Glad you noticed :)
DeleteReally nice post! Are U in the state service of Gujarat or IAS?!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Amrita.. Welcome to my space.. I work with State Government of Gujarat :)
DeleteMust have been an amazing feeling, I can imagine. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes.. totally totally amazing feeling Abhyudaya :):)
DeleteI SOOOOOOOOO WANT TO BE IN YOUR SHOES RIGHT NW!
ReplyDeleteAww... Your sentence in CAPS says it all ;) Hope you get a chance sometime to meet him :)
DeleteNow this truly is SOMETHING ... wow :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was a 'WOW' moment for sure, Amrit :)
DeleteWow ! Jyotsna !!That's something, really SOMETHING :) Congrats....treasure these moments...you don't get them often at all !! NaMo ki jai :)
ReplyDeleteIt definitely was 'Something' Sreeja.. Yes, I am gonna treasure them for long.. Hence the post.. NaMo, Oh yes ;)
DeleteThat's something gal... good on you :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Namrota :)
DeleteWow is the word. Something really incredible. All the best buddy!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Akanksha.. *Beams* on the 'WoW' :):)
DeleteWow!! Congrats dear!! Lucky girl!! :P
ReplyDeleteThank you Valli.. Yes, Lucky I definitely felt for that day ;)
DeleteThanks Ashwini.. Yes, so rightly said.. I felt the same..
ReplyDeleteJust one word - Wow! Lucky you Jyotsna!
ReplyDeleteIs that you in the photo (from the link)?
Thank you Ragini, indeed lucky! And yeah, thats the speco me in the link, the official sarkari babu look, you see ;)
Delete