IN DIU The Contented Official

`I WAS VERY PROUD WHEN PRESIDENT PRATIBHA PATIL PRAISED MY COMPERING ON HER LAST VISIT HERE' ANIL & SUSHMITA KAUSHIK (WITH SON KULSOBHAN) BUREAUCRAT, UNION TERRITORY OF DIU
HE DID A PH.D IN HINDI literature from Punjab University, Chandigarh, and always aspired to teach Hindi poetry in the interiors of Himachal. But fate decided otherwise. Dr Anil Kaushik now finds himself in the former Portuguese colony of Diu, as an assistant director (official language) in the collectorate. Anil attributes this change in his life to fate: “Every moment is pre-decided, so I accept everything that life offers,“ he says. Standing in the magnificent 16th century Diu fort, the 38-year-old native of Haryana explains that his job requires him to train government employees in developing their Hindi language skills. Anil moved to Diu in 1996, when he joined government service, and admits he would never have thought of settling in this former Portuguese colony otherwise. His wife Sushmita is a teacher in a private school, and their only son, nineyear-old Kulshobhan, studies in class 4.
Anil, an avid reader of writers like Premchand, Dinkar and Nirala, feels that Hindi literature is a mirror that reflects Indian life as it is, which no other literary works and certainly not anything in English, do. “True India, its people and its life, are reflected in our literature, so I wanted to teach it,“ he explains. “I still dream of teaching the novels of Premchand, and the poetry of Dinkar and Nirala in the US if I get a chance.“
However, Diu is not really second-best.
Sipping coffee in his sea-facing government residence, Anil says: “I am thankful to this job which brought me here. Walking in the morning along the serene coastline is an immense pleasure one would never get elsewhere.“
Anil and Sushmita were married in 2000, without meeting each other even once. “He didn't come to see me as our engagement was decided by our families,“ explains Sushmita. “However, after marriage we realised that we share good chemistry. We are content with whatever God has given us,“ she adds.
The Kaushiks have not really savoured the joys of travelling to all parts of India, primarily because, come vacations, they return to their hometown every year. “Anil has not taken us to many places,“ explains Sushmita.
“But I want to go to Kerala, because I read that it's one of the 50 most beautiful places in the world.“ About Diu, she says it's a wonderful place though a little far-flung and isolated. “I also miss north Indian sweets and sarson da saag, because I grew up eating those in Pinjore,“ says Sushmita. However, the Kaushiks make the most of their location when it comes to food. “We eat many different types of vegetables, sugar-laden Gujarati food, and even north Indian sabzis,“ says Anil.
Despite being in such an `isolated' place, the couple once had a chance to be upfront in a Bollywood movie. “During the shooting of the movie Aakrosh in Diu, we were asked to sit with actress Bipasha Basu in an icecream parlour,“ recalls Sushmita. “But Anil refused because he is very camera shy.“ She sighs. “I very much wanted to feature in the shooting but we missed an opportunity to be seen in the film.“
However, there have been other times when the couple has been in the limelight.
Anil is a regular compere at official events like Independence Day, Republic Day or during the visit of state dignitaries. “It was a proud moment for me when President Pratibha Patil praised my compering during her last visit to the union territory last January,“ says Anil.
But no matter where they live, the Kaushiks stay positive about India's future.
“The country has made progress in the last few years but without corruption, the benefits of development will not reach the farflung interiors,“ they say.