Small Story 703

 Short Story 703

Life Is Beautiful – 48

The following morning, Ram attended the Independence Day celebrations held at his residential complex and had lunch there. After resting for a while, he left for the OO1 Academy campus at around 5:30 p.m. to attend the celebration marking the completion of ten years since the Academy was established.

Located on KRS Road, the campus had a huge main building and several excellent facilities. The Secretary warmly welcomed Ram. Ranjitha served him tea. Around 150 people, including international students, local dignitaries, and other guests, had gathered in the spacious hall. Swami Ramanandaji also greeted Ram warmly.

A few minutes later, the remarkable man who headed the OO1 Academy arrived. At 63, Paramanand was extremely handsome, well-mannered, dignified, and gracious in his conduct. The Independence Day celebrations had been held on a grand scale at the Academy that morning.

The gathering began promptly at 5:30 p.m. Ranjitha introduced Ram to him, and he too welcomed Ram warmly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. Since you are now in Mysore, I will be meeting you regularly from now on,” he said.

Kathambari also arrived and was very happy to see Ram. She explained that her chief and the head of OO1 were close friends and that both of them had worked together in RAW.

Meanwhile, Ranjitha introduced her friend Sophia to Ram and Kathambari. Sophia was an FBI officer from Denver.

Later, Ranjitha handed Ram a brochure describing the Academy and its various activities. After the prayer, the formal programme began with the blessings of Swamiji.

All the speakers praised the Academy for its remarkable success in solving numerous cases relating to robberies and other crimes committed in Mysore and various other places. The five international students, as well as the other students pursuing the investigation course, spoke appreciatively about their experiences. They also said that they were extremely fond of the Academy.

OO1 delivered a highly impressive and inspiring speech. He spoke about his outstanding professional experiences in RAW. He also explained what had motivated him to establish an academy of his own and pursue his personal dream and mission.

At around 8 p.m., everyone proceeded for dinner. A wide variety of delicious dishes and sweets were served.

After dinner, OO1 announced:

“Our guest and versatile writer, Ram, will speak for a few minutes about today’s programme.”

Ram spoke for about fifteen minutes. He wished everyone a happy, joyful, and healthy Independence Day. He spoke about the history of the OO1 Academy and its background, and described its remarkable journey and achievements. His speech captivated the entire audience, and everyone was impressed by his intelligence and excellent oratory skills.

After the programme ended, the Chairman introduced his wife, Nandini, to Ram. She was a former IAS officer. Their only daughter lived in New Zealand and therefore could not attend the celebrations.

Before leaving, Ram expressed his heartfelt thanks to OO1, Ranjitha, and the other members of the team for inviting him to the unforgettable event.

Once again, Ranjitha dropped Ram and Kathambari at their respective places. As they got out of the car, Kathambari invited Ram and Ranjitha for lunch the following afternoon.

Ram accepted the invitation with a smile. He had a feeling that, in a journey already filled with many interesting events, that lunch would mark the beginning of yet another fascinating chapter.

As the night passed peacefully, Ram reflected on the wonderful day—the Independence Day celebrations, the Academy’s ten-year journey, the important people he had met, and the new connections that were unexpectedly taking shape in his life.

Little did Ram know that the following afternoon would reveal yet another fascinating side of Kathambari’s world.

To be continued...

K. Ragavan

15-8-26