JAWAHAR NAVODAYA�� VIDYALAYA� � MURSHIDABAD,�� WEST BENGAL

�PREPARED BY �� DILIP KUMAR SAH �� TGT ENGLISH�

�The lesson:��A visit to Cambridge �� BY� Firdaus Kanga

Once the author, Firdaus Kanga,a writer and journalist, who was a completely disabled man with brittle bones, made a plan to visit to Cambridge that was the metaphor of England . Specially he made a plan to meet Stephen Hawking ,the distinguished and extraordinary scientist and astrophysicist who was also a completely paralysed and disabled person .

He was also the author of “ A Brief History of Time’ , one of the biggest best sellers at that time and he was the worthy successor to SIR Isaac Newton. After completion the walking tour through Cambridge, he succeeded to meet Stephen Hawking for thirty minutes from 3.30 PM to 4.00 PM by the help of his assistant through phone. �

The next afternoon, Stephen Hawking informed him that he had not been brave and that he had no choice. The author wished to share his opinion that living in a disintegrated body can never be a choice but he kept quiet.

The writer felt guilty every time to get the response of Stephen Hawking who was sitting opposite to him as he was scarcely searching words by tapping little switch on his computer. But his mind was full of thoughts and ideas.

Then the writer asked further question whether he was happy inside. Hawking responded that he found amusing when people patronise him. The writer asked further whether he felt annoyed when people like him disturbed him. The answer flashed ‘yes’. Hawking smiled after giving this answer.

The writer was shocked to see the person like a still photograph as he saw in magazine and newspaper. He observed his head twisted sideways, his upper part of the body shrunk inside the pale blue shirt, his leg got wasted and his eyes wanted to say something huge and urgent.

He compares Stephen Hawking to a lantern whose walls are so thin that anyone can view the light inside glow of a man that he was having the same . The writer asked Hawking’s advice about the best thing about being disabled.

The reply was negative. The writer’s next question was whether this didn’t help him discover great kindness in the world. The voice agreed fully with the writer. Like others, the writer also got highly inspired by the answers. This idea didn’t appeal or console Hawking. The question made the writer feel sorry.�

Lastly the writer asked him about his final advice to the disabled people. The voice advised the disabled to concentrate on what they are good at. They should try nothing beyond it. Hawking asked Kanga to have tea with him and took him to show the garden.

They could not talk much as the glare of the Sun made the letters on the screen disappear, so Hawking became silent. It was more than an hour and it was time to leave.

The author wanted to kiss him or cry, but he could not do so. He merely touched his shoulders and ended of his journey in England. The writer found his journey was over. It was very successful and inspiring. �

��THANK YOU