Monday, November 16, 2015

Nothing But Greatness

The very instant I saw the tag #madeofgreat , I could clearly picture a person in my mind. I am the kind of person who takes forever to make decisions over the tiniest of things. For me to quickly zero in on this particular person without having any second thoughts is something quite rare.

I believe, to be #madeofgreat one needs strong determination, a farsighted vision and zeal made of steel to overcome any humungous obstacle. All these qualities and more, I find in my dad.

He hails from a small town in the Southern part of Tamilnadu and spent the first two decades of his life there. In an age when only professional courses were branded to be worth studying, he chose to be different. Much to the opposition of the whole family, he decided to pursue literature. At a time when it was impossible for someone to go out several miles from their hometowns to study, he chose to be different.  He chose the best learning centre for his course of study and fought against all odds to pursue his passion.

He studied what he loved and loved what he studied. He passed out with flying colours and landed in a good job much to everyone’s surprise. To be a professor in a reputed college at a very young age and to teach students hardly a year younger is something many people cannot even think of. A couple of years later, he realized that teaching the same thing over and over again was becoming monotonous and he could not quench that thirst which kept driving him to learn more and more. Again, much to the opposition of everyone he knew, he decided to quit his high paying job and take up another one which involved more of research and exploring.


He came to the city of Chennai with high hopes of making it big in his career. He went on to pursue a PhD in a subject that is close to his heart. A few months into his new job he realized all the flaws the organization had and all the hindrances that kept his vision from becoming a reality. Clearly, he did not want to work for someone else’s dream. He again decided to quit and start his own organization to work to realize his own dream. Of course, starting from scratch is not quite easy. The struggles and trials he faced were endless. Amidst all the troubles, he did succeed in his attempt to build an enormous study centre namely ‘The Institute of Asian Studies’ which is now an International organization which collaborates with many countries for the purpose of research.

The more he grew, the more popular he became, more the tribulations started pouring in. With great power comes great responsibility indeed. I am still amazed at how he overcomes at all obstacles thrown at him and finally triumphs over it all. With every struggle, he just comes back stronger than ever. From his humble beginning, no one would’ve ever imagined he would make it this big, much to the awe of everyone who was against his decisions. 


I fail to understand what keeps him going despite all the disappointments and discouragements. Perhaps, it is that blazing desire to make his dream a reality which gives him the strength to overcome anything and everything. Words cannot explain how powerful a driving force one strong dream is.

I could not have been any luckier to be his kid. To have him by my side, slowly shaping me, giving me all the freedom to do I want and guiding me in every single aspect of life. Sometimes, it is  a joy to watch him work and organize everything. I have not seen such passion and determination in any one I know of. I cannot have a better inspiration to aim at great things which may now seem a distant dream. And to have him by my side all the time is something I should thank my stars for.  

Needless to say, I have been greatly influenced by him. Everything I do, reflects a part of my dad. He has never forced his interests on me, but the passion and spark with which he talks about his subjects made me fall in love with it. I wish, one day I too will face the world with his steely grit and the willpower to conquer anything.

He is one perfect embodiment of a person who succeeded only because he followed his dream no matter what came his way.
And to me, my dad, Dr.John Samuel is undeniably #madeofgreat.

This post was written for the Tata Motors #madeofgreat contest.

Here's a question for my readers,

'What do you think about Tata Motors association with Lionel Messi?'
Post your answers in the comments section below and the best entry wins an Amazon gift voucher worth Rs.750.
Good Luck :)

9 comments:

Sumit Nangia said...

Wow !!! That was a real great post indeed. Your father seems to be a really farsighted visionary to me. You are real lucky to be blessed as her daughter. Best wishes for the contest to you :)
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My answer to your question: The person you choose to write about for #madeofgreat campaign is a great choice in my opinion. Even I value the hardships and challenges my father had to go through to become something worthwhile. So is the association of Messi with Tata Motors, because both of them are committed to deliver 100 percent every single time. These two are brands which have dedicated themselves to perfection in their respective fields for years and years now.

Messi reflects the Trust the soccer fans all around the world put on him while so does Tata Motors for the automobile enthusiasts across the country. Both of them have achieved feats unparalleled and have stood far apart from all their competitors, hope that this association turns out to be a value addition for both the sides. Cheers !!!!

Prathik Khanna said...

After reading the post, I agree that your father is definitely made of greatness! A very well written article. All the best best for the comp :)

Tata has been a longstanding name in India and have been involved in almost every field there is. Their partnership with Messi could be a great branding opportunity for both. Messi is probably the most popular football player in the World and bringing him on board will catch the eyeballs of thousands of prospective buyers not only in India but also around the world. This is just what Tata would need now to take them a notch higher in the International market.

India has just begun opening itself to Football and Messi would've surely considered this before making his decision. He will make his presence felt unlike any other footballer and this will make him more popular with the football fanatics here.

It's a great association between two big names and all that will come out is greatness ;)

Gowthama Rajavelu said...

Your father is a veteran. Following ones dream with utmost passion results not only in success but in excellence. He is a perfect example for this. A lot has to be learnt from him. Excellent post.

For the question,
Passion is a driving force behind both Messi and Tata motors. It energises the former to be a passionate footballer, scoring goals and winning matches for his country and pushes the latter to come up with innovative yet technocratic machines enabling the racers to hit the roads with unexplainable happiness.

Saket said...

Story of a legend told in a befitting manner. I liked your style of narration :)

alok said...

Indeed a nicely written post. I wish you good luck for the contest
Here is my answer
The association of Tata Motors with Lionel Messi is that of two greats. Lionel Messi has been exceptionally talented who with his hard work, determination and sacrifices has got better and tougher in his chosen sport so is the Image, reputation and quality of TATA Motors that have transformed brilliant ideas into masterpieces of engineering and created a brand and products that we are so proud of as Indians. Lionel Messi has transformed his body and the mind body co-ordination into a masterpiece of precision and excellence it would not be wrong to say that Lionel Messi is the TATA Motors of sports where as TATA Motors is the Lionel Messi of vehicles both giants in their own spheres driven by the drive to excel and lead by example. So Lionel Messi is the best choice for becoming the brand Ambassador for TATA Motors
aaloke19@gmail.com

Mahima said...

Your post defines #madeofgreat to the hilt. Goodluck for the contest
My answer is:
Authenticity, reliability, simplicity, as well as its commitment to innovation are the pillars of strength on which TATA have built a brand that has put India on the global map. It is a brand that has stood the test of time just like Lionel Messi who tackles opposition on the field with his skill,agility,strategy,brilliance and raw power to reach and score a goal so has been the track record of TATA motors who has become a brand leader and a global giant. These qualities make TATA Motors and Lionel Messi perfect partners who stand for the same set of values thus Lionel Messi is the perfect brand ambassador to represent TATA Motors.
Hope my best to be a winner here; do contact me for the prize at mahima2014j@gmail.com
fingers crossed

Nandhini said...

What you've written here is so little about your dad. Please add this link to your post for readers to know more about him: http://www.instituteofasianstudies.com/about_founder.html :)

I am actually in search of references for my maiden book and came across the institute's website. It's a coincidence to read about him here today. Great to have him as your dad! Good wishes to your family.

Of the thousands of thoughts moving around the Messi-Tata Motors association, here’s a new insight. Messi is also the ambassador for UNICEF for his noble deeds for the betterment of children across the globe. That’s something that truly touched me, more than the football legend in him. On the other side, our Tata Motors could think of making several Indian middle class dreams alive with their Nano. Definitely there’s a touch of humanity behind this. Their association sound to me like humanity meets humanity!

Nandhini
https://pagesfromserendipity.wordpress.com/

Unknown said...

Your post describes #madeofgreat so well that it has winner written all over it. Good luck for your entry.
Here is my answer.
Like minds think and act alike looking at the track record of TATA Motors it has stood the test of time and built a business that was built using bricks of hard work on a foundation of trust. Authenticity, reliability, simplicity, as well as its commitment to innovation are the trademarks of brand TATA Motors. These same qualities are present in Lionel Messi who with his immense talent has made a mark for himself on the international football field .Facing all hardships he has worked hard toiling on the fields and in training sessions facing injuries and pressure to come out trumps and be a winner. Thus these two greats Lionel Messi and TATA Motors are made for each other .There association is a bond of two legends
In case you pick me a winner my email id is : princess09hema@gmail.com
Fingers crossed :)

Yagnesh Joshi said...

Yours is a very well written post your .Its is a very nice description of #madeofgreat
TATA Motors is a brand associated with performance, endurance and excellence. These words are also synonymous with Lionel Messi who plays as a forward and weaves his magic on the football field.Just as Lionel Messi is considered the best footballer in the world ,TATA motors which is Indias premier automotive manufacturer gives wheels to the people of India with its wide range of vehicles. Both believe in excelling in whatever they do and set examples for others to follow. They compliment each other as both are reliable trustworthy and leaders thus Lionel Messi is the natural choice as the brand ambassador of TATA Motors
yagneshbjoshi10099@gmail.com