I thank God for stitching beautiful people in the fabric of my life. Their colourful patterns and personality have added richness to my life, and one such personality is Principal M S Kamat.
An educationist of eminence and a thorough gentleman with a smile that can light up a thousand bulbs, this describes Mr Kamat, a very humble and principled man who has always been a staunch crusader for youth empowerment through education, skill formation and overall enlightenment. He is the founder Principal of MES College and has educated and empowered a countless number of students. Mr Kamat always gives without thinking what he will ever get in return. As the Principal of MES College, he advocated and practiced participative authority and not a dominating authority. He has always focused on the positives in life and looked for positivity in his staff, students and the people around him. He is a father figure, mentor and guide to all who come in touch with him.
Mr Kamat is lively man and there is never a dull moment in his company. He is proactive, has the habit of taking people up with him and never ever criticizes or pulls anybody down. He is humane and attracts people to him with the great qualities of head and heart that he possesses and displays. He believes in a win-win attitude. I have never ever seen him grumble or complain about anything or anybody.
Late Mr Vasantrao Joshi had handpicked Mr Kamat and entrusted MES College into his able hands. From then onwards there was no looking back, either for him or the college. The college was shaped and chiseled with elan and dignity in such way that Mr Kamat was synonymous with MES College. Today he stands tall as the Chairman of Murgaon Education Society.
I am personally indebted to Principal Kamat for all the help and guidance that he has rendered to me. The doors of his house were always open to me whenever I needed his advice. Mr Kamat is a person who will never ever walk out on you or let you down. In fact he walks the talk with you. He is a great friend in good times but becomes a much better friend and human being in your bad times. He stands by you and is always ready to stretch his helping hand and put in that extra effort to help you out of any difficult situation. Very few people have this selfless quality in them.
From Principal Kamat I have learnt many great lessons for life. I learnt that ‘it is important not to measure personal success and a sense of well being through material possessions’. I learnt ‘the power of disagreements, of dialogue and the essence of living with diversity in thinking’. He also taught me by example a very different definition of success – that ‘it is about giving back more to life than what you take out of it. It is about creating extraordinary success with ordinary lives’.
On February 9, 2015 he completes 80 glorious years. Age is strictly a case of mind over matter, and if you do not mind, it just does not matter. Age is not a destination it is a journey. On his 80th birthday I wish him a very happy birthday and all the best that life can offer. I bask in the blessings that life has given me in the form of great people, like Mr Kamat, who have taught me lessons and changed the way I look at life.
Sir, on your birthday I wish to say a big thank you to you. What can I give to you that will make up for the lessons that I have learnt from you? Sir, if you wanted the sky I would write across the sky a letter, that would soar a thousand feet high, and the address would read ‘To sir with love’.
