716. After the Presentation

"Have you prepared the paper for the seminar?" asked the principal of the college.

"I have, sir" said Purushothaman. He was a professor of Physics in the college.

"Did you have your paper checked by someone?"

"No, sir" said Purushothaman and added reluctantly, "I think there is no need for it."

"Your paper needs to be checked by someone to  ensure that there is no inadvertent inaccuracy. Your Head of the Department is on leave. Please get your paper checked thoroughly by someone, whose erudition you trust. This is an international seminar. There is a chance of the paper you will be presenting in the seminar being published in reputed international journals. My best wishes to you" said the Principal. 

When Purushothaman came out of the principal's chamber, he noticed Aravindan, a professor of Mathematics, walking on the corridor. Aravindan raised his hand and greeted Purushothaman. But, Purushothaman turned away, avoiding Aravindan's gaze.

Purushothaman had been moving closely with Aravindan. But, after a sexual harassment allegation had surfaced against Aravindan, Purushothaman moved away from him.

With the affected lady professor not preferring to lodge a complaint and leaving the college soon after the incident, Aravindan was able to retain his job, by apologizing for his indiscretion and begging the principal not to sack him.

After that incident, no one in the college respected Aravindan. Other professors avoided him, like a plague. Aravindan commanded some respect only inside the classroom, sine he was an excellent teacher.

After Purushothaman had read out his paper in the seminar, there was a big ovation in the seminar hall. Purushothaman looked at the audience, with a feeling of pride. His college principal, other professors from his college, professors from various other colleges and a large number of students were among the audience.

A professor from Germany, sitting on the dais, asked Purushothaman, "Mr. Purushothaman! I think that your theory is not plausible. Can I have a look at your paper?"

Purushothaman handed over his paper to the professor.

The professor quickly browsed through the pages. On coming to a particular page, he stopped, spent a few minutes reading that page and then looked up.

"Mr. Purushothaman! You have calculated the value of 6.243 x 10^5, taking it as 6.243 x 10^6, inadvertently. Therefore, the answer you got is wrong and hence your theory. Your paper is based on wrong workings" said the professor, returning the paper to Purushothaman.

Purushothaman was hit by a strong wave of humiliation, he found unable to bear. It was as if he was stripped off his clothes before the large audience. 

Purushothaman reluctantly looked at his principal. The principal's face, which was brimming with pride and joy a few minutes back, was now livid, reflecting his anger and embarrassment.

Purushothaman noticed Aravindan among the audience. An apprehension that his own status would also fall to the one similar to that of Aravindan began to rise in his mind.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 72
Divining the Mind

Verse 716 (in Tamil):
ARRin nilai thaLarndhaRRE viyan pulam
ERRu uNarvAr munnar izhukku.

Meaning:
Committing a blunder in the presence of those who have acquired a vast store of learning and know the value that learning, is like a good man stumbling and falling away from the path of virtue.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'katturaiyaip padiththa piRagu' by the same author.) 

Verse 717 (Soon)
Verse 715