There occur some endearing and hypnotizing moments in our life, which we seldom forget. It is an account of one such moment. It is all about my Sayan Biswas dada (more fondly, Dadabhai, Sayan da). It was the month of February (2020). I arrived late at Silchar District Sports Association (DSA) ground. I had to report a match, which had already begun. It was a peak season for cricket tournaments. Being a sports journalist, I should not have arrived late. However, upon entering the stadium (Satindra Mohan Dev stadium at Silchar DSA), I glimpsed at Sayan da, senior sports journalist, social and cultural activist, theatre director, actor, singer, musician, and writer. Much to my delight, Sayan da was free from his professional exercises.
He is a person whom I have always admired. He was sitting on a corner of the field. I ran up to him and asked about the details of the match. The sun was warm and comforting. His body language suggested that he was enjoying the match. He, however, was checking his cellphone when I broke into his reverie. As usual, Sayan da greeted me like a true gentleman and asked me to sit beside him.
Shifting my attention from the match, I began asking (rather bothering him) about his achievements in sports journalism. Sayan da, being a humble and down-to-earth person, told me that “there are miles to go before I sleep”. Yet my inquisitiveness compelled me to continue asking him about his profession (we both work for the same publication house). It was a phase in our profession, which was not that hot-and-happening, and things were at a low ebb.
What followed next (his answers to my queries, the conversation, the discussion,) left an indelible mark on me. His words of wisdom changed my outlook, thinking and philosophy on the profession. Sayan da started the conversation on a sublime note. Taking a cue from A P J Abdul Kalam, former President of India, he said loving one’s profession (work) is important (in case you do not love your company). These words comforted me.
The conversation, which lasted for only 10 minutes, consisted only of his words of wisdom, advice and above all, tips. Sayan da, who treats me as his younger brother, lucidly explained to me the value of one’s profession. He said nothing could be more important than a profession and that one should love it. Sayan da changed my mindset on profession and attitude towards my career. He said it is advisable to serve an organization until the very end.
“In this way, you will learn the art of tackling problems. Running away from duties and responsibilities has never been an acceptable proposition. One day or the other, you will get your due. Time, both good and bad, flies, but the best part is that you are the pilot. Of late, we have seen that people complain about their profession. These are nothing but professional hazards, and one must learn to grow through it,” he said.
These golden words struck a chord in my heart. His words kept echoing in my mind long after he had left the field. He ended this conversation in a lighter vein. He said, “I should stop now or else you may think I am sermonising…”. Saying this, he left the field. I kept wondering how a versatile individual like Sayan da could walk away so humbly, taking no credit for his words of wisdom. I will never forget that cold winter afternoon and those words of wisdom. All I can say is that: “Sayan da is Sayan da, the only one of his kind”.