Pratap Bhogilal Journey Through Life

Author(s): Rauf Ahmed
Publisher: Bhupendra Singh Anand

Page 31

run by the three Pandit brothers. Rao Saheb Kaka Pandit was overall in charge; Keshavrao Pandit was the Headmaster and Baburao Pandit the Superintendent. This English medium school was rated among the best schools in the region!
THE JOURNEY 25
I was reluctant to go to boarding school... but they turned out to be among the best years of my life
As Ba (my mother) could not come to terms with the thought of me being in a boarding school, Bapaji hired a bungalow for her in Panchgani near my school. She lived there for a year till she was convinced that I was comfortable there. In fact, my health had begun to improve at Panchgani and I was very happy at school. My six years in boarding school, I must admit, were among the happiest in my life. It was a hard life, no doubt, but was very satisfying too. Studies, games and long hours of sleep - I loved them all. I played hockey and cricket, even though I was not really good at either. Nor was I a bright student. But I managed to pass my matriculation in 1932.
The Hindu High School did not have a large enough playground. We were sent to Panchgani's famous Table Land to play (Table Land is a plateau of about 30-50 acres of flat stony mountain-top 300 feet high. It had a sheer drop all the way down). One indelible memory of those days is the outbreak of plague. It led to our school being shifted temporarily to Wai, which was 16 kms away, and we were housed there. While in Panchgani, we went on excursions to nearby places. Some of them were rigorous as we had to sleep on the floor, tormented by leeches. But we took the inconvenience in our stride, enjoying ourselves. During one of those excursions to Kirloskarwadi, I met Laxmanrao Kirloskar, the father of Shantanurao Kirloskar, popularly known as S.L. Kirloskar, the promoter of many engineering industries like Kirloskar Oil, Kirloskar Electric, Kirloskar Cummins and Kirloskar Pneumatic. With Batliboi they jointly promoted Mysore Kirloskar Limited, the well known machine tool company. Those days the Kirloskars were only into making farm implements. My meeting with Laxmanrao resulted in a long relationship with the Kirloskars.
The Lord will provide, but you must give Him some help - Hugh Casson