New Indian Express
MANGALORE, April 7: Call him crazy or eccentric, but Annaiah Ramesh, lecturer in Applied Botany in Mangalore University, who recently completed giving lecture non-stop for 98.32 hours to gain an entry in the Guinness Book of Records is preparing for another marathon lecture.
A gnawing fear over a possible rejection by Guinness Book of Records has prompted him to resume his preparation.
“Guinness book of records is known to use tough technical yardsticks to determine a claim’s authenticity,” informs Ramesh who has begun to conduct trial marathon lectures in his house, converted into a mini classroom.
If my claim is rejected I will attempt again avoiding mistakes in the marathon lecture and ensure that the next attempt is a cent per cent success.
“My intention is to achieve the feat,” he says with determination ringing in his tone and adds, “there is nothing else in my mind now.”
Recollecting the year-long preparations, he said many had laughed of his idea to teach non stop for over 88 hours.
It was only his guide Prof. Srinivas Reddy, Prof. Vasudeva from Shimoga and students who had confidence in my abilities.
Though Ramesh took a personal loan of Rs 75,000 from State Bank of India (SBI) the expenditure including the courier delivery charges has now crossed over a lakh. Ramesh remembers that the lecture went on smooth during the first two days.
The teaching went on the third night by sheer will power and on the fourth night he had surrendered to god.
“From fourth night onwards I have no memory of what I have said or done,” he confesses and admits that if he had achieved anything, he owed it to his students who formed committees to ensure that everything worked according to their meticulous plans.
“I cannot forget them in my life,” he says emotionally.
Ramesh hopes to complete soon the compiling of 98 hours of lecturing recorded in 34 VHS, certificates, video clippings from television channels, 24 sets of log books, note-books (notes prepared from his lecture) and notes of subject experts in three days and send it to the Guinness Book of Records.
Until their verdict, Ramesh’s students will cross their fingers as Ramesh will keep practicing for the next marathon effort