I was born on 13 October 1925. My parents, John and Sarah, were moderately rich among their peers. In those days, it never crossed my parents' or their immediate relations' mind that one day their children would need a passport. The date of birth was recorded in Malayalam Era 101 Kanni 27th and its equivalent in the Gregorian calendar, 13 October 1925, was recorded in my passport. As was the custom, I went to school with my peers. I was not a good student at school, but I struggled through high school and passed the SSLC exam. All through my studies I wanted to become a dentist. After a year of wandering with uncertainty, in 1949, I was admitted to the State Medical Faculty of West Bengal, Calcutta Dental College. Once I selected my profession, I exceled in my studies, and finally achieved my Diploma LDS, SMF. Thereafter, I taught dental students in the Dental wing of the Madras Medical College for five years.