{"id":17460,"date":"2017-08-04T16:23:45","date_gmt":"2017-08-04T23:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/?p=17460"},"modified":"2017-08-04T16:24:06","modified_gmt":"2017-08-04T23:24:06","slug":"hero-by-dr-raghavendra-rao","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/hero-by-dr-raghavendra-rao\/","title":{"rendered":"Hero: By Dr. Raghavendra Rao"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAppa, you promised to take me to the park today,\u201d Mallika reminds me for the third time.<\/p>\n

\n

Mallika, my five-year-old daughter calls me \u2018Appa,\u2019 which is father in my native dialect, Tamil.<\/p>\n

Near my home there is a small public park. The park has swings, colorful slides, plenty of sand and a skate arena, which attracts many children and teens from the neighborhood. Tall trees form a canopy like a giant green umbrella casting a cool shade all over the area. Best of all it is only a block away from my home.<\/p>\n

We walk. At the stop sign I say, \u201cMalli, you should look to the left, then to the right, and then left, before you cross the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halfway across, Mallika sprints across the street like a rabbit. Sensing my disapproval, she is almost in tears. \u201cAppa, you didn\u2019t tell me not to run.\u201d She promises not to do that again. \u201cNever, never, never.\u201d<\/p>\n

My heart melts.<\/p>\n

At the park Mallika glides like an eagle down the slide screaming ecstatically. She swings like a huge pendulum goading me to push her swing harder and faster. \u201cSee Appa, my feet are almost touching the tree tops,\u201d she announces. What optimism!<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t trip over.\u201d \u201cWatch other children.\u201d \u201cNot that fast down the slide.\u201d I remind Mallika as she darts from one place to another. I am unable to keep pace with her.<\/p>\n

Mallika somehow hears the faint ringing of a bell and stops. \u201cLook Appa, there he is, the ice cream man.\u201d she points him out.<\/p>\n

Already there are several children around him like ants near a lump of sugar. Mallika patiently waits for her turn and gets a Dora ice cream on a stick.<\/p>\n

As she licks Dora\u2019s head with delight, we stroll on the sand near the swings. Several children are staring at something in the sand, babbling excitedly. When we approach, they are silent. A beetle, the size of a big olive, lies on its back and struggles to get upright, frantically thrashing its legs.<\/p>\n

A cute girl breaks the silence. Thinking she owed an explanation to the new arrivals she says, \u201cIt is a bug. Poor thing, it probably fell from this tree.\u201d She looks up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Another girl predicts a doomsday scenario. \u201cSomeone will step on it soon, yuk.\u201d<\/p>\n

I pick up a small stick and gently push the beetle upright as ten pairs of eyes watch me curiously. The beetle is beautiful with blue-green iridescent wings and India-ink black underneath. I prod it to fly.<\/p>\n

The beetle struggles to move, falters like a drunkard and falls on its back again. Now I pick up a dried leaf and deftly manipulate the beetle and place it on the leaf.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will sting you,\u201d warns a teen.<\/p>\n

\u201cAppa, don\u2019t touch it. I\u2019ll tell mom,\u201d Mallika warns me. She is anxious and the children watch me silently as I take a few steps and gently place the leaf with the beetle at the foot of a tree on the grass, out of harm\u2019s way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is safe now,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n

Mallika is very proud of me. \u201cThis is my Appa,\u201d she points out. Everyone looks at me as if I am Steve Irwin who has successfully relocated a dangerous crocodile. For a moment, I am a hero. Then the children realize that the show is over and run away.<\/p>\n

One need not fly over tall buildings and save dainty damsels in distress to become a hero to children.<\/p>\n

Just saving a beetle will do.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cAppa, you promised to take me to the park today,\u201d Mallika reminds me for the third time. Mallika, my five-year-old daughter calls me \u2018Appa,\u2019 which is father in my native dialect, Tamil. Near my home there is a small public park. The park has swings, colorful slides, plenty of sand and a skate arena, which…<\/p>\n

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