Could hardly believe my ears when I heard about it, and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the boy himself on 18 Dec, Saturday! Gandham Bhuvan Jai, all of 8 years, just about 2920 days old, conquered all of the 5642 metres of Mount Elbrus, the highest and most prominent peak in Russia and Europe. (It is situated in the western part of the Caucasus and is the highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains.) I remembered a couple of lines of the late Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry’s song:
“నింగి ఎంత గొప్పదైన, రివ్వుమన్న గువ్వపిల్ల రెక్కముందు తక్కువేనురా!
సంద్రమెంత పెద్దదైన, ఈదుతున్న చేప పిల్ల మొప్ప ముందు చిన్నదెనురా !!”
"Ningi Entha Goppadhaina Rivvumanna Guvvapilla Rekkamundhu Thakkuvenuraa
Sandramentha Peddhadaina Eedhuthunna Chepapilla Moppamundhu Chinnadhenuraa"
So what’s a tall mountain in front of a young boy’s determination to scale any summit? Usually, what will parents do if their 8-year-old says, ‘Dad, Mom, I’m going to climb an icy mountain’? They may mutter, ‘Yeah, right. Just climb into your bed and go to sleep.’ And, forget all about it. But then Bhuvan’s dad is no ordinary person - he was the first person in his family to pass the tenth exams; then he secured a job in the railways. Did he rest with that? No, he pursued and achieved his dream of joining the civil services and became an IAS officer - that’s Gandham Chandrudu, the father of the mountain-conquering 8-year-old Gandham Bhuvan Jai.
I was so happy to be part of the function to felicitate young Bhuvan Jai, on Saturday, 18 Dec, organized by Samanvaye Foundation in association with Midwest Granite Pvt Ltd. The moving force behind Samanvaye Foundation, Dr James Watt Kommu garu, was one of the producers of my film Nuvvu Thopu Raa. He always takes the lead, whether in encouraging talent or helping those in need. I consider it my luck and privilege that I know him - am sure all those who know James Watt garu feel the same way.
Gandham Chandrudu garu, we will always gratefully remember the help you extended to us for Nuvvu Thopu Raa. It was your efforts which resulted in pan-India star rebel star Prabhas releasing the first trailer of Nuvvu Thopu Raa, an enormous publicity boost for the film.
I warmly wish that your son Bhuvan conquers many, many more summits!