My basic education is in Physics with
specialization in Crystallography. I completed my Master degree (M. Sc.)
in 1969 in Crystallography from Ranchi
University, Ranchi, India, which used to be a reasonably good institution.
After M. Sc., I got a research position in National Metallurgical
Laboratory, Jamshedpur, India, which was under the control of Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It was a very good research
institution and I did some useful work in structure of alloys. My
supervisor found some merit in my research findings and asked me to present my
findings at one of the national conferences in Physics. After a year of
research I decided to move and got a Physics lecturer (Assistant Professor)
position in Ranchi University,
India. I
preferred this job than metallurgical research and became a good Physics
teacher. I worked there for two years. During this time my Mama (my
mother's brother) Dr. Jamuna Prasad (an excellent mathematician) who was a high
ranking employee in a British Oil company (BP) in England and his wife (mami)
Dr. Gisela Prasad (a brilliant geologist), encouraged me to study Computer
Science at Cambridge University, England. At that time I was ignorant
about computers so did not get excited but agreed to follow their advise mainly because of a chance to go abroad. They
were very kind and generous and trusted my ability to start higher education in
a completely new field and do very good. I was admitted in the computer
science department of Cambridge University and left India in 1972 leaving behind some
happy and some unhappy family members and friends.
When I arrived at Cambridge railway
station, I had only 3 British Pounds in my pocket. However, I did not
have to face any hardships because my mama and mami had made all necessary
arrangements at one of the best Halls of Residence called Darwin College.
They provided me more than enough financial support and I lived in England like a rich
student but did not do excellent in my study. They did not, however, lose
trust in me neither did I and determined to do better
in my higher studies. They were ready to pay for my further education but
I decided to earn part of my expenses. I earned and
saved some money by living in a dilapidated house, painting other people houses,
and claimed unemployment benefits. Well by doing all these I manage to get my master degree
in computer science from
the University of Manchester, Manchester, England and got a job at
International Computers Limited (ICL), Bracknell. I worked there for 4
years and developed ICL's Transaction management software. My aim was to get my Ph.D.
so I regarded this job as a stepping stone. My luck was with me and on my
request the company provided me financial support for doing Ph.D. I
joined Southampton University, Southampton,
England because
ICL had a collaborative project there. I started working under the
supervision of Dr. David Baron but technically my main supervisor was Dr.
Santosh Shrivastava, an excellent researcher at the University of Newcastle
upon Tyne. While doing Ph.D., I met a very nice girl,
Elizabeth Ann Gollaglee, who was doing her undergraduate in computer science at
Southampton University. I was lucky to have
many chances to help her in her database course without affecting my
work. During these meetings, our friendship developed in a very natural
way and turned into a life-long relationship. We got married in 1986.
At the end of the third
year of my study (1982) I heard from ICL that they would fire a number of
employees. I wanted to be among one of those unlucky employees. In
fact I was very lucky to get fired with enough money to complete my
degree. I submitted my Ph.D. dissertation in December of 1982, and my
defense was set in March 1983. In December 1982, I got an offer from Cleveland State
University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA to join their computer science
department as an assistant professor. I was quite excited and without
further negotiation I accepted the job. I later realized that with a bit
of patience and wisdom I could have ended up at a research university. I
came to Cleveland
in January 1983 to begin my teaching career in computer science. It was a
total change of environment, climate, society, and many others. I
defended my dissertation successfully in March 1983 and finally moved to USA for
good. I moved from Cleveland State to University
of Massachusetts, Boston
and finally I settled at the University
of Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri.
One of the unavoidable
activities of my profession is to meet deadlines in all kinds of
activities. There is no end to it and there would never be one.
Like many, I miss quite a number of deadlines. Along with the
adventure with deadlines, I enjoy doing woodworking with some occasional help
from our two children Krishana Alexander Kumar and Arjun Nigel Kumar. We build our household furniture in our workshop. We are
also good at framing pictures, paintings, etc., and Elizabeth is very good in needlework,
knitting, sewing, and in the art of contented living. I enjoy classical
music and play a little bit of Tabla and Mridangam (Indian percussion
instruments). Fortunately my Tabla and Mridangam practice does not
irritate the listeners who are mainly my family members. My children sometime dance on the beat. I also
practice to live in the world, which is beyond the reach of our senses.
In that world I have been practicing Yogasan and its philosophy from the age of
12 years. I taught Yogasan at several places in England and in USA. In Kansas City I teach Yogasan and its
philosophy to a group of about 35 dedicated people. I also get
invitations to give lectures on Vedic Dharma. It is also called Sanatan Dharma,
which was called Hindu Dharma by outsiders who came to India from the time of
Alexander the Great. Note that India never had
religion and never will be. It has Dharma which is very
different that religion. It is, therefore, incorrect to treat Hindu
Dharma as a religion.
It can be called an origin of religion from where any number of
religions can be carved out. Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, etc., have their origin in Hindu dharma.
It is a great achievement
if one can learn to live a contented life. This is possible only if one
derives complete satisfaction on the result- whatever it might be, of his/her sincere and hard work. Life must be managed by the wisdom we posses, which
is hidden deep inside everybody and never by the desires of senses, which never
end. I believe that one should
have and should continue to develop many hobbies, which are essential to manage
old age very happily and peacefully. Life is divine so it is always fine.