A father's letter to his daughter

My dear kid,

Am neither a Lord Chesterfield nor a J L Nehru to write this letter. Nevertheless am a typical Indian father who is proud about his only daughter. On your graduation day when an young lady (may be a junior) started the proceedings of the day with fluent english and good voice I was nervous about my daughter. When they first called the rankers I was disappointed because my kid was not listed. Finally when the 'Valedictorian' Ms. Anjana Jaladi called to the dais I was on the edge of my seat. They are one of my proud moments when you boldly started to deliver the speech and got loud applause a few times for the punch lines in front of the VC and all the teaching fraternity. Keep up the spirit young one.

I know - I got a baby girl who used to cry when she could not find her pencil box. But I wonder how come my kid has grown up to be a lady who is making the proud parents and graduating students to cheer. As parents we look ourselves in you guys - for the things we missed. As I could not get a seat in a campus college it was my obvious choice for you to join the OUCT four years back. Today I feel we have taken a good decision when you rubbed your shoulders with some of the best students of your time and got good friends who will be there with you for the rest of your life.

Welcome to the world of engineers - Beta. But very soon you feel it is not a professional arena but a man eating man corporate world. Am not cursing but soon you find out it is an unfair world over there. People do not cheer for you but jeer you when you present your work or try to show the best of you. You being a lady you have a glass ceiling to break. It is interesting to see how you face all this. But do not worry - people before you succeeded and they will after you as well. You are one among more than hundred and twenty crores of Indians. Always remember that.

once I told you - not try to please me so that you have to please me till the end of my life. It is your life you are going to live and you will live only once. But do remember there is a class of people who respect you for what you are not for what you have got or going to get. Try to please such a class or join such band wagon. You know I like 'Celia De grey' of AH and 'Florentyna Rosnovski' of JA. No am not asking you to become the CEO of a Pharma Co or the First Lady of USA. But like those characters I like you also fight in your life and "don't let lesser people dissuade you".

Also as my father told me am reiterating it to you "Do not frustrate about failures. Always remember King Bruce of Scotland". I wish and pray - Insha Allha - you get the best of all the things in your life. God Bless you my child.

Affectionately

Your 'Old man'.