SOCIAL WORK POLITICS AND A TRIP TO AJMER

 2017

Though still fond of Indian Rail travel – like the 3 day long trip to Delhi from Kochi, it’s like having a retreat cum sight-seeing trip; or even a yatra  with all the preparations, the adjustments you have to make  – in my present situation, I am not able to afford that kind of time – can I afford the money to fly is a moot question.  Hence such travels are few and far between.  

Having been away from Social Work education per se for past 6 years, I felt that it was necessary that I spare some time to be amidst the social work professionals, as they gather annually in the name of ISPSW (Indian Society of Professional Social Workers).  I have been a member since 1998 or 1999. And I have been attending the conferences at Bangalore, Thiruchirappally, Bhimavaram, Anantapur, Kochi and now, in Ajmer – specifically, in Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan.  This is happening in the fledgling department of Social Work (3 years?) of the new central university located here,  in a sprawling 512 acre campus!!

I have been observing the isolation of Kerala unit of social work professionals in all such bodies, and had been putting this point whenever I got the opportunity. Even out here, it appears that I am the only person – professional or faculty – from Kerala, other than the new faculty members from central university, thanks to their NIMHANS affiliation. I also observed a few more of the Malayalees from TISS or NIMHANS, thanks to the linkage of the institutions.  I feel Kerala section of social work – practice and education – is missing out on account of lack of attention to such events.  It was on account of this, that I had taken the lead to have the conference held at Rajagiri, the year in which I was leaving the organization.  The initiative was taken to its logical conclusion, however, since then there appears to have been no follow up.

After much searching, I found out flight connections, rather affordable – time & money.  If a Kochi – Jaipur ticket is taken, usually it will involve 18 to 24 hours or more, and almost 6000 rupees or more one way.  Usually with a stop in Bombay.  Now this connection was a late night trip to Bangalore and an early morning trip to Jaipur.  Both by AIR ASIA.  Choice of any seat by you will entail at least an additional Rs. 100.00.  I found a return trip with morning flight to Bangalore and an afternoon flight to Koch from there.  I could have tried bus from Bangalore to Kochi.  But with pending work and commitment on 27^th, didn’t deem it wise.  Even 26^th evening there was supposed to be a meeting.

The flight which was due at 11 pm was delayed by almost 2 hours.  That was okay.  With my friends Tom and Andrew accompanying celebrating,  the full moon night of 23^rd (as used to be our wont), arrived well in time for the flight.  It was a very sleepy waiting – and I got a full seat, don’t know how we reached Bangalore – perhaps, slept very soundly.  Then there was a waiting for about 3 hours for security check.  It got over.  Though waited drowsily, managed to note a last minute change of gate and almost hurried and managed to get into the bus and reach the ladders to the flight, then the boarding pass was missing.  Could not be located.  It turned out to be a much more serious problem that I had imagined.  Those who were at the flight were trying to comfort, and arranged a security car to go back to the security check, leaving the baggage behind, the young man, who appeared to be a senior officer among them was very aggressive, and demanding where I misplaced the boarding pass, and threatening that the flight go ‘minus’ that is without me.  That was a bit frightening.  The whole programme would go chaupat.  However, after some such threats and cursing regarding flight being delayed, he got a new boarding pass printed and cleared through security and put me on a car driving back to the flight. Almost 2 kms perhaps to the flight.  But the car was going very slowly (20 kms or less) while he was creating all fuss about getting delayed.  It was 6.22 am and still 3 more minutes to the scheduled time, and I felt he could reach me in time and manage the flight to go in time. if it finally reached and I was permitted to board the flight! That was one of the scariest moments of my life – second time, something of the sort.  In the previous instance, I had to forgo my ticket and go in another flight – partly on account of traffic jam.  However, I had reached before 30 mts.  They did not let me board.  Since then, I had been rather consistent in taking boarding pass on-line, which helps to a great extent.

The flight did not take off…. I don’t think it was because of my problem.  They announced some cargo flight lined up before us..  It was almost 40 mts delayed.  It was supposed to be a two and half hour flight.  I expected some refreshment to be served, which they did with some price tagged to it.  Head ache was already there. Lest it be worsened, I had a cup of coffee for Rs. 70.00 which appeared rather affordable.  My plans for reading etc or sight seeing – nothing worked out.  Head ache was not making me feel ok.  It arrived around 9.35 and after putting up with a rather long queue in the rest room area, got a taxi and found out the means to go to the destination (of which I still had no clarity).  From some conversations, managed to gather that it was en route to Ajmer.  There were differing versions – MDS some Mahatma Dayanand Saraswati university and another Rajasthan Central University.  I found it difficult to grasp the place name in spite of repeated queries – It was Bandre-Sindri, on the Jaipur-Ajmer high way, closer to Kishangarh Railway station.  You can catch a bus from a point called 200 fut by pass, which was some 15 kms from the airport and for which they charge Rs. 500 for pre-paid taxi.  The taxi wallah offered to take me for Rs. 2000 plus Rs. 200 toll, up to the university, with a willingness to waive off the toll tax.  However, I chose to go by bus.  The taxi wallah – Sooryanarayan (?) showed me the bus, and parked almost close to it. On approaching I was welcome by a generous spray of spittle – narrowly escaping it. A matronly lady in her mid thirties in a green sweater and blue salwar, ushered me in assuring me of a seat, in spite of the apparent rush.  I guessed she was the conductor though she didn’t have any uniform.  (It was the typical bus service of the BIMARU era.  With very minimal leg space.  No comparison with our AANA (KSRTC) in that kind of comfort.  But assuredly on their wheels and not on the jack!!)  A man entered and started issuing tickets – from his conversations and instructions, I thought it would cost some 200 rupees,  but it cost only Rs. 90.00.  My neighbor, smart young man clarified that the university was on the way, but you had to get down at Ajmer and go further.  I listened to him, and asked about this Bandar Seendri, and he clarified the same further with the neihgbours and they said it was sufficient to get down there. 

Once out of the city, though the vehicle in itself was not very comfortable, the ride was – as the road was in perfect shape.  I could work on the computer without much difficulty.  It was rather warm, yet not disturbingly so.  And I managed to get my work pending for pst one week, polishing the presentation done in that time.

Now the fun came when finally I was directed to get down, by the lady who took over after the start as conductor.  (When the bus started off, the male conductor got out, and she took charge, made another round of verification, also acting tough.).  I got down suspecting about the direction, as I myself was in doubt as to where I had to get down, which was the University I had to go etc. Tried calling up Shana, my colleague to no avail.  I had no address, no contacts (a much lighter situation, when compared to the landing in Melbourne last year, when asked by the immigration authorities as to where to go, I had no clue – in the sense, I had no papers or invitation or address – I was expecting someone to pick me up).  Getting to the university was no problem – but confirming whether it was this one, or MDS was a problem.  My internet stuff was not working, nor was the mobile internet.  The internet café was not willing to provide such service.  Finally I managed to convince the young fellow sitting there, it was only a matter of an email, no print out etc. He consented, rather grudgingly took my login name.  I typed the password, got the mail from Abdul, managed to call him up and confirm.  He said he would send a vehicle.  And vehicle came in some 15 mts.

Came to the huge campus. Got to the guest house and students were managing allocation.  The rooms were clean, but poorly furnished.  There were good mattresses, but  not having a sheet over them.  Two people had to manage with one blanket!! No towels.  The bathroom had running water and a geyser.  The toilet was clean, and looked very new.  In all likelihood, in another year, it will be in a very bad condition.

I had a rather annoying headache, however, put up with it.  Gradually it faded away.

The inauguration took place around 3 pm.  While we were awaiting the guests – esp. the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Shekhar kept on narrating the new developments in the organizational network of social work and social work educators.  In all this, I found Kerala and Rajagiri absent, and felt bad about it.  The inauguration was formal, but very different when compared to our formality-ridden ceremonial lengthy ones down in Keralam. The prayer was a programme which people listened to sitting, and cheered for, with an applause. Then the compere had her own elaborate welcome, and invited the Head of the department to deliver the welcome address. And he welcomed all of us in general to the wonderful university and the fabulous state of Rajasthan with its very many unique features and achievements in the social sector (like Right to information, right to work etc.).  Then there was the traditional honouring ceremony – the only lady on the stage, Dr. Vimala Nadkarni (my Professor at TISS, who made Social Work Profession of India globally visible by her presence on international fora.  May she rest in power!) was given a shawl in her hand, all men were given a fabulous pagadi which they called safa, and they were on the dais wearing them. The VC in his brief and matter of fact kind of address, said that in reviewing the abstracts he found them more or less like social science papers with hardly anything to distinguish them as social work papers. That was indeed a challenge, but to my mind, it has gone almost unregistered with the participants. Then Dr. Vimala delivered Dr. Gauri Rani Memorial oration, in which she made very pertinent references to her teacher and one of the pioneers in Social Work education in India. I felt inspired, and felt that I have not done anything when compared to her. Then the vote of thanks etc. were very brief, and we stood for national anthem as it was played from the system.

The campus seems to be rather well equipped in spite of its being a very young and new one. I am really awed realizing the great potential and possibilities such institutions have with such financial and land resources available with them.

My room mate was Mr. Rockoriti Naakhro from Nagaland University – Professor of Agricultural Economics.  He has come just to take part in the conference on account of his friendship with Athik. No paper, not his subject.  So having a good time.

Though the sun is warm and it  can be hot out in the day, within the room it was cool. The water was cold even at 11.30 am.

The return trip was not that eventful.  My reporting time was 8.40.  It was about 100 kms away.  With no clue as to the availability of public transport, my plan was to push off at night and reach the airport, and remain there.  However, baton baton mein, I came to know that Dr. Anuradha of Padmavati university was hiring a taxi, and I asked her if she would mind my accompanying her.  She accepted the same gladly

ELECTIONS – ISPSW

I had funny experiences with the conference. I had prepared a paper with the active support of Shana, my colleague in the Department of Communication and her bunch of students of journalism.  I had conceived the idea, and sold it to them, and they were willing to take it up.  And they did some initial work, which on my casual review was found to be much below my expectations, and they worked again, finding almost three times what they had managed to get.  Then we sat on it again, having points to analyse them from the angle of sustainable development coverage.  They did a good job of compiling them, and on my direction using SPSS with the help of my Social Work assistants on the campus, Sreejith and Abin, managed to have the whole thing rendered into figures and percentages!! We had some review and now it was left to me to have the final touches from the angle of Social Work.  As is my wont, I kept on postponing it – Saturday, Sunday, Monday, finally, Tuesday even after boarding the flight, I couldn’t make myself do that. Finally, on my least comfortable trip on bus from Jaipur to Bandaar  Seendri I managed to make my notes of about 3 pages and conclude it.  Then Shana worked on it again and gave to me her final version.  I worked on it again, making final changes and insertions.  All said and done, when it came to presentation, our slot and a session I had to chair were at the same time, in different halls.  I coached Shana to present, as the domain was not hers and I went to chair a session, which was scantily attended.  From there, towards the end of it, when about two more presenters were left, I was snatched by Dr. Amir Hamza to be the panel judge for the presentation contest.  Sitting there, I did not feel comfortable, as it was all on a sudden, I had no chat with the other judge Dr. Anuradha who appeared all that dapper and confident.  Most of the presentation being from medical & psychiatric background, and myself, having very minimal or no familiarity with the scientific aspects of them, felt a little awkward.  Had no questions to ask.  However, towards the end, when Dr. Anuradha graciously asked to conclude, I warmed up after the initial hitch,  offered some challenge to the predominantly student group.  I must confess that some of the presentations were really smart, and I discovered they were from Christ or CU, Kerala, Kasargode, which means there are able teachers there.  

Then from some hearsay, I went to the seminar hall where the GB was being held.  There was hardly any announcement regarding that, any information.  I was surprised.  However, when we finally reached that remote halls, things appeared to be in order.  After the initial discussions, election was held.  It was such a clumsy affair, with something evidently wishy-washy going there. Things were not straight. Some nominations were brought in.  A returning officer, Dr. Latha from Manipal was installed in a chair, with almost everything being dictated by Dr. Shekhar (no offence meant, just a matter of fact observation. I respect Dr. Shekhar for his great erudition and the wonderful contributions he has made).  After a while there were some rumblings and questions from the audience, especially the younger lot of Malayalees, not from Keralam – Sajan Antony, Siju George, Renjith Pillai.  There was also some objection being raised by Dr. Amal Basu from Kolkotta.  I also got involved and suggested that there should have been proper information given to all members regarding this, which I had not received, nor many others. There was some confusion.  Dr. Shekhar quit the dais fuming that he wouldn’t come back unless there was a public apology, and were it left to him, he would know how to tackle this, and would put everyone to silence.  I felt a little embarrassed. Then there was a lot of patching up effort from Dr. Pandyan, who was the only candidate for secretary.  

Now, I have forgotten how it was all concluded.  Finally, what was planned by the NIMHANS lobby was accomplished I trust.  I feel effort to broaden and make the organisation more inclusive and transparent was lacking.  People were still in their narrow comfort zone, and making the organisation progress beyond that appeared hardly there on any agenda.  I think the same status continues as far as ISPSW is concerned. With a vibrant KAPS emerging in Keralam, we have kind of gotten rid of these baggages, and have emerged gradually into a genuine player in the field of Social Work profession, especially thanks to the committed and consistent efforts of Dr. Ipe Varghese and a band of younger professionals, who have not gotten into the rut of typical organisational politics. 

Looking back, I deeply regret that having travelled that far, I did not even have time to visit the Dargah of Ajmer, nor to explore the pink city.  My office commitments were not letting me free to do such things.