English Literature – Memoir ☆ दस्तावेज़ # 25 – The Alchemy of becoming ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆ 

As I sit quietly today, looking back at the journey I have lived, I see life not as a straight line but as a river—sometimes placid, sometimes tumultuous—always flowing. At a distance, it may appear a seamless continuum, but if you wade into its waters with care, you notice the whirlpools and tributaries, the rocks and banks, the many confluences that shaped the course. My own life has followed such a river’s path—like the Ganga, shaped by many turns, contributions, and inner transformations.

Like the holy Bhagirathi emerging from the Gangotri glacier, I too had a modest beginning. I was born in Ranjhi, a quiet suburb of the then sleepy town of Jabalpur. My early years flowed gently, in a world bounded by simplicity and schoolbooks, unaware of the larger world waiting beyond the next bend.

At sixteen, a turning point came—like the Bhagirathi meeting the Alaknanda at Devprayag and becoming the Ganga. It was my encounter with Brother Frederick, my Chemistry teacher and mentor, who first recognised the spark within me. He urged me to appear for the National Science Talent Search Examination, saying with conviction, “You have it in you.” His words became a catalyst, and when I secured a national ranking, my life took a decisive turn.

That achievement opened doors I hadn’t imagined—summer schools in Jaipur, Chennai, and Mumbai, rubbing shoulders with brilliant minds like Arunava Gupta, Pradip Mitra, and Rajiv Joshi. I began to see the world through the lens of science, logic, and curiosity. It was a time of identity formation—a scholar in the making.

But the river does not always follow the course we expect. Life, with its own currents, steered me into banking—a practical harbour for livelihood. Yet even there, destiny had something rich in store. I was selected to be a Behavioural Science Trainer. This was no ordinary role; it was a calling. The faculty at State Bank Staff College—Ravi Mohanty, Srinivasan Raghunath, and Santanu Banerjee—were not merely teachers; they were alchemists.

If my early years were a gentle river, this was the blast furnace stage of life. I was the raw iron ore—unshaped, full of potential—and they smelted me, transformed me, refined me. Alongside my dear colleagues Raghu Shetty and Prakash Divekar, I emerged stronger, sharper—like forged steel. It wasn’t just a change of skill but a transformation of being.

I conducted sessions on self-awareness, relationships, emotional intelligence—helping bank staff serve not just with efficiency but with empathy. But in teaching others, I learned the most about myself. My inner self, once a quiet stream, now bubbled with awareness, reflection, and the heat of change.

That transformation created a bridge to the next big chapter—my deep dive into the science of happiness and well-being. Positive Psychology gave me a new language to understand joy, fulfilment, and human potential. It reoriented my compass from achievement to meaning.

As retirement approached, one might think the river would slow. But rivers are strange—they gather force before meeting the sea. My wife and I became Laughter Yoga Master Trainers, mentored by the joyful duo Dr Madan and Madhuri Kataria. We found in laughter not just therapy but a sacred connection with others. It was like the Sangam at Prayagraj—where Ganga, Yamuna, and the invisible Saraswati meet. We were becoming whole.

Adding yoga and meditation to our lives, we were no longer just flowing—we were now merging with the ocean, carrying with us the essence of every experience, every person who shaped us, every soul we touched.

Looking back, it is clear—no achievement stands alone. Each is a ripple that causes another, building towards a life well-lived. From a curious boy in Ranjhi to a torchbearer of emotional intelligence and laughter, the river of my life has flowed through many lands. It has nurtured me, challenged me, and above all, made me more human.

Like Ganga, I hope I’ve left a trail of nourishment behind—and like the blast furnace, I hope I’ve emerged not just stronger, but purer.

Life is good. Life is meaningful. And if lived with awareness, even its small achievements can shape something truly vast.

♥♥♥♥

© Jagat Singh Bisht