Not the end of the road

Mou Chakraborty / Rashmi Sharma
Kolkata, June 3, 2007
After declaration of Madhyamik, Higher Secondary and other board exam results, those who have not performed up to their expectations are feeling miserable. Have no fear — there are many famous and successful people — who have done the same.
The worn-out cliché, “failure is the stepping stone to success” still holds true. Exams are not the only thing in life. For many, bad results in their board exams have spurred them onto greater things in life. The moral: Do not break down. Instead, start looking at life from a newer perspective.
Dipanjan Banerjee, general manager (programming) with an upcoming FM radio station failed in his HS exams. While he took up science under parental and peer pressure, Dipanjan did not lose sight of his dreams, being independent in his thoughts. “I always chased dreams and never thought studying physics and maths would be instrumental in realising my dreams. However, after failing in maths, I realised the need to focus on academics and for one year I studied hard. I am not ashamed of failing, instead I feel proud that I passed with good marks the next year.”
He however, cautioned against people who are likely to take a dim view of underachievers. Although the negative undercurrents he felt from some relatives, peers and neighbours continue to hurt, even after 15 years, those who fail must not give in to criticism or peer pressure, he suggested. “Such comments stopped mattering as I went up the social and corporate ladder.”
One of the youngest ministers in Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s government, Abdus Sattar, was never a topper in school. But he believed in consistency and was focused in life. Not only did he finish his PhD and become a professor, but also went on to become the youngest president of West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education followed by the minister of minority development and welfare. “The first boy in my class is yet to get a job and the second boy is not doing so well in life. So if your board results are bad, keep in mind that you still have time to develop yourself. And the only way to do it is by becoming optimistic,” Sattar said.
Famous painter Suvaprasanna scored 45 per cent in his Class XII exam, but he knew what he wanted from life. “My parents wanted me to become a doctor and when I took admission in Art College, they threw me out.” Today Suvaprasanna is happy that he pursued what he loved. “I have seen toppers who end up doing nothing great in life. If you have dreams and determination, nothing can stop you,” the artist said.
Anindya Chatterjee, lead vocalist and lyricist of Bangla band Chandrobindoo, recollects: “I did badly in Madhyamik examination and seeing my friends passing out with flying colours gave me a major complex. It was not the end but the beginning of my success in life. I motivated myself to cultivate my love for music and turned it into a full-fledged career.”
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