55) Meet Ms. Vatsala Srinath

“She was quiet simply the most beautiful woman I have seen in my life,” my friend Naren declared at the party after consuming one to many. And once he starts talking, there is no stopping.

My sister was in her 11th standard and her friend Vatsala would drop in home for joint studies and notes share. Right from her stride to her pavadai, she was a picture of grace and beauty. She had the most mellifluous voice; hand movement deliberate, flow of words controlled and in a decibel that would make a royal proud.

Those days my sister and she would do a combined study for cracking “Chartered Accountancy” entrance exam. For Vatsala, Mathematics was the bugbear and she realized that unless she has extra tutorials, her cause was lost.

There was a genius professor in Maths in the neighbourhood to whom students flocked in “Tirupathi” numbers to his residence for private tuitions. Vatsala approached Subba Rao with a request for tuitions.

He dismissed her saying, “I have no time and am really sorry”.

The girl went back but came a week later, “Sir, even if you cannot take regular classes, can you assist me during weekends?”

This time man was livid,” Please don’t nag me beyond endurance. Be off and or else, I’ll set the dog on you”.

Vatsala again came to the house a week later and now in tears importuned,” Sir, if I have any doubts, will you help me?”

Subba Rao lost his voice,” If I don’t teach you then even Goddess Saraswati will not forgive me. Come from tomorrow at 5 in the evening and don’t bother to pay any fees. I will be blessed to have students like you”.

That’s Vatsala Srinath for you. Anybody coming in contact would end up saying,” I will do anything for you”. Oh, no she wasn’t in the least manipulative but her charm so real and grace so uplifting that people around felt content to serve the queen.

“Naren, that’s amazing yaar” Kaushik asked, “When did you last meet her?”

Without battling an eyelid, he said, “27 years back and that too when I was 10 years old”.