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I write this note just to share a few of my random thoughts on Dr. (Prof.) Gift Siromoney. Only last week, I was attending a Toastmasters meeting where we were asked to introduce ourselves and name someone who inspired us. The first name that popped to my head was Dr. Gift Siromoney. I was not once in want of words when extolling his virtues. Often in these past ten years, I have thought of him a lot.

It seems a long time since we lost him and at times it feels like he was here yesterday. I could still clearly recall his face, his mischievous smile, his motorcycle and his enthusiasm. Sometimes I feel I disappointed him. In my first year at college, I remember meeting him at the corridor one afternoon, just after our first semester. He simply smiled at me and said "I am watching you". I had done particularly well in my first semester and he was probably afraid that the hostel life would not let me sustain my performance. These little words made me resolve to stay at the top of my class and I am proud to say today, that I did finish at the top of the class in my B.Sc. class. Things changed when I went to M.Sc. and I probably did disappoint a lot of people, among them, I'm sure Dr. Gift. But thanks to him I made up in practice what I lost in Theory. Even though he did not say so in so many words, I inferred that he wanted us all to learn a lot more than what was taught in class. He wanted us to understand and assimilate rather than memorize. This, I took to heart and it stands me in good stead today. He wanted us to go beyond the horizons of a formal education. Education it is said begins after one leaves college, but with Professor Gift to lead us it began the day I met him first. He wanted us to know about the stars, the birds, the trees and so many other things. I regret often not having taken a lot more walks with him when he took the zoology students on the turtle walk or accompanied some students to the bird watch. I do treasure the night I spent on top of the zoology department gazing at the planets all lined up in a straight line. He pointed the Saturn to me and I was mesmerized. These moments I treasure a lot and they give me a lot of peace. I can day dream a lot about the good times we had and those I missed.

He probably had a lot more expectations from me. He spared me no opportunity yet being impartial at the same time to all his students. He spoke no words, yet I constantly felt encouraged by his smile and enthusiasm. He let us make decisions far beyond our capabilities at the time. He had a trust in us that made us put in our best. Above all he genuinely loved us.

For some reason, I was drawn to him in a way I can't explain. There are a number of people who inspire me, but he stands as a star among them. I am sure that there are a lot more of us who feel the same way about him. They say that dead parents exist only in the psyches of their children. Not so in the case of our dear professor.

I often wish I had followed his footsteps into the teaching profession. Maybe someday I will.

Balaji T.K. (B.Sc. and M.Sc. 1983-88)
Currently: Target Corporation, Minneapolis MN.