Manikandan was a final year Engineering student full of energy. He always had people in splits with his sense of humour and had a huge circle of friends. For Teacher's like me,he was an ideal student. Playful but not spoilt, intelligent but not manipulative. Delightful. We thought nothing can go wrong with this 20 year old kid when the unthinkable happened. He attempted suicide. It was a bolt from the blue for all of us. Why?What was the reason?Why Manikandan? Questions flowed and floored the mind. By the grace of GOD he recovered having recuperated in hospital for nearly five weeks. A second life almost.

He returned to college after the nearly deathly hiatus and I for one did not open my questions immediately. I was biding my time and allowed him to settle neatly in the college ambience. After this self imposed gestation,I opened up gently one fine day. I made sure no one was overhearing and in the private confines of my secured cabin,I asked ,”What happened,Why did you attempt this”."Sir,I did not want to live".I understand,but why?.Reluctantly he said"Love failure sir".I put an arm over his dropped shoulders and said"Mani,Life is too precious to be given up on such trivial issues"."How do you think the problem would have been solved with your death"."I thought why trouble my parents with my forlorn look, they have always seen me happy".”Good point indeed,but by doing what you did,you would have brought unending sadness and suffering to them. Did you realise that. “

He posed a bewildered look at me."I also wanted relief from my internal suffering sir".”True,we all need relief from pain and suffering. But Mani,One man's relief should not become another man's suffering. That is being selfish. Your death would have brought infinite pain to your loved ones. So how can you justify your act'. He was beginning to understand my insight. “What is the best way to escape from a problem?” “To solve it sir”. “Exactly. Your problem too could have been solved if you had taken into confidence people around you. Parents,Friends,Teachers. Just anyone. One good soul could have changed your Life. Life is not about birth and death. It is a journey of love,success,failures all rolled into one roller coaster ride. It is about taking the bull by the horns,It is about struggle. The world remembers only those who come out trumps. Those who survive as per Darwin's theory. Survival of the fittest.” Mani kept nodding and I could sense a more purposeful ear in front of me. He could sense the message and was eager to hear more. I continued” Mani,finally one last point”Yes sir” “As much as people talk of meaning in birth and life,I feel there should be both meaning and honour in death too.Your epitaph should speak volumes of your life and death. We can't change the way we started,but we can certainly start now and create a new end .The choice is yours.”

In due course he changed a new leaf and spent the rest of the final semester involving himself in social events within the college. He organised an AIDS awareness campaign much to the delight of all of us and spoke with vigour on the role of society in caressing diseased people. I was happy at the turnaround and thanked the almighty for keeping an energetic soul alive and kicking. Manikandan today is a successful person in life and shows full promise of walking into the sunset with a matured outlook and a deserving epitaph.In some corner of my heart,I have sculpted this story and never hesitate to share it with my students.