Part 13

In the staff meeting with trustees:
Nanaji: Education board ki taraf se nirdesh aaya hai ki hum apne education system mein kuch parivartan laaye. Hum co-ed school hokar bhi ladke ladikyon ko ek dusre se alag rakhte hai. Hume unhe saath laana hoga taaki wo team work ka matlab samajh sake. Waise bhi bahari duniya mein ladka ladki ek saath kaam karke hi duniya chalate hai....Unhe ek saath rehkar kaam karna seekhna hoga.

Rakesh sir: Are aise kaise ek saath aane de. Yeh aajkal ke bachche ek saath aa gaye toh padhayi likhayi ke alava sab kuch karenge.

Nanaji: Rakeshji, padhayi likhayi ke alava bhi bahut saari cheezen hoti hai jo bachchon ko seekhni chahiye aur school hi unhe sahi disha aur marg dikha sakta hai.

Rakesh started to say something but was halted by Shanti teacher.
Shanti miss: Aap sahi keh rahe hai Maheshwariji. Abhi Mt. Abu ki trip par bhi maine dekha, sab ek dusre ke saath achce se ghul mil gaye the, ladke ladkiyan ek saath achchi tarah kaam kar sakte hai. Unhone saath milkar hamare iss saal ke charity tribal hygiene project ko bahut achchi tarah se pura kiya. Mujhe yakeen hai agar hum teachers milkar unhe sahi shiksha aur margdarshan de, toh wo bahut achcha kaam kar sakte hai.

Principal sir: Main Shantiji ki baat se sehmat hoon. Mera Anubhav bhi aisa hi tha, hamare bachchein achchi team banakar kaam kar sakte hai. Mujhe lagta hai iss baar ke interschool state competition mein hume aise hi teamwork ka pradarshan karna chahiye.

Lochan sir: Ji haan sir, maine bhi natak ke waqt dekha tha. Har bachche mein koi na koi pratibha hai, buss zarurat hai ki hum use ujagar kare. Chote mote competitions toh humne bahut jeete hai, ab iss state level ka competition jeetne ki koshish karni chahiye.

Chemistry sir: Par yeh hoga kaise. Hum toh Hindi medium school hai, aur state competitions mein toh har baar koi English medium ya convent school hi jeetta hai.

Nanaji: Toh fir hume bhi wahi karna chahiye jo English medium schools karte hai. Ekta! Wo schools saare kshetra ke competitions mein school ke behtareen teams aur jodiyon ko bhejte hai, aur har team mein ladke ladkiyon ki sankhya barabar hoti hai, jiski wajah se padhayi, kalaa, khel, sab mein unka pradarshan awwal hota hai. Hume bhi aisa hi karna chahiye. Shresth jodiyon ko tayyar karna chahiye.

Rakesh: Kya baat kar rahe hai aap? Aisa kaise ho sakta hai? Ladke ladkiyan saath mein kaam nahi kar sakte. Yeh bilkul sahi nahi hai. Ladke aawara lafange aur badtameez hote hai. Wo sirf ladkiyon ko pareshan karenge. Aur school padhayi likhayi ke liye hota hai, aisi faltu baton se samay nashth hota hai.

Principal: Rakeshji, sab teachers ki tarah aapka mat bhi le liya gaya hai aur main jaanta hoon ki aap iske khilaaf hai. Par school sirf padhayi likhayi ke liye nahi hota, bachcon ka vyaktitav sawarne ke liye bhi hota hai kyonki aage jaake unhe hamare samaj ka hissa banna hai aur use aage leke jana hai. Aur jab aap school mein the, tab kya aap apne saath padhnewali ladkiyon ko pareshaan karte the?

Rakesh: Kaisi baatein kar rahe hai sir...maine toh kabhi kisi ladki ko aankh uthakar dekha bhi nahi hai.

Principal sir murmuring to himself: Isiliye toh yeh haal hai.
Toh fir yeh bhi PVKM hai, hume apni shiksha pe bharosa rakhna chahiye. Hamare bachchein bhi achche sanskaari parivaron se aate hai. Wo koi ulti seedhi harkat nahi karenge. Aur fir hum sab hai na, unpar niyantran rakhne ke liye. Parivartan hi prakriti ka niyam hai aur hum ise aajse hi laagoo karenge.

Rakesh started to say something again but Principal sir's glare stopped him.

Principal: Aapka sujaav bahut achcha hai, Maheshwariji. Hum iska pura anusaran karenge. Par shuru kahan se kare?

Chemistry sir: Ek kaam karte hai, abhi meri class mein practicals ki shuruat karni hai, toh aaj se hi unn sabko jodiyon mein baant dete hai. Ab se har class ke assignments, practicals, aur baaki cheezon ke liye bhi wo jodiyon mein kaam karenge.

Principal sir: Yeh achcha sujaav hai, mein iski zimmedari Shanti teacher aur Lochan sir ko deta hoon, sabse zyaada aap dono ne hi bachchon ke saath kareeb se kaam kiya hai, natak aur trip ke daruan toh aap unko achche se jaan paye honge, issliye best jodiyan aap sabse behtar bana payenge. Bachchon ke vikas ke saath saath ab yeh hamari school ki pratishtha ka bhi sawal hai.

Shanti teacher and Lochan sir happily accepted the responsibility and were glad that finally some age-old conservations would make way for new trends. They knew that the batch of 11th was a revolutionary one and a lot of things were about to change for the school.

Swati and Naina were discussing in the corridor as the news of participation in the interschool competition were already doing rounds and a prolonged staff meeting with the trustees was on.

Swati: Pataa nahi Naina, kya honewala hai. Competition ke liye kuch naye tareeke laagoo honewale hai. Sameer ke Nanaji bhi aaye hai meeting ke liye.

Naina too was skeptical for the impending competitions as like every year, she would have to partake in quiz, debates, seminars with Tebriwal, representing the school and no doubt they each would win something but when it came to art and sports, neither could help much and hence, finally, the school wouldn't win the overall competition.

Later in class:
Shanti teacher: Bachchon, aap sabko toh pataa hai ki 3 mahine mein interschool competitions honewale hai, aur iss baar hamara school harr kshetra mein hissa lega aur jeetega.

Kamya: Par Ma'am har saal Naina aur Sanjay jaate hai na, quiz aur debate ke liye aur kabhi kabhi jeet bhi lete hai.

Sameer had a proud smile that his Naina won the competitions.

Shanti miss: Haan, par kyonki wo solo participate karte hai issliye, jeetkar bhi hamara school haar jaata hai. Iss baar koi solo participant nahi hoga, baaki schools ki tarah hum bhi jodiyan bhejenge aur wo bhi har kshetra mein, quiz, debate, music, project, aur sports. Aur har school se best Jodi aur team jaayegi. Iske liye hum aap sabko taiyyar karenge, issliye jo bhi isme hissa lena chahta hai, aaage aakar apna naam de de. Naina, tum toh hissa logi hi issliye tumhara naam toh maine hi likh liya hai. Ab dekhna hai ki tumhara jodidaar kaun hota hai.

Before the students started to come forward to give their names, she continued: Aur aur aur....Hum ek aur badlaav laana chahte hai, hum aajse hi sabko ladka ladki ki jodiyon mein baatenge, aur unke teamwork ki shuruat aajke chemistry lab se hi hogi. Jo jodiyan banegi, wo saath mein baithenge, saare practicals aur assignments bhi saath mein karenge.

Sameer was so delighted to hear this that he almost jumped out of his seat in elation to go sit with Naina right away.

Munna, sitting next to him, held his elbow and controlled him: Shaant ho ja Sameer, pehle apna naam toh de de, jodiyan toh teacher banayegi. Instantly his face fell, but still he stood up and gave his name.

Sameer: Miss, aap ko toh pataa hai, main kavita likhta hoon, aur mouth organ bajata hoon, par main guitar bhi baja leta hoon, surprising everyone, but directed it towards Naina, who had suggested during the Mt. Abu trip that he play guitar, which would suit him better.
Sameer continued: Cricket team ke liye bhi physical test pass kar li hai.

Shanti miss was happy to get her first volunteer, some more names came forward. She jotted down everyone's name and their strengths and pondered a few minutes, trying to make the best pairs such that both would benefit in the pair and the school would benefit from their teamwork.

Never in his life Sameer had paid so much attention to God and his existence, but since Naina, he had started gaining some faith, so continued to pray profusely that somehow god would will Shanti miss to pair him with his Naina, which would allow him to be with her all the time and also share the bench with her. Then, she would have to work with him, talk to him, and wouldn't be able to avoid him.

Shanti teacher announced two other pairs first, then Kamya with Tebriwal, and finally Sameer and Naina. While Naina was surprised and stunned, Sameer couldn't control his happiness.

Although Om Shanti Om hadn't released yet, he whispered in Munna's ears: Dekha tune, jab pure dil se kisiko chaho, toh saari kudrat hume usse milwa hi deti hai. Bhagwanji bhi nahi chahte ki main aur Naina alag ho jaaye.
He looked in her direction, smiled and winked.

Naina noted his flirtatious wink and realized that she might be in for some irritating and unrelenting antics of Sameer. But somewhere, she felt slightly happy, that he would be with her all the while when in school and a slight smile escaped her unknowingly.
She instantly curbed it and reminded herself to focus on preparing for the upcoming competition, and not worry about who the partner was.

Shanti miss: Chaliye, ab jinki jodiyan banayi hai, woh apni seat adal badal kar le, aur jaisa maine kaha aajse saare kaam saath mein karenge. Dheere dheere aapko competition ki aur jaankaari di jaayegi aur taiyyari ke liye nirdesh bhi milenge.

Sameer got up from his seat and moved to Naina's side, Swati changed her seat to sit with Hema as Kamya moved with Tebriwal.

Naina moved to the far end of the bench and Sameer took her spot. He couldn't stop blushing about the proximity, how happy he was to have been paired with her and could now be with her all the time in an official mode and none could object, not even her papa.

Shanti miss: Aapki agli class Kumud teacher ki hai, par wo kisi kaam mein busy hai toh class nahi le paayengi. Aap logon ke liye yeh assignment bheja hai, toh library mein jaake pura sakte hai. She distributed one to each, but only one in each pair, which she handed to Sameer.

Naina: Miss, mujhe nahi mila.

Shanti miss: Naina, tum Sameer ke saath milkar ek hi assignment karogi. Tum log alag alag nahi karoge. Aur Sameer tum, Naina inn sab mein hoshiyaar hai, iska matlab yeh nahi ki saare kaam usse karvaoge. Yeh teamwork hai, jo bhi karna, milke karna.

Sameer smiled and affirmed: Ji miss, main har kaam Naina ke saath milkar karoonga.

After the bell rang everyone filed out, Sameer had left the assignment sheet on the desk and was packing his bag, when Naina took it and started moving out of the class.

Sameer: Naina...ruko. He closed the distance between them and said: Dekho mein jaanta hoon ki tum mujhse naaraz ho, baat nahi karna chahti. Par agar hum ek dusre ke saath milkar kaam nahi karenge toh school ka nuksan hoga. Tum achchi tarah jaanti ho ki debates, quiz aur projects mein tum sabse achchi ho, aur main music aur sports mein sabse achcha karne ke liye apni jaan laga doonga. Hume ek dusre ke saath rehkar hamari team ko mazboot banana hoga taaki school ke liye trophy la sake. Mujhe yakeen hai ki hamari aapsi problems ki wajah se tum school ka nuksaan nahi chahogi...

He extended his hand for peace and friendship, she turned around, searched in his eyes for something and after a few moments placed her hand in his.

Naina: Tum sahi keh raho Sameer. Tum toh issi saal is school mein aaye ho, fir bhi itna soch rahe ho, main toh class 1 se yahi padhi hoon, main puri koshish kaaroongi ki hum milkar school ko jeeta paaye, par yeh dosti, indicating to their joined hands, sirf school ke liye hai.

Sameer nodded to assure her that he wouldn't do anything untoward.

Naina broke the contact and said: Theek hai, assignment ke liye library mein aa jana.
She left and Sameer smiled behind her back, this was a golden opportunity that God had given him, and he thanked his stars.

Sameer to himself: Ab tum dekhna Naina, competition ke saath saath main tumhara dil bhi jeet loonga.