Private appraisals

I was at PHD chambers of commerce and Industry office for an evening of awards and recognition of a company celebrating it's 25th Silver Jubilee Celebrations. By the time, the lady on the GPS announced our arrival, the show had already been started. It was a cultural performance starring Mrs Sudha Chandran and her team of young artists.

I remember I had first learnt about her in my general knowledge book in 4th standard. She was known as a lady with an artificial leg who never gave up her passion of classical dance for her amputated leg. Later on. she had signed up for some TV soap mother-in-law. I never thought I'd see her perform live.

I veered my way through the entrance to find a jam-packed audience with their smartphones out to record. I calmly entered and walked past to the last row near the projector room to find some odd space between guys who looked aptly annoyed with my entrance.

She was, moving her eyelids to the narration and her body moving to the rhythm of the music. It was captivating. It was a journey of poetic renditions that ushered in India from Kabir, Tulsidas, Meera Bai and so many others. I couldn't keep a tab on the chronological series but her steadiness with which she moved. The show continued further to social messages from Swachh Bharat and Water conservation. It was convincing enough to keep people hooked with their large phones on a long stretch. I clicked a couple of pictures and swayed down to get closer shots. I managed to find some vacant seats in the managing committee's lobby. So I watched the rest of the show from there.

The show got over and the audience at the back had helped themselves out of the exit door. This was the boring part of the show where the company was supposed to give awards and distribute accolades to its employees and associates. I picked up my camera and stood near the stage to test my new Canon EOS-200D with some pictures. Until I finally retired in the first row.

It went from keenly watching the joyful and nervous face kids who had won drawing competition to straight-faced and pretentious adults in suits pitching their routine handshakes. I flicked away for a moment and a 72-year-old beautiful lady next to me motioned closer to my shoulder to speak. She gently asked, "Do you know whose chair are you sitting on?" I was confused and didn't know how to answer. her. So I said, "No, do you mind helping me here?" She pointed towards the stage and introduced me to the chairman of the company. Putting it in her words "He is the single stakeholder in this company and you're sitting in his chair right now." I chuckled and replied, "Now you're just making things sound worse for me." She smiled and her cheeks parted with wrinkles "Oh No, I wouldn't do that." she assured. I paused and raised the stakes "Yea..it's fine..I never fold under pressure." She smiled gently.
"I would quietly move to different seat when he comes down from the dais"
"Yea that or he could sit on your lap"

Now at this point, I was struck by an awkward stance. Of course, you must be the wife. We talked quietly for a brief moment and she shared about her journey of being together for more than 50 years. Holding her hair from the back she said so many things have changed since then. I was fascinated by her charm. The show was over and it was time to move out for dinner. I politely excused and thanked her for a graceful company. That evening, I saw a man standing in a suit on stage basking in the glory of his hard work crafted by a woman whose warmth held the essence of that appraisal.