1. Wise and Otherwise :
Story 21:
Salaam Namaste
Gokhale Education Society’s
S.M.R.K. B.K. A.K. Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Nasik-5.
Ms. Geetanjali Gitay
Assistant Professor
Dept. of English
CC English (LL)
T.Y.B.Com. Sem V
Unit 4
3. • Sudha Murthy
• Sheikh Mohammad : Stationery Shop Owner
• Zubeida : Sheikh Mohammad’s sister
• Tabbassum :Zubeida’s daughter
• Ameena : Sheikh’s daughter
Summary
• Sudha Murthy used to buy books for the Banglore slum schools she supported from Sheikh
Mohammad’s tiny shop. He had a shop selling stationery near Sudha Murthy’s office an she would
buy books in bulk from him. They would pick up the books from the shop and let him know when
the check was ready. He would then come to the office and collect it.
• Once, when he came to the office to get his cheque, they were celebrating something and sweets
were being handed out to everyone. Sheikh was offered some as well. He took a couple and
carefully away in his pocket. Sudha Murthy asked why wasn’t he eating the sweets?
• Sheikh was a shy, taciturn man and Sudha Murthy knew a little him and his family, so she was
pleasantly surprised when Sheikh told her that he has one daughter and his niece along with his
widowed sister Zubeida lives with him. So there are two children in the house.
Characters
4. • Sudha Murthy realised that it must be tough for Sheikh to manage a fairly large household with
only the income from his little shop. Mrs. Murthy asked whether Zubeida worked?
• Sheikh told that Zubeida was a very good tailor. She and his wife did tailoring at home. With their
income and the money he earned from the shop they got by quite well. They were content.
• Months passed and one day Sudha Murthy got a call from Sheikh. He wanted Sudha Murthy to
give him his cheque a few days earlier than usual. Some days back , he had discovered that his
sister Zubeida was suffering from cancer. There was her operation the next day and he needed the
money. Sudha Murthy sent the cheque immediately, she realised that such operations were
costly and the money would not be enough for him but still he hadn’t asked for more.
•Sudha Murthy called him and asked whether he needed more money. He told that he had sold
Zubeida and his wive’s jewellery and he had also taken a loan from the bank.
• He added that at least he could afford that much, Sudha Murthy was helping much poorer people.
However, Sudha Murthy handed him a cheque of rupees fifty thousand the next day. She got the
message that the operation had gone well. For a long time after that, Sudha Murthy did not hear
anything from him.
Summary (cntd)
5. • Then one day, Sudha Murthy found him sitting him at the reception in her office. A little girl of
about four was by his side. The girl was wearing simple clothes.
• Upon asking, Sheikh tells that Zubeida passed away a fortnight back. In spite all the efforts she did
not survive. The little girl with him was Zubeida’s daughter, Tabassum. Sudha Murthy offered her
some biscuits.She took one extra for her cousin Ameena. Then Sheikh asks her to convey her
Ammi’s salaam to Sudha Murthy. Tabassum says to Sudha Murthy “ Ammi ka salaam.”
•Sudha Murthy was at a loss for words. And then Sheikh returns three thousand rupees to her.
Out of the fifty thousand she gave, he used only forty seven and had been returning the money
which was not utilised. It was Zubeida who had asked Sheikh to return the money so that it can
be used for some other sick person. She wanted to meet Sudha Murthy but it wasn’t meant to be.
• Sudha Murthy feels stunned at is left speechless at the largeness of Zubeida’s heart. Her story is a
lesson in compassion. She couldn’t come herself but she sent her daughter. Through the act of
sending Tabassum she was perhaps passing on her positive attitude to the child. Sudha Murthy
states that the earth is enriched by the people like Zubeida. Sudha Murthy thinks that one day
Tabassum wouls also emulate her mother’s courage.
Summary (cntd)
6. Text Content Source :
1 .Wise and Otherwise, Murthy Sudha, Penguine India, New Delhi, Reprint(2006).
