Love for surgery, Chakkorathukulam, CCSCB

Apart from Linux, my main passion was Surgery from 1965 to 2015, when I retired. I used to enjoy doing surgery even without timely food. After I became an experienced surgeon, my popularity increased. When we would return after a trip, as we approached the Hospital where I worked for nearly 40 years, there used to be a big crowd waiting at the gate for me. The local people and the hospital staff loved me. From the beginning, my principle was never to go after money. If you are good, money will automatically come to you.

We used to have frequent transfers in government service. So, it was difficult to settle down in one place or house. At last I resigned, and did a lot of freelance surgery in many places: Quilandy, Balusseri, Vadakara, Perambra. I used to take an anaesthetist also along (Dr Krishnadas, Dr Alfred - both no more now) and we had lots of adventures on the way, like heavy rain, no petrol in tank etc. The driver of the taxi himself had to go, bring petrol in a can, and proceed, in the middle of night. In those days, I used to do Gynaec surgery also, including LSCS. Oh God! What all things you made me do?!

Finally I decided to join Nirmala hospital on a commission basis. Though the commission was low, I had tremendous job satisfaction. They raised the commission very gradually after repeated requests. After some years I used to demand my fees, otherwise they would do it by themselves. Actually I was collecting only very low fees. I started Scopies - we had a Pentascope and later an Olympus - regularly upto ?1994? until a gastroenterologist joined in the 1990s. One good deed they did to me was, on retirement they presented me with a Shield and cheque for Rs 100,000. Their hospitality is commendable and I am always thankful to them.

We stayed from 1979 to 2007 in 'Sairam', Chakkorathukulam, as Dr Thyagarajan's neighbour. They were very friendly. We had another good friend, Sreedharan Nambiar and wife Leela. They had two boys, both doctors, and a daughter - her husband is also a doctor. Sreedharan Nambiar is no more. Leela is in Calicut now I think - in fact very near to our Arcade. I have seen her more than a year back.

We sold the old 'Sairam' with 13 1/2 cents of land for (a good price). This was the first time we were getting so much money at one time, and that also, all accounted for through bank. Now the more money you have, the more problems too - the question was how to invest this lump sum. Fortunately I got a good friend in Calicut Cooperative bank. She was very friendly and helpful too. Her name was Sindhu Vinod. She advised me on how to invest, when and where too. Our friendship and mutual admiration increased and we became family friends. Not only she, her friend Preetha too became our friend. We had bought a flat in Arcade Apartments using loans from our collections of 18 LIC life certificates. All the loans could be paid back using the old house sale proceeds.

This CCSCBank is a very good bank run by very friendly staff, efficiently. They naturally give FD Interest at a higher rate. And my money multiplied because of them. The rates have come down now, but still are higher than the public sector banks, though the risk is more.