Remembering My Grandfather… P.K. Sir

 

As a kid, there was one thing about my house that would surprise me most… a long queue of people desperately waiting outside of my house with folded papers in their hand. My kindergarten day reveled nothing much of it, but as days passed by, my inquisitive grew stronger to contemplate upon the reason as to why many people would frequently visit my house. The mystery was finally unleashed when my mother told me that my grandfather being a teacher, would help people to write applications addressing their problems, grievances and demand. Many would come to discuss and seek for suggestion concerning their personal and social problems too. As during those days, the ray of education was yet to shine in the life of majority of people.

 

PK Sir, was a name which was much adored by the locals during those years. It was later, when I came to know that he was also known by the name “Kazi Sir”. Born to a humble family of Shri Harka Bahadur Pradhan and Smt. Phulmaya Pradhan on 15th July 1935, the family legacy of Tintaley Pariwar of Aritar Rhenock, Sikkim, Puspa Kumar Pradhan was the first child. He started elementary education in a school which was established by Scottish mission (1879) at Renock Bazar, Sikkim. Due to lack of higher classes in the school, and unavailability of educational institutes in the adjoining area, he joined St. Geroge School, Pedong in the year 1946. At the verge of completion of his education there, he married Rukmini Pradhan, a daughter of Catholic parents, Shri George Pradhan and Smt. Manika Subba. Shri Henri Joshi Pradhan (Vice Principal, St. George School) was her elder brother. Thereafter, he came back to Sikkim and started working as a teacher under Government of Sikkim. After serving for a prolong period of almost four decades, he retired from his service in the year 1993 and joined the then recently established St Joseph’s School.

 

Shri P.K. Pradhan’s life nurtured during the time when Britishers were still lurking in the soil of India and Sikkim. Sikkim, still a country then, took shelter under the umbrella of Indian Union for her security and the people of Sikkim had started to taste the sweetness of democracy. As such, many changes were taking place in the socio- political sphere of Sikkim.

 

Shri. Puspa Kumar Pradhan, as people remark was a man of great conviction. His contribution is felt in almost every sphere of social strata. Be it professional, social, religious, educational or political, he was a vibrant person with committed heart.  As a teacher, he took charges of majority of work of the school to uplift education in the society. As a social worker, he tried helping people with their problems as he was in good terms with the government. He wrote application for them and also helped to address their predicaments before the concerned department. He was a role model in his family, guiding every child and encouraging them to pursue education. He was also an avid laity of his religion. He played a key role in establishing Catholic Church in Rhenock in the year 1989 donating a plot of land which belonged to his mother Phul Maya Pradan at Kingstone Aritar.   As such, he was conferred with numerous awards and felicitation by State Govt, NGO and Religious Institutions. The same adorned the wall of my living room.

Out of his many attributes, one of his commendable initiations is that... Since he himself had tasted the nectar of Mission school (St. George School, Pedong) during his school life, he understood how important education was for society. As such, from the very beginning he was very desperate to establish an English Medium School at Rhenock.  As fortune would favour, a proposal came from Roman Catholic Diocese of Darjeeling for establishing Mission School at Rhenock, but it was protested vehemently by the then people as rumors of religious conversion flared the atmosphere. Consequent upon the resentment of people, the school was established in Pakyong as St. Xavier’s School.   However, due to his relentless effort and prayers, a second opportunity knocked the door and he would never miss this time. Thus the sapling of St. Joseph’s School, Kingstone Rhenock was planted. Not forgetting the hardships and dedication made by Shri Issac Mukhia (Retd. Assistant Director, Education Deptt. Govt. of Sikkim) and Reverent Priests like Father Rene Singh, Father Alfonse Lepcha, Father Adward, Father Paul D’ Suza, Father Fredrick Rai, Father Sukden Lepcha (Present Principal), Father Francis Banerjee, Father Sanjok Rai, and many other partaker in the establishment of the school which has now nurtured in its mellow fruitfulness.

It was on 17th April 2020, he left for a heavenly abode, after battling his life succumbed with major brain hemorrhage. Looking back at his life in a close range, I feel proud to carry the family lineage of a man of such spirit. As years would roll by, his name may be lost in the squall of time, but the fruit yielded out of his hardship shall be tasted by many generations to come in future.