The Perfect Attendance Award : Untold Story

Last academic year was very special for me. Lots of new experiences and achievements were there. But the most prestigious and Awaiting moment was my 100% attendance award. It was a dream come true moment for me and it was a funny moment for my haters and my teachers and it was also a shocking and inspirational moment for my juniors. However, it was not this. It was a long story.

Abinash Panda receving the 100% attendance award.

                  It was all started when I was in my 4th or 5th standard in my school. Once I was watching my favorite TV programme and suddenly, I saw an advertise. It was Detol's ad. In that ad I saw a small student was invited to the stage as the 100% attenance achiver. He was awarded with a Shining Trophy. And in that hall, the other parents were discussing about themselves that how the student managed to win that award without being ill for a single day. And finally the ad confessed that he did it only because of Detol. I was not at all intrested in that ad and even today I have not remembered that ad completely. I even tried to find that ad but I couldn't. But from that moment to today, the one moment had stolen my mind is that Golden Trofy and the joyful cheers of that boy. Till then I haven't won a single trofy. Yes, I had a lot of certificates but I did not had a trofy. So, from then one new dream made home in my mind. It was all about winning that moment.

                 After that I started attending school regularly without any fail. I remember that only 4  days I was absent. After that I was completely regular. I know it was not 100% anyway however it was nearly 90%. I was thinking may be I can get the award by attending maximum number of classes. However, I didn't got any award. Then I changed school and still the same story. I was thinking may the new school will award me but I didn't. Then I came to my junior college, where we were able to see our attendance on the notice board. I hardly was absent 1 or 2 classes in 1st year and also manged the proxy for those classes but mistakely the attendance was only 97%. And still no award. I had won 16 awards including trophies and medals and in 2nd year I won 22 awards including two special trofies in both years for being the college literary champion(its like Student of the year). But I was expecting a attendance award which was not there. It was dissapointing. I just thought that it was only a TV ad only and there is no such awards in real life.


                          In that thinking I just came to engineering. The College was awesome. I attended the Orientation programme. Yes it was good. And again the Authorities started adressing everyone. But their one Sentence just mesmerized my ear, heart and soul. They said "From my side(Dean) there is a special attendance award for him/her who will attend the maximum number of classes." They said its the 100% attendance award. They also promised a girl who had 97% attenance to award him next year (But never gave). Hearing this my heart just got overwhelmed. I thought what I was serching is just infront of me. But I was afraid whether I will be able to get that award or not. Later on that day I losed the Mr. fresher award. I felt little bit sad. However, I motivated myself and started my journey.

        One advantage was here that we are regularly able to cheak our attendance through the College Management system. In the beginning I was not the one who had 100% attenance there were a lot of students who had 100%. But I was affraid of only one girl who was not only beautiful but also good in studies and attenance. I wanted her to stay absent in the class. I thought she also wants that award and competing with me. One day in a seminar time, when all students were gone to there, I was the only one who attended the Chemistry class. But still I was not happy. One day, I saw that girl in the library with her boy friend. I just got happy. I was happy because 1 competative was clear from way. Then I cheaked the CMS, I was the only one who had 100% attendance. But still there was a boy in another house who had 100% along with me. Now he was the only one person to stand infront of me. So, I was just hoping that I must maintain my record as 100%. In the mean while I noticed my attendance just became 99%. I got shocked. I have not absent in a single hobby class. Then how is it possible? I cheaked CMS. and found I was absent in 2 classes. Then I talked with the professor and he corrected the CMS. After that few days gone absolutely well but suddenly again the hell happend. Again I was absent in 2 classes. And this time it was the paper of maths. But I was sure that this professor will also listen to me. But when I told him he refused to correct and told me not to worry about the attendance. But I still tried to convince him. But he shouted to me. He said, "You have never asked me about a maths problem, then why are you so worried about attendance?" Then he convinced me and send me back. Then I talked with my proctor (faculty who personally takes care of a student). He tried to talk him and he also failed. My mother also talked personally with the professor and requested him to help me but still he denied. Oneday, he refused to give me attendance at any cost. Attendance was not a huge issue for me because 99% was nearly equal to 100%. But the teacher had his own ego. And due to him the whole batch and personally my house people started blaming me that I am a betrayal during the mass bunks. Some professors started to throw me out of the class when no one was present in the class. Sometimes during the massbunks my colleagues surround me and vow me not to attend the classes. They started to think I am mad or crazy. The whole college started to mock me both the students and teachers and till today they mock me. Its all because of that egoistic teacher. He said " Why you told yor mom to call me and You also told your proctor to talk me. Do you think I will give you attendance by this? Not at all. I am not in anyone's pressure and I don't follow anyone's command. Go and bring a written permisson from Dean sir. And then I can." That time it was all on my ego. My anger was on my nose. If he had said to bring permission from the President, I would have also done that. However, I wrote a two page application, describing my problem and respected Dean Academics sir easily grant me the permission to tell the professor to give me the attendance. He signed the application and I came from him happily. Then I summited that application to the professor. Then he took that from my hand and surprisely examined the signature. He might thought that its too difficult for me to meet the dean academics and talk him about that issue but he was unaware of my craziness and my ego. Then he told I will discuss about it with the dean sir. I just thanked him and came out of that faculty common room. I knew he will never discuss it with dean sir, because he was only pretending to be the decision maker but indeed he was a emploee of his boss. Later, I came to that common room for some other issue. He was sitting there. He called me and told

 "I gave you the attendance. In my ..... years teaching career, I have seen several kind of students but never had seen a guy like you for whom attendance is more important thant studies. You never asked me a single maths question but for a small attendance issue you went to the dean with a two paged application. And in the application you have mentioned that it might disturb in your studies. Ok tell me how much you have scored in your internal programs. ( He started asking my marks to the respective subject teachers present over there. And also my internal mark was so poor. Specially in maths the score was 1 out of 15 and that is also because of his grace.) He said I will send your mark as 0. He said I am underlining ur line which says this issue might disturb you in your studies. I will keep this application with me forever and later I will ask you after your result will publish."

               Those were his harmful cruse. But I never felt guilty for that. Because, I was right in my way. I worked hard for that award. Not only award, I also wanted to set a record. And as regards to his words, I got 3 backlogs in that sem( today all are cleared ). But my maths was cleared in 1st attempt.

            However, attendance was not an issue in that sem after that issue. But teachers and students were mocking me passionately. I didn't no whether they will felicitate me or not. But students and teachers started talking rumors, some said I will get 1000 rs or 2000 rs or 5000 rs. Some said cup, some said 10,000 rs. But truely I was expecting 10k passionately. Two three people said dean will gift me a brand new Laptop. ( Thanks god they didn't said a private plane or a Bungalow ). How ever from the starting of 2nd semester, I was the one student in my classes and labs. Some MBA students say I am the most sincere student of college as I am doing the classes alone. But indeed from that day to today I find all the classes are damn boring and irritating. I also love to bunk. But when teacher say You go I will cancel today's attendance of class. That time I really felt happy but still I was unable to go to the hostel room in the fear if any body comes and gives the attendance then I will be absent. In that fear just like a watchman I was watching my locked class room in every hour, whether it is really closed or not. Once I was suffering from viral fever and it was too high. I was unable to eat also. Due to that I went too weak. I was unable to walk. Still I attendend my mechanical workshops. I sufferend from mouth blisteres, blood disentries and stomach pain. Still I attended all the classes, labs, seminars, hobby classes also. Once I went to a National Yoga Seminar and was permitted for attendance and One mam again created some issue. Then I again broght signature from Dean and Principal Sir. Then that mam laughed and gave me the attendance, saying that

" If I had told you to bring the permission of the director, then you also might brought that."

        I just laughed and walked away. And then my days gone asusual. Finally, the Anual day came and I was expecting the prize but that time no body got the award. So I was in doubt whether I will get that or not. Then 2nd sem completed and my both sem attendance was 100%. After that my attendance shortened like 88%.

              Finally the Annual day came nearer. I had ran to Dean sir, my department teachers and other faculties also. And it was the day when I was in my blazer and sitting in the AC fitted conference hall. It was a hilarious moment for me when two of my friends who were hosting the function, just announced that

   "Now I would like to welcome Abinash Panda present over here for the 100% attenance award."

Abinash Panda with Cheif Guest, Principal and Dean

   That time I was totally careless about my past, it was a dream come true moment for me when all my juniors, my friends, seniors and teachers clapping on me and smiling on me. I don't know why they were smiling. But there was only two reasons for smile. One was to mock and another was the smile of their guiltyness and the exitement in the environment. Some had the 1st reason but the environment converted into the 2nd reason. I finally received the award. The chief guest told me you are the most Ideal student I have ever seen. He was actor Aswini Tripathy. That was only a small trofy and certificate. Even I was expecting some cash reward but that moment was bigger than cash, laptop or any other thing. I just not only fulfilled my dream, but also made an unbrakeble record.

       Thanks God for giving me strength. Thanks everyone for making this journey more exiting and thanks GIFT for fulfilling my dream.

"Agar koi cheez ko sacchi dil se maango toh pura kayenat tumhe wo dilwane me lag jata hai."

      Thanks for reading my story. Stay motivated, set your goal, don't listen to anyone who interupts you and never give up. Wishing you all the best.

       ------------------Abinash Panda---------------