Short Answer Questions — 2 Marks Each

Answer: A telephone call gives immediate communication but, according to Kurien, its joy is fleeting. A written letter can be preserved, re-read years later and continue to give lasting pleasure.

Answer: Kurien believes that with age and distance from the events, Siddharth may understand his grandfather’s choices and life of service more deeply than he can at present.

Answer: They hoped to build an India where people lived proudly in freedom, were free from hunger and poverty, treated one another with equal respect and love, and helped the country become one of the leading nations of the world.

Answer: He agreed to work for a small cooperative of dairy farmers who wanted greater control over their lives. He describes this decision as the transformation that changed the direction of his life.

Answer: He could have pursued metallurgy and become a company executive, taken a commission in the Indian Army, or moved to the United States and become a successful NRI.

Answer: He chose Anand because, deep down, he believed that working there would allow him to make a more meaningful contribution.

Answer: She accepted life in a place that, at the time, could not offer even many simple comforts that they might otherwise have taken for granted.

Answer: He says his contributions were possible because he worked with many people. Therefore, recognition given to him also represents the achievements of those people.

Answer: Kurien defines personal integrity as being honest with yourself.

Answer: A person may help a friend who needs support, volunteer when a teacher needs help, or contribute to the needs of the local community.

Answer: He considers failure to be not giving one’s best effort and not making even a modest contribution to the common good.

Answer: We usually see only part of another person’s life and may mistake that outside image for complete happiness. Kurien calls these appearances “images of perfection”.

Answer: They told him that the medal was his as much as Kurien’s, but he should not be satisfied merely with keeping his grandfather’s award. He should do work in his own lifetime and earn his own reward.

Answer: He speaks of being brave enough to love, strong enough to rejoice in another person’s happiness, and wise enough to know that there is enough to go around for all.

Answer: He dedicates them to his grandson Siddharth and to the millions of other children of Siddharth’s generation in India.