Condemned to Repeat

Just learned of the sad demise of our beloved professor Dr. Dilip Veeraraghavan in IIT Madras.

I worked hard and earned good grades in IITM for my B.Tech. But today remember very little  of my engineering (ego hurts to say nothing !!) May be I never used what I learned or may be never really learned what I studied !!

But our dear Dilip was a professor of History in an Engineering school.  And I remember him. I remember the most important thing he taught.  Why learn history at all …

Firstly, Dilip was an arrived soul. His heart was filled with compassion for all. He mind was so open to continuously learn. He had a special relation ship with 1000s of students who graduated in his time. He was so aware and big in his heart … I am sure that GOD felt giving him eyes to see was a waste.

I am deeply saddened to hear he is no more.  Wish I could have had a chance to walk those halls once more, walk into his office, and say “Hi Dilip” … and he would often recognise even after years (like he did the last time I met him 4 yrs ago … and immediately said “Oh Hi TVS” … help my hand and say … “not putting on much weight still” … it’s as if he would never forget anyone … how ever insignificant … for ever).

To the one thing I learned from him … Why studying History matters … he taught “Those who don’t learn from history, are condemned to repeat it“.

How true … As you grow older you realise most situations in life … at work, in society and in personal life … it’s history repeating itself … and we are all condemned to repeat till we learn.