How did I pursue my MLibSc?
One day in early 1984, one young librarian from APSRTC Library called Ramachandran, came to my house for a chat. He inquired about myself, my qualifications etc. When he knew I was ‘only’ a BLibSc, he was shocked. He said that Prof Tikekar, Librarian, Bombay University is in the city, he is going back to Bombay today by flight and if I meet him, he may help get a seat in MLibSc in Bombay University. He urged that I should do it as it is part time – minimal attendance – and highly suited for working librarians. Quickly, I set off to meet Prof Tikekar at the Airport, which was in Begumpet those days. I caught him for hardly five minutes before he moved in for a security check but then he asked me to apply.
Some weeks later I had to attend a personal interview in Bombay for selection for MLibSc admission. There was some problem with Railways – strike, I don’t remember – and had to go by bus. The bus reached late and I hurried into the interview hall, informed that I had arrived, I was ushered in hurriedly – it was 2:00 pm and they were closing the interview! Seeing me, Prof Tikekar said: We were wondering why you did not come! You look so tired out of Bus travel, you must be hungry too. Go and refresh yourself, we will meet at 3:00 pm. At 3:00 when I went again, they said, as if in Chorus: “If you have not come, we could have done nothing for you, glad that you could make it. Go and collect details from the office, pay the fee and join.”
After the interview, I went to IDL guest house for an overnight stay. I had not booked my return journey – no trains, only bus again. There, I met Sri CS Hariharan, Finance Controller in IDL. When he enquired about my visit, I narrated all the story. He said: Don’t worry – you can fly back to Hyderabad. He asked our Bombay office to book my flight ticket and reach it to me in the guest house! I was not a senior person then and the entire office was agog over special concessions shown to me!
Then I joined the course, visited Bombay a couple of times, wrote the exam and completed the course. However, here is the equally interesting second part:
I had to do a project and submit a thesis for 400 marks. (300 for thesis and 100 for Viva). During the initial months when I submitted interim reports on my project work, the guide (the same Prof Tikekar) made a number of adverse / critical comments on my output that I was terribly put off. I even contemplated pulling out of the course. While my friend Sivaram was responsible for pushing me and coaxing me to do MLibSc, it was Thomas (now Dr Thomas) who kept nudging me to overlook Guide's comments and continue. For my project work I had done a survey of library automation activities in Hyderabad. In those days, next only to ICRISAT, IDL Library had a great reputation for using computers for library work.
IDL treated me with very special kindness. Apart from the Interview episode narrated above, I was given leave with pay for two and half months for attending contact classes in Bombay, stay & travel expenses reimbursed, all fees reimbursed etc. As I was so pampered (no one else got this privilege) failing in the exams or pulling out was next to impossible as the damage to my image would be irreparable. I had learnt (from one lecturer called Rekha) on my first day of contact classes in Bombay that no one had passed the course in preceding several years. I took the advice of Thomas and continued. With jitters I prepared for the exams, after a gap of 19 years of leaving College!
After writing four theory papers, there were two clear days with nothing to do before Viva. I went through my dissertation completely. I had meticulously noted down all points of probable attack by the jury and how I would answer them. During the Viva Dr Prof Kamath (Ex of BARC) who was the IT expert among examiners, simplified the whole show by saying: "Your thesis might have fetched you a PhD. Unfortunately, you have submitted it for MLibSc". I was mighty happy.
A month later I got a greeting card from a fellow MLibSc student which said: "Congratulations for topping the MLibSc Class". Only then I knew I got first class first rank! That evening when I went home, my wife hugged me with such warmth that hadn't seen anything like that before! My happiness knew no bounds.
