The Hindu Business Line : Cows, goats and a cart-pusher with a CA goal

TIRUPATI is considered the abode of the richest god in India. But my guest this week, R. Thirupathi from Tirupattur, is anything but rich, for he comes from a family that survives on agriculture and is steeped in debt. He is preparing for PE-II and the exams are just about a month away, but he is determined to finish the course and go back to his place as a CA.

None in his family — including the uncles and their progeny — has crossed 10th standard. His father finished primary school and did some cattle trading, then farming on leased land. "What are the economics?" I ask. "He would take 1-1/2 acres for an annual lease of Rs 4,000 and grow paddy and ragi.

Previously electricity was free, now we have to pay for it. When there is no rain, there is poor harvest." On the assets side of his papa's balance sheet, there are two cows and two goats too. There are those milkmen who come to milk the cows, take the yield to the depot and collect Rs 10 for a litre. Keeping Rs 2.50 for themselves, they would give Rs 7.50 to the owner of the cow. "Is that enough?" I ask. "That would meet the fodder and medicine expenses," explains Thirupathi. "At the end of the month, there would be a surplus, if everything goes well."

What about the goats? "Every six months, there is a new arrival and you feed it for six months, it can fetch Rs 1,000", he tells me. "If you have 10 goats," he suggests, "there would be a steady income." This may give a better return than the stock market, I think.

His two sisters, older than him, were married off, as usual, on loaned funds, and again, as common in most rural households, the debt burden has weighed down the family. Add to it some injury, such as the one his father suffered recently, and income dries up. "I called home a few weeks back," Thirupathi tells me. "To ask for Rs 1,000 for my expenses. My father said he would sell a calf and send me the money." That's great, for somebody who has not studied beyond 5th standard to allow his son to study, instead of demanding that he go for a job and earn for himself.

"How are you getting on here?" I query. He narrates how a friend brought him and got accommodation in Perambur. "There are four students in the room, and the rent is Rs 1,300. Per head it comes to Rs 325. For electricity and water, my expense is roughly Rs 75. My father has saved some rice at home and I bring 10 kilos every month. If I had to buy it here, that would cost me Rs 150.

The others eat outside, but I cook food using a kerosene stove. I bring kerosene too from home, but I can't bring it in train. So whenever I want to go to and from my native place, I travel in lorry that my brother-in-law drives. That saves me the bus/train fare too. I buy sambar, rasam and sabji from a neighbour for Rs 250 a month. My cash outflow for food is Rs 400 a month." What about the inflows, I wonder.

It is at this point that I come across something interesting. Thirupathi says that it is his younger brother who sends in the money from Bangalore. "He didn't study beyond 10th and began to work for some time as helper to masons. Then he joined a company as office boy, for Rs 3000 a month. He sends me at least Rs 1,000 a month for my expenses." You would have to repay all that, I ask him. "My brother says: You don't have to repay. Just give me a `pass' result." It moves me to hear that the chhota bhai earns extra money after office hours, by pushing carts to deliver almirahs and other furniture, for Rs 20 a trip.

Well, it is not as if my guest does not know what physical labour is. He has worked as a helper in building construction. "From my 7th standard onwards, during every summer vacation, I would go and work for masons." Doing what? "Mixing cement, carrying bricks, lifting cement bags. At the end of about 1-1/2 months the mason would give me a pant-shirt bit.

In the beginning, my wage was Rs 20 a day. When I was in college, after my 2nd year B.Com exam, I was earning Rs 100 a day. I would do wage calculations also." He has got good marks in costing in college, 98 per cent, and statistics 97 per cent. "I am weak in theory papers," he admits. "I want to improve my knowledge by reading English papers daily and listening to TV news. Both are not possible right now."

How did you get to think about CA, I ask him? "It was my teacher in 10th standard who used to motivate us to do CA. But I didn't know about foundation exam, otherwise I would not have wasted three years in college," he rues. I wonder why there is no sufficient information dissemination from the Institute to the wannabes.

"I help my friends with accounts. They are doing degree through `corres'. But if I compare those problems with what I face in PE-II, they look like kindergarten stuff." Any opposition that you meet with, I enquire. "Lots," he says. "From relatives. They say why waste time studying. Many of my school friends are settled in life. They are masons; they have own house, cell phone and all that." But he wants to study.

"I like maths. I like accounting. I used to tally milk account when I was in 6th standard and find out the errors." But this is a long course, I caution him about CA. "Yes," he nods. "I have lied to my people. That it is just six months, and I would start earning more. Otherwise I would not have got started off." But some lies are pardonable.

JumpTheOdds@hotmail.com

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