Mystory@Damodar Boruah: Emotional Intelligence must be taught in college

Mystory@Damodar Boruah

Today in my position as a small tea grower (STG) and as an author of two books in print, and one to be published soon, I feel college days were the moment of learning where I used to hide my truth 'I have secured 60% in Class XII'. Throughout three years from 1995-98, I had to tell lie to myself and I became skilled at avoiding my friend, not giving him a chance to ask my percentage. That made me humble, that broke my pride I used to have in the school days of Sainik School Goalpara. Moreover, that lie has made me a writer, a poet, and today I can think something bigger in life than one who scored more marks in class XII exam.

Unfortunately, it's all the outcome of remaining unqualified in Engineering and Medical entrance exams for two consecutive years. As a result, I could not do better in Part I. I could hardly secure 41% in two years. Those days the system was 2+1 unlike today's semester system. I tried to do better in Third year, but I had to be satisfied with only 49%. Fortune did not favour me, in one paper I got only 20. Recheck did not give me the desired result.

I could not know my strengths and weaknesses back then. Had I known earlier I could have done better than today, though I am recognised in social life for my position as a writer. As a beginner, I have to struggle a lot to overcome debt being unable to make a regular earning. If I get chance to go back to college, I would not tell lie, I would not lie to myself, as I have learnt about my ingredients for success. As I feel I am good at Emotional intelligence, and my friends say that too, so I would use that subject to do much better, doing research on how this subject would be helpful in the present century such that not only I but others too can develop in personal and professional life.

Today, I feel that Emotional Intelligence must be taught in college to help one learn to survive in this century. Secondly, Career counselling is needed for college students. Although they might have been sucked out from the technical and medical line, there should be a counselling session to help streamline one's career choices. As I like English, poetry is the weapon to express my opinion. I believe in myself that I can be successful in a career in writing. Ultimately God will decide, if I have to lie once more!

Adaptability, mixing with friends, communication, good relationship with teachers and seniors helped me to mix and mingle with a sea of new friends though they belonged from different places and different education streams. I could not submit my final project for Human Rights in Indian Institute of Human Rights, which if there's time, I plan to submit next year. I also hope to complete Creative Writing course with Writers Bureau Pvt. Ltd (Manchester) which I could not complete due to family liability.

While most of my friends qualified for NDA, CDS, Medical, Engineering, Civil Services; but what have I become? I wanted to be an engineer, I did not become. I could not fulfil the dream of a middle-class father. After my mother's death due to cancer, my younger sister became a schizophrenic patient, and I had to leave behind Business Development Executive’s job in a software firm in Guwahati to come back to my local town as a Medical Representative.

However, God loved me more. I met a good lady, a teacher in a semi-govt college, and we got married. We now have two children – a girl and a boy. I have more responsibilities at home and in my father's tea plantation firm. Today, I feel happy to share that a STG can think of becoming a world class writer someday. It' s all because of the open environment, expansive garden, scintillating moments with field staff plucking tea leaves! My reading habits, my hard work, the company of elite group of positive people of MNCs, Tea Associations, Agarwood association, and being a member of more than 100 groups in Facebook have made me a confident writer and I hope one day some of my books will be in the best seller's list.

About the Author:

"Dream Big. Do Big. Always think-out-of-the-box”. Following this view in mind, I have become a known figure as a Small Tea Grower (STG) in my state Assam. I’m a graduate with Honours, GNIIT background, and diploma in Business Management from BIET (Mumbai).