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Jay (Jitendra)
Mathur | "Himalayas
in the north, the Shivalik Mountain Range in the south, the River
Ganges in the East, and the river Yamuna on the West is a Valley"
where I was born, the youngest of seven children. Dehra Dun,
as the city is known, was a Shangri-La where people either came
to retire or to leave their darling children in the care of some
of the most exclusive schools.
Nothing much happened in my
early life in this
oasis until my father
was struck down with a stroke. His prolonged illness and death
was followed with the death of my mother. It stunned me as I
entered my teen years. Suddenly life became a free fall. Soccer
is called football in India. It kind of reflected what I had
become.
My high school was a missionary-run
institution, Bible class and all. I discovered the art of public
speaking there. I excelled in debates and sports. I won 13 trophies
in a single year. My next school was a Sikh public school. There,
for the first time, in an otherwise academically ordinary career,
I was awarded 'The Best All Round Student' distinction. I went
on to finish university with a degree in the sciences in a college
run by a branch of Hindu faith. I continued to fight the 'football
syndrome' more as a revolutionary than as a disciplined student.
There I was in the Student Union and all, but my winning streak
of debate contests continued unabated. My educational years in
the three different schools of faith gave me an insight into
spirituality that would be my guide forever.
God gave me many gifts but
none more precious than my group of friends. They disciplined
me, guided me and directed me. Those directions lead me to join
Merck Sharp & Dohme,
an American Multi National in Bombay. In my move from the serenity
of Doon Valley to the break neck hustle and bustle of Bombay,
two magical things happened. I fell in love with my would be
wife, Rani, and I also fell head over heels with subjects, which
previously had bored me like pharmacology, physiology and Pharmacodynamics.
I was transformed from a rebel into an inquisitive student of
sciences. I achieved scholastically and productively. Rewards
came quickly as well. The youngest manager and tipped to be Divisional
Head, I was moved to New Delhi.
Just when I felt that I was
more of a player than a football, life took an interesting turn.
A chartered accountant friend of mine applied to immigrate to
Canada and applied for me as well. Soon, I found myself with
a visa for Canada. With no dreams or plans for leaving India,
contradictory advice and opinions hit me from all sides. Finally,
I did leave arriving on 1 January 1971 in Montréal, a
few days before the expiry of my visa. Later, I regretted not
heeding the Canadian Attaché's advice not to leave the
family behind. Bad choice to come alone, even worse time for
reporting to the new assumed employers.
I had come confidently armed
with papers and recommendations for Merck's Head Office in Montréal.
However, things did not turn out as per plan. The offices were
closed and key people were on vacation or away on meetings.
The next nine months were cold,
unfriendly and cruel. Employment agencies and newfound friends
gave me the insight and knowledge to tame the dreaded pit bull,
lack of Canadian Experience. In my quest for a job in my field,
I met angels and devils. I met racists but I also met Canadians
who thought Canada was richer for me. I continued to appear for
interviews in minus 15 degrees temperatures of the winter of
1971 as well as the sweaty days of summer that followed.
Finally, I did break barriers,
joining Abbott Laboratories
in my chosen field. I topped the Basic
Training Course although there were fellow trainees with
quite a bit of "Canadian Experience" and education.
I passed mandatory industry accreditation. Courses like Pharmacodynamics,
Endocrinology, Infectious Diseases and Oncology as well as Sales
and Management. Often I would avail Seneca College to sharpen
my skills in computers and communications. I coordinated and
attended medical conferences on a wide variety of subjects with
some of the world's most respected teachers and scientists.
Rewards and advancement often came without expectation.
My assignment as a Regional
Manager of South Western Ontario to Alberta kept me on the go.
However, my family and I never cut short our social and community
life. In fact, it was quite a routine for me to return home to
a full house, kids of friends running around and the music party
at full swing.
My wife, Rani,
a classical Indian dancer of Bharat Natyam appeared on stages
like Harbourfront and Caravan.
She happily tutored free of charge aspiring artists for community
shows and functions. I also had keen interest in stage play and
music. A small community setting gave me ample opportunity to
act, direct and sing to my heart's content.
My daughter
got showered with community love and care. In fact, later she
married a doctor from India who was a nephew of one of our community
members. Her back and forth living in India and Canada is now
a journey that quite a few first generation Indians go through.
By the time she decided to permanently settle in Canada, I had
fulfilled my dream of living on the downtown waterfront. I had
two grandsons by then. It became a real heart warming routine
to see them take the ferry to the Island School. Now they are
17 and 15, enjoying the serenity and care of a residential school
in the Kawarthas. I am so proud.
Epilogue
These days I am an active member
of the Doctors Lions Club
of Toronto. I have promoted Toronto Rehab Foundation on their
website,
newsletter (PDF document - Acrobat Reader
required) and billboard
after my personal experience with them as a patient convinced
me that I must spread the word for the good of all. I am currently
Secretary and Member of
the Board of Directors of
Panorama India, an
umbrella organization for all Indo-Canadian cultural organizations
in the GTA. I am also involved with the creation of a Virtual
Reality Museum of Hindu Enlightenment at the Vishnu Mandir. My
last escapade was storytelling at the Spadina
Museum's Sharing of Heritage Program partnering with Panorama
India. Republic Day Celebrations at the Pearson Convention Centre
is the next big project, apart from other minor ones.
Although exploring
the wilderness was once my hobby, my passion for golf
remains undiminished. In the spring I will once again take refresher
golf lessons. After retirement, I have continued to take courses
to keep up with the rapid technological advancement that promises
I remain humble in front of my grandsons. Among others, I have
taken introductory Dreamweaver and search engine courses and
am proud to have created a website pretty much on my own. I love
to write; some even get read.
I have made some good decision
and some bad ones. But moving to Canada was certainly the best
decision I ever made. Canada has been very good to me and my
family. I have no doubt it will be even better to my grandsons.
What lies ahead after Panorama
India where my term expires in February 2009? Probably life closure
to what objective I have set on my website - Mon Drishta: Service
with a detached mind and soul.
My advice to would be immigrants:
Listen to the Canadian Immigration attaché; don't leave
home without your wife.
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The project was made
possible with the support of the
Department
of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online Strategy
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