Ten Point Something

"Sir, let’s please have a race this time. I promise, it will be great."

I was talking to our PT master Mr. Anil Kumar one day when I was in the residential school at Dharwad. It was back in 1998. I was trying to convince him about having a 100 meter race for the teaching and non teaching staff on the occasion of the teacher’s day. Every year students used to organize sports events for teachers and honor them on the teacher’s day.

"What do you think; the old teachers would run a race? I bet most of them won’t even complete it. And myself being a state champion in athletics would just need to jog to win it" The PT master grinned.

He was in his mid thirties. He looked young and muscular.
He agreed somehow when I said we were planning to have a good first prize.

"It’s fine but won’t it be so obvious and boring when there’s no competition at all. God!.Ten point something was my personal best you know" He beamed proudly. I just looked at him and my eyes said "That…you would see for yourself. There are two more guys out there". My thoughts went back to my weeks long conversation.

I and couple of my friends had been to the Catering Manager, Krishniah Sir’s apartment. We were pretty close him. He was an ex Air Force guy. Hugely built, cool headed in his early forties. I had seen his home shelf then and saw a trophy which read "First prize in 100 meter finals". When I had inquired about it he had said he was a 100 mt champion in the Indian Air Force and had won many races.

"Vo sab bees saal pehle tha beta", he said as if he ran in his previous life

"Sir, do you remember what was your best timing? (in 100mt)" I had asked curiously. And he had said "Ten point something I think"

Second guy was Mr Ashok Anand who taught us math. We all called him Ashok Sir. I was his favorite student. He was again in his early forties. He was our House Master(of Senior Nalanda House). He used to visit our dormitories wearing a folded lungi. He had those huge, muscular calf muscles. Once I had asked him what was the reason behind his strong legs. He had said that he was a national level NCC trainer. He had trained cadets in fitness and sprinting viz. 100mt, 200 mt. He himself had represented university in 100 mt dash.

"Do you remember your best timing Sir?" I had again asked

"Ten point something"

‘Ten point something’ I had thought, ‘God!.. is close to the national record!’.
Since nobody knew about the fact that Krishniah Sir and Ashok Sir were once the champions triggered this plan in me of getting together the old three legends and having a race. I don’t think there ever was a race between an armed forces guy, a NCC guy and sports professional. For me it was like Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt running in the same race. People from different background and of course different era. I had not told this to anyone and I somehow convinced the school captains Basavaraj C.H. and Sharanabasappa that we would go ahead with this race. The race was on the eve of the teacher’s day.

The previous day I went to Krishniah Sir and said that I would tutor his kids math daily if he gives his 100% for this race. Also I requested Ashok Sir that I would take up IIT preparation seriously if he gave his 100% as well. Both of them nodded.

I love running. It’s sprinting exactly and not jogging. I believe, any man looks beautiful when he is sprinting. I just watch movies to see Tom Cruise, Mr Bachchan or Shahrukh running on screen. In school I always ran 100mt. Didn’t represent school and all as there were faster runners than me. Whenever I go to a beach I run and shoot it. Whenever I go home, I and my brother always race which often has close finishes. We have been racing since past 15 years or so. Also I used to be deliberately late to the office cabs so that I could sprint and catch them. Running ferociously, giving your everything, when each muscle pulls and performs, you feel you are flying. You have your goal ahead, adrenalin soaring high and each millisecond matters. I don’t think anything else in world would give you such a high. I have a wish that I should sprint as fast as I can and then disappear suddenly in the oblivion. That’s how I wanna die. Sounds lot stylish

The entire school came to the ground on the race day. Few were still bewildered as to why we were having a 100 mt race for the old teachers. The Principal was among the spectators. First, we had women teachers’ race. Well, only two of them completed it. And expectedly the lady PT master won it comfortably. Most of the students laughed at the funny competition. But I was waiting for something else.

Then there was the mens’ race. There were around eight participants. Mr Anil Kumar was beaming with pride with a smirk on his face. I looked at Krishniah Sir and Ashok Sir. They were sort of relaxing and stretching their limbs. Other teachers looked as if they never ever jogged leave alone running for a long time, stood there smiling, shyly ready to show their inability in front of the school.

There were murmurs and some noise when the race was about to start. My eyes set on the participants. Only I knew that there were three champions each unknown about the other. On your mark, get set, clap ! The race began. Everyone expected a la women’s race. In every race there’s lot of cheering or jeering. When I looked around, there was complete silence. Everyone’s mouth was wide open in disbelief. All were in shock to see three guys running so fast and fiercely.

The PT master had taken the lead in the first 20-30 meters. Around him, two people joined him. On the left Krishniah Sir and on to the right it was Ashok Sir.
Their speed increased and reached peak at 50 meters. The three hugely built men were running like tigers. Their stance, style, steps looked like perfectly trained professionals. The remaining participants who had taken off stood in disbelief after few meters looking these three who were speeding like a tornado destroying everything on its way. After 70- 80 meters all the three were almost side by side. Then suddenly there were shrieks, whistles, applause, loud noises from the spectators. Students shouted on top of their voices. Most of them either shouted ‘Krishna Sir..come on’ or ‘Ashok sir…come on’
The underdogs, I thought. All three put all their might and skills. In their head, they might be recalling their age old feats, I thought. I knew Krishniah Sir and Ashok Sir were putting their hundred percent as they had promised me. The race ended almost like a photo finish.

Krishniah Sir had won. A step behind was the PT master and just half a step more behind was Ashok sir. Entire school hurled and lifted Krishniah Sir. What a nerve racking event it had been. PT master looked embarrassed. He had to eat his words back. When I looked at him he didn’t even make an eye contact. I couldn't get to wish Krishniah Sir but went and wished Ashok Sir. He looked at me. His eyes filled with sort of gratitude. He had then learned what my intention was when I had forced him to run the race. It was to let the school live the moment of lifetime. In schools, it’s always about students. But seldom we think about teachers who also have a past and who also excel and inspire. They dedicate their lives teaching and taking c are of students and that day those three had become the biggest heroes for all the students who had witnessed the race.

Murthy sir who was officiating with a pad full of papers, a pen and a whistle told in an exciting and disappointing voice "hey nobody clocked the time huh? We didn't know it would be such a terrific race"
"Murthy Sir" I said. "You can note down the timing in seconds. It is ten point something" !!

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