Alok Sagar

He was one of my first inspirations and friends when I stepped out of a cocooned life to search my path at 23. He was a teacher in IIT, and his student Kalyan Banerjee was my boss in Wipro during my brief one year there. Kalyan would listen to my angst as I spoke to him of searching for my nebulous dream of villages and justice. He gave me Alok's story and address and that was my only and first realtime lead. He had deeply admired Alok. Alok was living in a remote village then.

Alok had realized the dangers of English, and unlike me, lived by his belief. He would only speak/ write to me in Hindi. His position was that Hindi imposition is equally damaging, and he used to come to me to learn Tamil, believing that Indians needed to know one language from each part NSEW.

I have not been in touch with him for a long time. His sister Alpana became a very close friend. She was also based in a village. She succumbed to cancer, and since them I have not been in touch with the family, as that loss was a deep one for me, and I went silent.

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12 September 2016 ·

A post about Alok Sagar, an IIT professor, moving and working in villages is making its rounds. If a small shopkeeper or a plumber had done the same, would it be less newsworthy. Why ?

Narayana Sarma Hero worship is real, Madam. Alok, by virtue of his background will end up inspiring a few more educated youngsters.. they will take his example and think about adivasis. The poor adivasi can not do that by himself. Gandhi became what he did, only through his baggage right, of London barrister and son of so and so? Baggages do come along, whether one intends to make a use of them or not.

Gowtham Ravi Because an IIT professor can live a luxurious life is he wishes to.. Unlike people u mentioned...so he has taken a decision avoiding all these riches.. Which makes his sacrifice seem like more.. And ofcourse noteworthy

Aparna Krishnan Nonsense. He/she is insured with their degree, and can retreat anytime to safety. The poorer person has no such safety net.

Gowtham Ravi Yeah but when people like alok make such a decision.. I dont think they would worry much about their safety..

Gowtham Ravi Btw those who stand for someone... They are noteworthy...a selfless mind is something which is difficult to obtain.. But for someone who is educated.. It is pretty much more difficult i guess...sorry if i am wrong..

Aparna Krishnan Yes, the educated are deeply insecure and for them to nake a move is harder !! And then they feel so pleased with themselves after that !!

Aparna Krishnan Alok Sagar I have the deepest respect for, and I am not commenting on him. And yet, there is the safety net of his family in Delhi - an inherited safety. the lot of all of us. And thereby our sacrifices are 'smaller' as we have that part with us always.

Mohammad Chappalwala Aparna Krishnan Thanks for being honest and highlighting this, it has brought me to the ground in this past year.

Aparna Krishnan Its a simple fact, isnt it. We have huge inherited insurance in the form of a safety net of connections. So all our 'sacrifices' are limited. We also have exit options, and we use them in a lesser or greater extent. I have. Most of my friends have. Helps to see things as they are. We are no angels - we are simply one of the community trying to do our bit. And it is in collectivity and humility that we need to search for answers.

Rakesh Dogra I think if a small shopkeeper or plumber does the same, the weightage would rather be more since the risk is more, talking in worldly terms, rather than a well settled person who can always go back if anything doesnt work out too well. having said that the act of the professor is certainly great not done by many...

Mohanakrishnan Gopalakrishnan I was impressed with that story and duly forwarded it too. But I have no answer to why I am less impressed when a small shop keeper does the same.

Aparna Krishnan please think. i think the root of the problem is somewhere there.

Aparna Krishnan A common man, with no resources to fall back on, and no exit options. When he dedicates all to society, that inspires like nothing else. We make for feebler stories.

12 September 2017

Narayana Sarma Hero worship is real, Madam. Alok, by virtue of his background will end up inspiring a few more educated youngsters.. they will take his example and think about adivasis. The poor adivasi can not do that by himself. Gandhi became what he did, only through his baggage right, of London barrister and son of so and so? Baggages do come along, whether one intends to make a use of them or not.

Aparna Krishnan The question the youth need to face is why they consider 'IIT degreed' superior, to say a farmer, or a shopkeeper. These stories also reinforce deep hierarchies.