Success Story #10

“NEVER LEAVE THE VESSEL UNTIL IT LEAVES YOU” this is what is written at his "all the time floating and most of the time moving" work place.

He was one among hundred in the mass just like you and me, without any specialty.

Being from Chandrapur - a coal rich town of Maharashtra, he was mentally very tough. He learnt swimming soon after he learnt to walk. One of his all the time hobby was swimming in river in opposite direction of the water currents. 

When in school he went to Goa in school trip. Most of his friends were interested in various places like Dona Paula, the fort, Mangesh temple, Portuguese Mansions but he would just seat on sea shore and look at the sea waves for hours. He had fascination for the roar of the sea waves. In evening he would look at the distant blinking of the light house. He was interested more in the fishing boats, the cargo vessels, oil tankers and the aquatic life. He wanted to swim in salty water but his teacher was not allowing anyone to enter into sea water.

So on his last day of trip, he woke up early in morning and without informing anyone alone went to swim. There he was amazed to see the same teacher in chest deep water. The moment he  fearfully put his foot in the salty water, his teacher saw him and slapped his both cheeks.

As a flash at that instant, he got across the clear cut aim of his life – to conquer the sea come what way. 

Upon returning to Chandrapur the first thing he did was to draw pencil sketch of the fishing boat he saw in the sea. And below that he wrote ‘I want to be an officer rank sailor and conquer the unending sea’.

And thus he started contacting people and enquiring about the sea life jobs. Many elders advised him to enter into Indian Navy or Merchant Navy after Engineering in Mechanical or Electrical branch. 

Keeping in mind his aim, he gave his 12th exam and CET and passed with very good percentile.

He wanted to opt for electrical engineering but did not get the college of his choice.

He therefore took admission in Electronics and Telecomm branch in one of the reputed college of Amravati. He cleared all examinations from FY to final year with flying colors each in single attempt.

Fortunately that year Indian Navy organized campus placement in the college, he cleared the first round but somehow couldn’t make it through in interview. But he wasn’t demoralized at all due to this failure. 

With new zeal he started to look for various courses those offer training and assistance in Merchant Navy placements and took admission to one such course. 

There for the first time he wore spotless white uniform and the white round hat with a logo.

He completed the tough training and was selected through campus placement as radio signaling / electrical engineer in Zodiac Maritime Ltd, London with a fat salary package.  

Currently his ship is anchored at Xiamen Fujian, China. He has fought several turbulences and hurricanes on the sea fearlessly. He has been through the Bermuda triangle several times without any issue. He has been to almost all parts of the world. Now he does not remember how many times he has circled the globe.

Each year he gets three month full paid leave. During one such leave he went to his school trip teacher's house and thanked him for the slaps.

(Success Story #10)

Success is a subjective term.

But why not to walk an extra mile?