From that moment on, it became a regular ritual for Veer to find himself nestled in the cozy confines of Mr. Khan's library, eager to soak up knowledge and pose his endless questions.
It didn't take long for Mr. Khan to recognize the brilliance and insatiable curiosity of this young boy, prompting him to teach with genuine enthusiasm.
Early in their sessions, Mr. Khan discovered that Veer possessed an exceptional memory.
FLASHBACK...
The vibrant alphabet chart sparkled in the warm afternoon light that poured through the living room window.
Mr. Khan, a kind-hearted man with a playful glint in his eye, gestured toward the letter "A."
Four-year-old Veer, perched on a tiny red chair, gazed at the chart with wide-eyed wonder.
"Veer," Mr. Khan said softly, "this is the letter 'A.' Can you say it with me?"
With his usual exuberance, Veer echoed, "A!"
He then pointed excitedly at the apple illustration beside the letter.
"Apple!" he shouted, his face lighting up with joy.
Mr. Khan beamed back at him. "Exactly! A for apple. And what color is the apple, Veer?"
"Red!" Veer exclaimed, enthusiastically poking at the picture.
Mr. Khan moved his finger to the next letter. "B. This is 'B.'"
"Bee!" Veer chirped, and without missing a beat, he pointed to the image of a ball.
"Ball! B for ball!"
Mr. Khan was taken aback; he hadn't even mentioned the word "ball."
He shifted to "C."
Before he could utter a word, Veer chimed in,
"Cat! C for cat!" He then burst into giggles, adding, "Meow!"
Mr. Khan chuckled, impressed. "That's incredible, Veer! You're picking this up so fast."
He pointed to the letter "D."
"Dog!" Veer shouted, his eyes scanning the room.
"Where's Doggy?" he asked, referring to the stuffed dog Mr. Khan had gifted him, now forgotten in a corner.
Mr. Khan was amazed. It wasn't just the letters; Veer was effortlessly absorbing the words and images that accompanied them. Curious to see how far Veer's knowledge extended, he flipped back to "A."
"What's this, Veer?"
"Apple!" Veer answered without hesitation.
Mr. Khan then pointed to "E."
"Elephant!"
"F."
"Fish."
"G."
"Giraffe."
"T."
"Tomato."
"Are you familiar with numbers?" Khan inquired once more.
"Numbers? You mean like 1, 2, and 3?" Veer responded, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Khan nodded affirmatively.
"I know those!" Veer exclaimed, launching into a counting spree.
Mr. Khan pressed on with more questions, and Veer answered swiftly, eager to demonstrate his knowledge.
"Veer, where did you pick up all this information?" Khan asked, a look of astonishment on his face.
"At the orphanage, I would sit next to others while they did their homework, and I just learned like that," he clarified.
Khan realized that Veer was like a sponge, eagerly soaking up every bit of information presented to him.
While Mr. Khan had met many bright students, Veer's ability to connect letters with images and words at such a rapid pace was truly extraordinary.
His mind felt like an untouched canvas, each new piece of knowledge splashed onto it with vibrant precision.
"Veer," Mr. Khan remarked, awe lacing his tone, "your mind is truly extraordinary."
Veer, unaware of the significance of his gift, beamed with delight, his eyes shimmering with enthusiasm.
The world captivated him, and every fresh word, every new picture, was an exhilarating revelation.
For Veer, learning was not merely a task; it was a thrilling expedition, and he was eager to uncover every hidden treasure it held.
FLASHBACK END...
Eight months have passed since Khan first crossed paths with Veer and began imparting his knowledge.
Initially, matron Sarla felt a twinge of concern about Veer visiting a stranger's home on a regular basis. Taking matters into her own hands, she decided to meet Mr. Khan personally to gauge his character. After discovering that Veer was indeed learning under his guidance, she relaxed her worries and even encouraged him to dedicate himself to his studies.
As time went on, Veer began assisting his siblings with their homework, and their astonished faces fueled his desire to learn even more.
Being the youngest, with his older siblings occupied in school from morning until afternoon, he found himself with no playmates.
Consequently, he spent most of his days at Mr. Khan's house, forging a bond so strong that he affectionately began to call him Grandfather.
This delighted Mr. Khan immensely.
He also learned more about his mentor, including his full name, Ahmed Ali Khan, and that he had graduated from a prestigious university called Oxford, located outside of India. How impressive is that!
After graduating, he came back to India after its independence and started working at a place called HAL. Then he joined ISRO. He just retired recently and started living here alone.
***********************************************
Veer's day unfolded like any other. He woke up at 7 a.m., completed his morning routine, and made his way to Khan's house. There, he was presented with a set of algebraic expression questions, which he breezed through in just 20 minutes.
"Grandpa, why do you insist on giving me such simple problems? I can solve all of these already," Veer said, a hint of frustration in his voice.
Khan replied gently, "There's no rush to finish the entire school syllabus. Take your time. Life has so much to offer, and you won't get another chance at childhood. While these subjects matter, they don't teach you to think critically, creatively, or freely. Remember, a healthy body is just as important as a sharp mind."
Veer sighed, "Okay, but it's getting dull. You won't even let me explore all those books," he pointed at the shelves.
"The books I've chosen for you are more than enough," Khan responded, noticing Veer's sulky expression.
Setting aside his book, Khan retrieved a wooden box from a storeroom. He sat across from Veer and opened it, revealing a chessboard with alternating black and white squares.
Veer's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What's this?" he asked eagerly.
"This is chess, one of my favorite games. You're starting school next month, right?" Khan inquired cheerfully. Veer nodded, still captivated by the board.
"If you can beat me at this game before your school adventure begins, you can choose any book from my personal library," Khan teased with a grin.
"Deal!" Veer exclaimed without hesitation. And that was how Veer was introduced to the world of chess for the very first time.