MB#62: 𝙃𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝘽𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙂𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙈𝙮 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙.

[MemoirBlogthon #62] My return to my childhood school in Vijayawada, founded by Padma Shri awardee Smt. V. Koteswaramma garu, completed a profound circle of gratitude. I came back as a professional (ICSI Hyderabad Chapter Chairman) to conduct a career program, but the true honor was remembering the ethical groundwork laid by my father—whose solution to leveling the school grounds with a road roller years ago proved that professional service is the most enduring legacy of all. This blog explains how my father's ethical service paved the way for my professional journey.

MB#62: Addressing career event.

From school grounds to a professional platform

The Children's Montessori School in Vijayawada (1962–1970) was more than just my educational institution; it was a foundational place of ethical learning. The school was run by the late Smt. V. Koteswaramma garu, a celebrated educationist, National Best Teacher awardee, and later a Padma Shri recipient in 2017 at the age of 92.

My professional life led me to become the Chairman of the Hyderabad Chapter of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). A persistent desire took hold: to conduct a career guidance program for college students on "How to Become a Company Secretary After Undergrad" right in the school premises where I once studied. This ambition was a direct nod to the values I absorbed there.

The Road Roller and the Guiding Hand

When I met with our beloved Headmistress, Smt. Koteswaramma garu, to discuss the event, I immediately brought up my father, Sri Susarla Subrahmanya Sastry. I reminded her of his professional service, specifically the time he lent his hand to the leveling of our school grounds using a government-owned road roller.

As detailed in my earlier memoir, my father, then the Executive Engineer at the R\&B Mechanical Workshop, solved a tricky ethical problem by framing the favor as a "mandatory vehicle trial" (MB\#50). This professional accountability and subtle act of community service deeply resonated with our headmistress.

The Honor of a Full-Circle Moment.

The event itself was a profound success. I addressed over 200 students in a newly built auditorium of the women's college—a facility that certainly hadn't existed during my school days—feeling a high sense of elation and pride.

The most moving moment came during the official recognition. Smt. Koteswaramma garu recognized me instantly, hugged me, and spoke proudly to the audience about my father's services. She proudly introduced me as the Chairman of the Hyderabad Chapter of the national professional body ICSI.

Upon presenting our ICSI career kit and literature to the college library, she honored me with a beautiful memento. This exchange created a powerful, full-circle contrast: I received that professional honor from the same hands that had given me my student progress card during each month's class assembly in my school days.

A Lasting Monument of Gratitude

The school sadly closed in 2021, but the memory of the road roller leveling the ground, the ICSI career event, and the moral genius behind its journey will always be a strong one for me. This story is the ultimate lesson in gratitude—proving that the highest form of professional success is using your achievements to give back to the very roots and mentors that enabled your journey.

#MB#62: Quiz

MB62: Question: Which prestigious civilian honor did the headmistress, Smt. V. Koteswaramma garu, receive in 2017 after being a national awardee?

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• A. Bharat Ratna.
• B. Padma Shri
• C. Padma Bhushan.
• D. Dronacharya Award.

MB#62:Quote

"You should treat your talent like your father's house; it's a place where you should feel comfortable." – Yousafzai Malala