My Papa!! My Hero!! (Part 1)

Name: Poovathinkal Mattackal Scaria John (P. S. John)

MEDALS TALLY IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

World Masters’ Athletic Championship, Lyon, France

From 04 to 16 August 2015

Sr No.      Year        Age Group              Event                            Time / Distance            Prize

1.              2015              M85           200 met. Hurdles                          50.68 sec.               Gold

2.              2015              M85           80 met. Hurdles                            21.78 sec.               Gold

3.              2015              M85           Long Jump                                    2.51 met.               Bronze

Asian Masters’ Athletic Championship, Taipei, Taiwan

Sr No.      Year        Age Group              Event                            Time / Distance            Prize

1.              2012              M80           80 met. Hurdles                            19.92 sec.              Gold

2.              2012              M80           200 met. Hurdles                          47.10 sec.              Gold

3.              2012              M80           2000 met. Steeplechase             14.06.90 min.             Gold

4.              2012              M80           Long Jump                                    2.94 met.         IV position

Asian Masters’ Athletic Championship, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sr No.      Year        Age Group              Event                            Time / Distance            Prize

5.              2010              M80           80 met. Hurdles                        19.64 sec.(NR)            Gold

6.              2010              M80           300 met. Hurdles                        1.23.29 min.              Gold

7.              2010              M80           Long Jump                                    3.06 met.               Bronze

Asian Masters’ Athletic Championship, Bangalore, India

Sr No.      Year        Age Group              Event                            Time / Distance            Prize

8.              2006             M75+         80 met. Hurdles                             18.8 sec.                Gold

9.              2006             M75+         300 met. Hurdles                         1.10.1 min.               Gold

Asian Masters’ Athletic Championship, Bangalore, India

Sr No.      Year        Age Group              Event                            Time / Distance            Prize

10.            2000             M70+         300 met. Hurdles                        1.05.01 min.             Bronze

National Masters’ Athletic Championship

Sr No.      Year        Age Group              Event                            Time / Distance            Prize

Bambolim Stadium, Panaji, Goa

1.              2015              M85           200 met. Hurdles                           55.6 sec.                 Gold

2.              2015              M85           80 met. Hurdles                             25.3 sec.                 Gold

3.              2015              M85           400 met. Race                              2.05.0 min.              Bronze

Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore

4.              2012              M80           200 met. Hurdles                           44.8 sec.                 Gold

5.              2012              M80           80 met. Hurdles                             20.1 sec.                 Silver

6.              2012              M80           200 met. Race                               38.25 sec.               Bronze

Chandigarh

7.              2011              M80           300 met. Hurdles                         1.20.0 min.               Gold

8.              2011              M80           Long Jump                                    3.10 met.               Bronze

9.              2011              M80           80 met. Hurdles                             19.3 sec.                Gold

Chennai

10.            2010              M80           300 met. Hurdles                         1.14.2 min.               Gold

11.            2010              M80           Long Jump                                    3.21 met.                Gold

12.            2010              M80           80 met. Hurdles                             20.2 sec.                 Gold

Guahati, Assam

13.            2008              M75           300 met. Hurdles                            1.12.66                  Silver

Pondicherry

14.            2006              M75           80 met. Hurdles                             19.0 sec.                 Gold

15.            2006              M75           300 met. Hurdles                                                         Gold

Chennai

16.            2005              M75           80 met. Hurdles                                                           Gold

17.            2005              M75           300 met. Hurdles                                                         Gold

Hyderabad

18.            2004              M70           300 met. Hurdles                        1.05.81 min.              Silver

Karnataka

19.            1996             M65+         100 met. Hurdles                                                        Bronze

Thiruvananthapuram

20.            1994             M60+         4x400 met. Relay                        5.17.3 min.              Silver

21.            1994             M60+         4x100 met. Relay                        1.01.3 min.              Bronze

Madurai

22.            1986             M55+         4x400 met. Relay                        5 min 9 sec.              Silver

Hyderabad (Lal Bahadur Stadium)

23.            1984             M55+         4x400 met. Relay                          58.9 sec.                Bronze

24             1984             M55+         400 met. Race                              1.11.0 min.             Silver

25.            1984             M55+         400 met. Hurdles                         1.23.8 min.              Silver

26.            1984             M55+         100 met. Hurdles                           20.4 sec.                Silver

27.            1984             M55+         4x400 met. Relay                        4.57.8 min.              Silver

Karnataka

28.            1983             M50+         400 met. Hurdles                         1.29.4 min.              Bronze

Kerala State Masters’ Athletic Championship

Sr No.      Year        Age Group              Event                            Time / Distance            Prize

Kozhikode

1.              2015              M85           200 met. Hurdles                          46.54 sec.                Gold

2.              2015              M85           100 met. Hurdles                          23.80 sec.                Gold

3.              2015              M85           400 met. Race                             2.01.81 min.             Gold

Kochi

4.              2013              M80           80 met. Hurdles                              22 sec.                  Gold

5.              2013              M80           100 met. Race                                16.7 sec.                Gold

6.              2013              M80           200 met. Hurdles                           46.5 sec.                 Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

7.              2012              M80           300 met. Hurdles                         1.22.9 min                Gold

8.              2012              M80           200 met. Hurdles                           39.1 sec.                 Gold

9.              2012              M80           80 met. Hurdles                             19.1 sec.                 Gold

Kannur

10.            2011              M80           80 met. Hurdles                                                            Gold

11.            2011              M80           Long Jump                                                                   Gold

Ernakulam

12.            2010              M80           Long Jump                                    3.20 met.                Gold

13.            2010              M80           300 met. Hurdles                         1.19.9 min.               Gold

14.            2010              M80           80 met. Hurdles                             20.1 sec.                 Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

15.            2009              M75           Long Jump                                    2.64 met.                Gold

16.            2009              M75           80 met. Hurdles                            20.90 sec.                Gold

17.            2009              M75           300 met. Hurdles                         1.27.8 min.               Gold

Kozhikode

18.            2008              M75           400 met. Race                                                             Gold

19.            2008              M75           300 met. Hurdles                        1.26.50 min.              Gold

20.            2008              M75           100 met. Hurdles                                                         Gold

Ernakulam

21.            2007              M75           400 met. Race                                                              Gold

22.            2007              M75           300 met. Hurdles                                                          Gold

23.            2007              M75           80 met. Hurdles                                                            Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

24.            2006              M75           200 met.                                         38.6 sec.                Gold

25.            2006              M75           300 met. Hurdles                         1.13.1 min.                Gold

26.            2006              M75           80 met. Hurdles                             19.6 sec.                 Silver

Ernakulam

27.            2005              M75           400 met. Race                              1.33.3 min.               Gold

28.            2005              M75           80 met. Hurdles                             19.4 sec.                 Gold

29.            2005              M75           300 met. Hurdles                         1.13.3 min.               Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

30.            2004              M70           80 met. Hurdles                            18.35 sec.                Silver

31.            2004              M70           300 met. Hurdles                        1.11.13 min.              Gold

32.            2004              M70           400 met. Race                                                             Gold

Kozhikode

33.            2003              M70           300 met. Hurdles                         1.08.6 min.               Gold

34.            2003              M70           80 met. Hurdles                             17.4 sec.                Gold

35.            2003              M70           400 met. Race                                                             Gold

Kottayam

36.            2002              M70           300 met. Hurdles                        1.09.02 min.              Gold

37.            2002              M70           80 met. Hurdles                             18.6 sec.                 Gold

38.            2002              M70           400 met. Race                              1.25.5 min.               Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

39.            2001              M70           80 met. Hurdles                             19.2 sec.                Gold

40.            2001              M70           400 met. Hurdles                         1.45.0 min.               Gold

41.            2001              M70           400 met. Race                              1.32.6 min.              Gold

42.            2000              M70           400 met. Race                              1.18.9 min.               Gold

43.            2000              M70           100 met. Race                                16.7 sec.                 Gold

44.            2000              M70           200 met. Race                                34.9 sec.                 Gold

Palakkad

45.            1999              M65           300 met. Hurdles                                                          Gold

46.            1999              M65           100 met. Hurdles                           22.1 sec.                 Silver

47.            1999              M65           400 met. Race                              1.25.6 min.               Gold

Kollam

48.            1998              M65           400 met. Race                              1.23.5 min.               Gold

49.            1998              M65           300 met. Hurdles                         1.9.23 min.               Gold

50.            1998              M65           5 km Walk                                    37.38 min.               Silver

Trissur

51.            1997              M65           100 met. Hurdles                           22.6 sec.                 Silver

52.            1997              M65           400 met. Race                              1.15.9 min.               Gold

53.            1997              M65           400 met. Hurdles                         1.02.9 min.               Gold

Kottayam

54.            1996              M65           300 met. Hurdles                          59.00 sec.                Gold

55.            1996              M65           100 met. Hurdles                           22.2 sec.                 Gold

56.            1996              M65           400 met. Race                              1.17.3 min.               Silver

Pathanamthitta

57.            1995              M65           400 met. Hurdles                         1.35.8 min.               Gold

58.            1995              M65           110 met. Hurdles                          22.36 sec.                Gold

59.            1995              M65           400 met. Race                             1.23.18 min.              Silver

Idukki

60.            1994             M60+         400 met. Race                              1.18.4 min.               Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

61.            1993              M60           400 met. Race                              1.16.7 min.               Silver

Kannur

62.            1992              M60           400 met. Race                                                             Bronze

63.            1992              M60           100 met. Hurdles                                                          Gold

64.            1992              M60           300 met. Hurdles                                                          Silver

Thiruvananthapuram

65.            1991             M60+         800 met. Race                              3.13.1 min.               Gold

66.            1991             M60+         110 met. Hurdles                           21.3 sec.                 Silver

67.            1991             M60+         400 met. Hurdles                         1.21.2 min.                  

Ernakulam

68.            1990             M60+         400 met. Race                                                              Silver

69.            1990             M60+         110 met. Hurdles                                                          Silver

Quilon

70.            1989             M55+         110 met. Hurdles                           27.5 sec.                 Gold

71.            1989             M55+         400 met. Hurdles                         1.38.4 min.               Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

72.            1988             M55+         400 met. Race                                                              Silver

73.            1988             M55+         10 km Walk                                  14.17.26.6                Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

74.            1987             M55+         400 met. Hurdles                         1.24.8 min.               Gold

75.            1987             M55+         400 met. Race                              1.12.5 min.               Gold

76.            1987             M55+         110 met. Hurdles                           24.4 sec.                 Silver

77.            1987             M55+         800 met. Race                    3.4.4 min. (RECORD)      Gold

Thiruvananthapuram

78.            1986             M55+         800 met.                                  3.24.9 min. (NR)           Gold

79.            1986             M55+         400 met. Hurdles                         1.30.5 min.               Silver

80.            1986             M55+         110 met. Hurdles                           24.9 sec.                 Silver

Thiruvananthapuram

81.            1985             M55+         400 met. Race                              1.12.2 min.               Silver

82.            1985             M55+         800 met. Race                               55.59 sec.                Gold

83.            1985             M55+         400 met. Hurdles                          55.59 sec.                Gold

84.            1985             M55+         110 met. Hurdles                           23.7 sec.                 Silver

Inter-School Athletic Meet

1.              1981                               200 met. Race                                                              Silver

2.            1979-80          M40+         3000 met. Walk                                                            Silver

3.            1979-80          M40+         1500 met. Race                                                           Bronze

4.            1978-79          M40+         3000 met. Walk                                                            Gold

5.            1977-78          M40+         3000 met. Walk                                                            Gold

Kerala Schools Championships for Teachers, GMHS, Kanjirapally Dist. Schools Athletic Meet

1.            1977-78                             Shot Put                                                                      Bronze

2.              1976                                3000 met. Walk                                                            Gold

3.            1976-77          M40+         3000 met. Walk                                                            Silver

4.            1975-76                             3000 met. Walk                                                            Gold

5.            1975-76                             1500 met. Race                                                           Bronze

YMCA, Kottayam, All Kerala Sports

1.              1953                                Cross Country                                                              Silver

Travancore-Cochin Olympic Association 1952, Trivandrum,  Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium

1.              1952                                110 met. Hurdles                                                          Silver

Championship                Gold          Silver                     Bronze                Total

World                               2                                            1

Asiad                                7                                            2

National                           12            9                              7

State                                64            18                            1

Others                               4             5                             3

                                       89            32                           14                       135     

January 7, 1966 - January 7, 2016

Thank God that I'm still here to write one more Birthday journal at the age of 50...

The length of my journey on Earth is..
50 years

600 months

2,608 weeks

18,262 days

438,288 hours

26,297,280 minutes

1,577, 836,800 seconds

I was born on a full moon day on 7^th January 1966 and since then the full moon appeared 619 times.

January 1966
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31

As I was going through last year's journal, I realised that nothing has been changed much..So I am posting the same with slight changes..
2015 was indeed special as it was an anxious waiting to turn 50!! And at the end of the day I can only say 'Thanks' to everyone, for everything..
Life taught me the way down to Earth, leaving the tough upward journey in life’s ladder. My priorities stopped changing according to my needs; rather it changes according to the situations where others need me.

I’m so happy to pass through each year as I believe that best is yet to be. Life is not the number of years we breathe. Life is something that even death cannot take away from us. Life never dies.

The more I live, the more I wonder and the less I speak! All I understand is that everything is beyond my comprehension and best is to be present in each moment, wondering about the marvel of Creation.

The more I live I come to know that everything is predestined and designed and the best is to live through life, touching each precious moments in gratitude.

I am sure that the best thing to happen need not be something that makes you laugh. May be, the best moment was when I stopped someone cry.

The best gift wasn’t something very expensive that I got, but probably the love that flowed through me when someone needed it.

And the more I live, the more I pray for Grace and Strength that comes from God.

I expect less, share more.

I worry less,  try to hold on to faith.

I cry less, smile more.

All these changes wouldn’t have been possible without God and God sent people. Thanks to people who I have known since my birth, stayed in my life since years, came to my life till today, not to forget the people who left me along the journey. I thank you all, as your coming or going made me grow into what I am now.

I learnt that each day is my chance to return love to the people who love us and a chance to make up for the hurt and pain that I’ve caused to others. The best thought that I had this year is, ‘Many people have helped us to strengthen our wings so that we can fly to new heights. But the same strength has to be used to reach back to them in gratitude, to take a detour and come back home and to our dear ones. If our feathers are designed with the magic of love, they will surely help us fly back home, where we started.’

The journey continues. With a heart full of thanks I bow before my parents who taught me life as a journey from Heaven to Earth and then from Earth to Heaven...I learnt almost everything from them, also from my brother, my husband, my kids, my friends...

And all my learning comes to one single point called Love: a Love that lives for others, a love that makes sacrifices, a love that gives others life, a Love called God..

Thanks to all who were and are and will be in my life. If God wills, I will continue this journal on January 7, 2017!!

Teacher's Day Journal: Miracle called 'Child'

Harish with Hari!! A friend indeed!!!

Here is Harish's group of friends, his supporters!!

Harish's entry on stage!

A scene from the play!!

For the past two days there is hardly any student in the classrooms. They were busy with the preparations for Teacher’s Day.

It was Thursday. As many weren’t in the class, I sat there along with a few students who weren’t participating in the program.

There were two boys on a bench involved in a deep conversation; one of them, a physically challenged boy who was looking angry and upset. After a while, I could see his friend had closed his ears with his fingers and was very much frustrated. Finally he got up and walked away from him. I called him to check what really went wrong. What I found out opened my eyes!!

He: ‘Ma’am, Harish loves to participate in the program but he is too scared that others will mock at him as he is handicapped. We (8 friends in his group) are trying to encourage him to be on stage. He is talented. Though he is handicapped he manages to run, to do gymnastics and he can play some part in a skit too. But he doesn’t listen to our words and gets angry whenever we tell him to perform!

Me: Leave him alone if he doesn’t want to be on stage. Why are you making him angry?

He: But Ma’am, he loves to be on stage and he has to go and perform. He is scared of the few boys who tease him. He says that he will leave our school.

Me: Oh!! Others tease him?

(He discretely showed me the 2 boys who tease Harish)

He: Ma’am, only when he goes on stage they will stop teasing him. All of us encourage him so much. Why can’t he listen to us than listening to the ones that tease him, Ma’am?

(Everything made sense, but I was completely lost)

Me: Now, what do you want him to do? And how to make him perform?

He: Can you help us Ma’am? Will you please tell him to participate in the Teacher’s Day skit Ma’am?

Me: I can tell him. But will he get a role?

He: Yes Ma’am, Our friends are there in the skit. If the seniors give permission, he can join.

I took Harish and his friends outside the classroom. I made Harish understand that he has to take the first step to come out of his own handicap. He finally agreed to fight it out and was too happy. In no time his friends brought the boys who were in the skit. They were beaming with joy. They called the Asst Captain also and she promised me that she will make sure that he is going to play a role in the skit. Harish looked confident and was gathering courage and determination to break the walls of limitations around him. From now on, Harish’s world would expand and his horizons would widen!!

Harish’s friends jumped around me and thanked me as I made it happen!! They looked at me as if I am a magician. Yes, what they couldn’t do in all these years, I did it in a minute!! But then, did I do anything great? Is the Teacher a miracle maker? NO, NO, NO!!!

As I took my bag and walked past the children I had started admiring them. 11 year old children taught me the positive result of unfailing love, kindness, support, encouragement and friendship. My hope in the New Gen increased to another level and a doubt remained if it is the adults’ selfish lives that pollute the young minds!!

Today we celebrated Teacher’s Day. Yes, Harish played the role of 'Good Student' in the play along with his friends in the comedy skit. He has gone miles in his life than yesterday. His friends are sincerely happy for him. I took the group to our School Correspondent with this inspirational story and she congratulated all of them. What better thing could happen on a Teacher’s Day!

A Teacher isn’t a miracle maker, yet plays a part in the making of a miracle. The real miracle is the ‘Student’, the ‘Child’, who teaches her unending lessons of goodness and innocence. And each time when I witness such a miracle, I thank God for making me a Teacher.

I remember all my Teachers who made Miracles happen in my life and thank all the educational institutional institutions (where I studied and at present working) for moulding a better person out of me.

With a prayer to Almighty God to bless all the teachers with His wisdom and knowledge, Sindhu. 

On the eve of Women's Day...A Tribute to a Great Woman! (Written on behalf of her daughter)

They call me Nirbhaya

And I call myself Nirbhagya

Till that day I was one among you

Today I am alone, I lost my life

I’m alone but not so far

From the sobs of my Dad and Mom

How can I leave you in your grief

That’s killing you alive each painful day?

How can I tell you that I am here

Free to choose a hell or heaven

Home is where I first saw love

It’s in your arms I first felt safe

The daughter who brought you smiles

Turned to a scar in your heart

They took my life, my home, my joy

The monsters born of another woman

What bled me the most wasn’t the rape

But the shame and pain that my parents bore

Rapist is a name they call

The person who commits the crime

What can I call them, the others,

Who blindly live when my home is hell?

I am just a name for them to discuss

Never will justice dry my tears

I fought for life to save the rest

Who else can save them, if not a woman?

They left me to the mercy of justice

They think I’m a hero, but I’m not

They killed me, I didn’t die for a cause

I tried to live for a cause, I couldn’t

They sleep when my Dad keeps awake

They laugh when my Mom wipes her tears

Now I see the truth so clear

I can hear each word they utter

Nothing is changed, nothing will change

No justice can undo the injustice done

Women still live as makers of men

Care takers, cooks and tools for them

If they could kill me and yet feel fine

No human justice can ever be done

A day should come when women know

That they aren’t made by a lesser God

Empowerment is realising power

Within one self and fighting one’s fight

I didn’t win, but my Mom is fighting

Her own battle, with grit and faith

Ma,I lost the life that you gave me in your womb

And now I live in your heart as a sad memory.

I salute you Mom, for not letting go

The right to fight for your little girl

Mom, I call you Nirbhaya

As you change your silent tears into a voice heard

You stood there, you never gave up, you fought for justice

I wish you ‘Proud women’s day', you are my Hero, my mother