Indore’s Man of Steel
In the first monthly test, the boy who was unable to pass only a couple of months ago amazed everybody, including himself. ”For the first time in my life, I stood first in the class. Those feelings of achievement I don’t think I can put them in words. ” Ramesh started participating in debates, essay contests and almost always came on top of the pack. ”When I stood first in the annual examination, I literally became the hero of the school.”
Like anybody else, Ramesh Baheti’s career is also marked with important events-but in parts (which he names turning points). In 1960, when he switched over to a new school in search of greener pastures, he met a boy who was to have a very deep and lasting impression on his career and the future, Kailash Garg. Kailash was from Dhamnod, a town near Indore and had come to Indore for education. He was also a student of the same class and school as Ramesh. Neither of them is able to explain what drew them close but their friendship, affection and liking for one another resonated to an extent which was beyond the relationship between the best of friends. They studied together, ate together, stayed together all the time and parted only at the time of sleeping; and this went on for years. The closer Kailash comes to describing their relationship, is, ”I think it is a spiritual bond. A gift of God if one could say. Mind you, we make no sacrifices for one another to strengthen our friendship but the urge to work and live and spent time in the company of one another is never quenched. The childhood friendship transcended the bounds of paternal family, sect and background and the two with their individual families now live together in their new house setting a sterling example in these troubled times of what friendship ought to be. Even at this age, they eat in the same thali whenever at home and look forward to spending as much time as possible together.
Once Ramesh started tasting success, he made sure that he stayed ahead. In the class XI Higher Secondary Examinations, he topped the Commerce stream in the entire state. Again in B.Com, he featured prominently in the merit list.
But the best came on 12th May, 1967 when Ramesh topped the M.Com results of the University of Indore and was awarded a Gold Medal. ”12th May 1967 could probably be termed as the biggest turning point of my life. On that very day, when my M.Com, results were announced, I got married to Rajni.”
Ramesh wanted to marry into such a family which could not afford dowry, so that the question of giving dowry just did not arise. ” I WAS WELL AWARE THAT MARRYING IN AN UPPER CLASS FAMILY WOULD CERTAINLY MEAN THAT EVEN IF I REFUSED DOWRY AT THE TIME OF MARRIAGE, GIFTS AND OTHER THINGS WOULD KEEP COMING AMOUNTING TO THE SAME IN DUE COURSE OF TIME.”
Also in a deliberate attempt to break down caste barricades, Ramesh wanted to marry outside his caste and had even selected a Jain girl. As expected, there was a lot of resistance from the family, especially from Ramesh’s mother, a very religious minded women. Ramesh almost succeeded but for a devastating trick his mother played on him. In those days, a female astrologer was quite popular in Indore. His mother managed to arrange Ramesh to visit the astrologer. In a most professional and matter of fact manner, the lady predicted to Ramesh (little did Ramesh know then it was his mother’s commands she was obeying) that if he marred inter caste, his mother would commit suicide.