About the Author

I was born on 13 October 1925. My parents, John and Sarah, were moderately rich among their peers.

In those days, it never crossed my parents' or their immediate relations' mind that one day their children would need a passport. The date of birth was recorded in Malayalam Era 101 Kanni 27th and its equivalent in the Gregorian calendar, 13 October 1925, was recorded in my passport.

As was the custom, I went to school with my peers. I was not a good student at school, but I struggled through high school and passed the SSLC exam. All through my studies I wanted to become a dentist.

After a year of wandering with uncertainty, in 1949, I was admitted to the State Medical Faculty of West Bengal, Calcutta Dental College. Once I selected my profession, I exceled in my studies, and finally achieved my Diploma LDS, SMF.

Thereafter, I taught dental students in the Dental wing of the Madras Medical College for five years.

In 1959, I joined for post graduate study at the Graduate School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania. On completion, I taught at the Dental School, University of Pennsylvania for a year.

In 1961, I enrolled for a Master of Science degree at Kansas City Dental College, University of Missouri, and graduated in 1962. The same college offered me an instructor's position. I remained with the school for the next three years. Here I was honoured with the fraternity title Omicron Kappa Upsilon. After returning to India, I taught at Bangalore Dental College for a year.

Thereafter, I engaged in private practice for 10 years.

In May 1975, our entire family of seven (three girls, two boys, Molly and me) migrated to Australia. All our children are well-settled, and I retired from Dental Practice by the end of 1999.

Since then, I have been engaged in hobbies such as painting, story-writing and carpentry.