The women's day business and the women I wish I had known better!

Another usual day. The dad called as usual as soon as his evening walk started. It is international women's day today, said he! Ya, I read about it, I replied nonchalantly. They don't excite me anymore as much as it used to. Then he said, it was his mother's death anniversary as well! That got me going.

She was one woman who I wish I had known better. 

Working in one of the leading medical colleges in the country or even the world, sometimes makes me lift my collar up. Not a big deal; More than 10,000 people work with me. Yet, there is this sense of belonging to a prestigious organisation with such repute and history. And this woman, my grandmother, belonged to the first batch of MBBS, which Aunt Ida, the founder herself started. Isn't that something?

Many times as I walk through the streets of the small town of sivakasi, I have had people ask me, "Gnanadurai amma peron ah nee(Are you the grandson of Dr. Gnanadurai?). And this almost 15-20 years after her death.

How I wish she had been here now? I would have asked her how Aunt Ida looked like?How hard she worked? What was it to be the lone lady doctor in those parts of South India? Why did she chose sivakasi? Or did Sivakasi choose her? What made her give away the plenty of opportunities to go abroad and live life there? How was it to be married to a maniacal economist? a strict pastor? And more importantly, a writer? How close was she to her brothers, and the sister ( Who was stopped from continuing medical studies, since my gandma could not be married off easily)? How did it feel losing a brother so early in life? 

Oh yes, I would definitely have asked how it was growing up the three children? How different was the girl from the boys? 

I have had questions on how difficult it is to be one of the few women who went to college rather than get married and settle down. I would have surely asked her that. When the world around thought women were not good enough to study, what made her decide to go on? Surely there would have been the societal pressure. Questions, questions, questions! I would have bombarded her with so many of minds crazy questions.

Well, Grandma, the world celebrated women's day on your anniversary! May be just to remind us, the children, the grandchildren and the great grand children, that there once lived a woman who fought all odds, and lived life on her terms, because of whom, in whom, and through whom we all came into existence.