Divine Grace 6 - How One Person's Career Was Found in an Instant!

How a casual inquiry of an old class mate in a bus resulted in a successful career for my brother

We all know how it goes - finding or settling in one's career.  These days parents start guiding or channeling children towards a favourite career such as Medicine, Engineering, etc from a very early age!  With abundant options and improving career opportunities worldwide, youngsters start making plans from their high school days.  This is applicable particularly where the parents are well informed and are themselves financially and professionally well off.  

In our days - pre 1980 - we had limited educational institutions, options and guidance.  We just go through a pattern of education and hope to get employed gainfully after graduation.  Those who are good with mathematics choose "first" group and proceed to Engineering or math/science majors.  Then there were those who would move towards the "second" group with a view to proceed to medicine.  Then others choose arts and get into administrative services or law.  Many however end up in one of many clerical or banking jobs.  Most of the time the process after successfully graduating is to keep applying until a job is secured.

Very rarely is one's entire career decided by one chance meeting between two persons.  Here is one such account  from my life.

One of my brothers had just graduated.  His degree was B.A. from the University of Madras.  He had no idea as to what to do next and none of us elders were any better informed either.

Then it happened!  I was in a city bus and saw my school class mate also in the same bus.  We were seeing each other after may be 10 years.  We both were in the bifurcated program of Engineering, Composite Mathematics group during our High School days.

"Hello!  Guru.  How do you do?"  
"Doing fine Muthu.  Glad to see you after a long time.  What are you doing these days?" 
"I am an Assistant Professor at the School of Planning and Architecture.  What do you do?"  
"Muthu, I am a practicing Chartered Accountant"  
"How does one get to be a CA?" 
" Any graduate can become one.  It starts with joining a practicing CA and passing qualifying exams."  
"I see.  I have a brother who has just come out of college.  He has a B.A."  "Why don't you bring him in?"  

I took note of his office address and by this time his destination had come and he got off the bus. 

Next day I took my brother to his office.

Rest, as they say is his(s)tory.  My brother is a successful practicing CA.