A famous quote goes like this: When the student is ready, the teacher appears. Even though teachers are conventionally associated with educational institutions such as schools, colleges and research centers, we can find unexpected teachers in any nook and corner, teaching or illustrating concepts we can reflect upon and learn from. When I joined the JSW Foundation Fellowship, I was looking forward to all the learning experiences that I could get.
Little did I know that one of the best set of teachers was just back at my residence in the location.
Due to the proximity to JSW Vijayanagar, the fellows were fortunate to be provided accommodation within the townships allotted for JSW Employees. My roommate, Manjunath Meti (@manjunath3db69c2c42), and I were elated to learn that we could employ cooks, as it would significantly help us manage our workload. With the other 2 roommates (a total of 4 occupants), we decided to go ahead with this idea. What followed over the next two years was a set of unique learning experiences under diverse and inspirational figureheads masquerading as cooks.
Guru No. 1 – Raju Bhaiyya.
October 2023: We embark on our culinary journey with our first cook. Like many firsts in life, the excitement and anticipation were palpable after two weeks of shopping at Vishal Mega Mart for all the required cutlery, pans, pots, masalas, and ingredients. And the first meal was a 10/10. Kheer (porridge) cooked with precisely the right amount of heat and sugar, rotis that were warm and soft, and Palak Paneer with the right spices: we couldn’t have been prouder of our choice of cook. What followed was a two-month honeymoon phase.
The first Monday of December 2023: Awaiting a lovely breakfast, I stepped into the kitchen to find messy utensils, vegetables strewn all over the place, and an empty casserole. Seems like the cook never arrived. No response to calls. Since I couldn’t wait, I had to arrange food from outside and rush to the field to conduct PRA activities. Dealing with the excess heat on an empty stomach was only possible due to the enthusiastic involvement of the Talur villagers in the PRA activities. It was a disappointing start to the week, to say the least.
In the afternoon, I received a sheepish voice text – “Sorry, Bhaiyya. Had too much ‘party’ last night. Will surely come in the evening.” What saved the day was that the evening food was warm enough.
2 Days Later: The same pattern repeats. This time, there isn’t a sheepish message. There’s authority – “Won’t come today.” No excuse, no guilt. Seemed quite bold.
Saturday Evening: With breath smelling like a messy liquor store, our first cook traipsed into the kitchen and prepared leather jackets for dinner.
But we had asked him to prepare Aloo Paratha.
We fired him at the end of the month.
Learning 1 – Work comes first. Pleasure later. This priority never changes.
Guru No. 2 – Vinod Bhaiyya
January 2024: In stark contrast to our first cook, Vinod Bhaiyya prioritised space. Since he needed the entire space to cook, all the equipment he wasn’t using was cramped inside the storage units. His food preparation was all right, but the kitchen seemed surprisingly empty until we looked below the kitchen slab to see all the utensils and masalas stashed haphazardly. We adapted to his routine; punctuality was manageable, and the taste and variety of the prepared food were satisfactory.
Seemed like the perfect long haul.
March 2024: On a particular day, Vinod Bhayya asked, “Can I prepare and take some of the food back to my room?” The request seemed genuine, and we gave the go-ahead.
A 10 kg new Aashirvaad Atta (Flour) packet was emptied within 5 days.
But all 4 of us combined wouldn’t eat more than 12 rotis per meal. So where was it disappearing? And why was the kitchen feeling emptier than usual?
A random day in April 2024: Where is that 500gm cashew nut packet? Didn’t we purchase it yesterday?
21 May 2024: What nonsense! I specifically remember bringing 1 kg of mangos. I had left it in the fridge. It can’t be finished in 2 days. Let’s take a secret video this evening.
21 May 2024 Evening: We observe our beloved Vinod Bhaiyya sneaking off with the 40 Rs Dairy Milk chocolate through the secret recording.
Can’t let him off easy, can we?
22 May 2024 Evening: Vinod Bhaiyya received the shock of his life as he was asked to prepare Gulab Jamun, Chivda Mix, Rajma, Biryani and Raita for a single meal. On top of that, one of us was always present in the kitchen to ‘guide’ him.
23 May 2024 Morning: Vinod Bhaiyya had to prepare Gobi Manchurian, Roti, Upma and Halwa. All in small quantities.
23 May 2024 Evening: Simple Puri and Aloo Curry. But in the background, the speakers played this song:
31 May 2024: Vinod Bhaiyya decides to go home for vacation. He mentioned that he was feeling too tired.
Lesson 2: Always monitor stakeholders and beneficiaries. Benefits must reach those who need them and not be lost in the intermediaries.
Guru No 3 – Deepu Bhaiyya
June 2024: This choice is definitely a ‘lambi race ka ghoda’ (a horse for the long journey). Knew how to prepare most dishes. Eager to experiment. Informed in advance if he was taking time off. Prepared in the correct quantity; hence, wastage was reduced.
Took a bath only once a week, but that need not matter, right?
December 2024: We had to call up pest control due to the heavy presence of cockroaches.
Random day in January 2025: While having dinner, I found a piece of hair in the Rajma curry. Initially, since all roommates were experiencing hair loss due to the local conditions, it might have been one of ours. It turns out that none of us had such long hair.
31 January 2025: We bid goodbye to Deepu Bhaiyya.
Lesson 3: Habits that we possess will seep through into our work ethic. Regular reflection, maintenance and feedback are key to ensuring that we transmit good habits and limit the bad ones.
Guru No 4 – Rathnamma Akka
February 2025: Enough with the insistence on North Indian dishes. It’s time to adopt the local flavours. Rathnamma akka was ideal – She knew how to prepare some South Indian Dishes, possessed impeccable cleanliness and was an incredibly early bird.
She only knew Kannada. Hence, Manjunath became the single point of contact.
April 2025: Manjunath is busy conducting the activities of his play. Hence, none of the others can communicate and get through to Rathnamma. Considering that she did not possess a smartphone, showing cooking videos was out of the question. What followed was the same routine: Poha and Upma for breakfast, rice and dal for lunch and dinner.
Reminiscing some of our older gurus, we decided to part ways by the end of April.
Lesson 4: If plans rely on a singular entity, the chances of failure increase significantly. It is crucial to prepare alternatives and analyse risks before any activity.
Guru No 5 – Madan Maity Bhaiyya and Didi
June 2025: Finally, the perfect fit. They were a lovely Bengali couple who knew a mix of all the dishes. Excellent cleanliness, great taste, a wide variety, and excellent timeliness.
How ironic is it that we have to arrive at the perfect choice only to see the fellowship end in two months?
Lesson 5 – Sometimes, desired results come at the very end. Not all results can be effectively celebrated. However, it’s always good to take the win.
The best fit appeared once we had learnt from all our past follies. The good thing is that I went through these practical learnings at an early stage of my career. Now, all that’s left is to ensure that I continue learning and developing – both through action and observation.
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