This story is about my paternal grandfather, I call him Dada
1947
13-year old Syed is a student of 7th grade in a small village in British India. That summer they heard that British India would be split into India and Pakistan. Syed’s home’s name will be called East Pakistan. Many Hindus from his village began leaving for India. Syed’s school headmaster Mr Prafullo Kumar Dasgupta , was a Hindu, but decides not to leave for the time being. He was very fond of a couple of the students, one being Syed. He wanted to stay on till they graduated. For the next few years, he took full responsibility of looking after those students. He even had books delivered from Kolkata for Syed’s advanced subjects.
1950
Good News! Syed has graduated from 10th grade national exams with Exemplary grades. He runs to the headmaster with the results letter. The headmaster smiles and sighs. Why is he sad? He says, “My work is done. Please walk me to the border tomorrow.” After spending 3 years in East Pakistan, he joins his family on the other side of the border, in Kolkata. This moment is both happy and sad. Happy because his favourite students did well and as he will reunite with his family who left in 1947 for India. Sad because he may never see the students again. Also, because he has to leave the land of his forefathers. For him, India is a new place.
1975
By now, East Pakistan has become Bangladesh, and 41-year old Syed is married with four kids. As a senior government official, he is visiting India on an official tour of duty. During his visit to Kolkata, he tracks down his headmaster. They hug and cry a lot. Syed says, “Headmaster Dasgupta, you left behind a sapling and today it’s a tree.”