“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”
— Late Billy Graham,
American evangelist
Today, Father’s Day is widely celebrated in India, just as it is in the UK, the US and more than 70 other countries around the world. As rigid gender roles continue to break down — fathers becoming more hands-on parents and more mothers joining the workforce — the emphasis on the day has only been increasing, both in India and around the world.
Simple Gestures:
Andrew Martin Berry, an entrepreneur from Madhapur, was born and raised in Australia, but he shifted to Hyderabad a few years ago after he got married. He has three kids — a boy Uday, 17, and twin girls Tara and Keya, 12.
“I don’t believe in one specific day to celebrate my fatherhood. Being dad is a lifelong commitment, one that comes with a lot of responsibilities that can be fun and difficult all at once. It is nice when I am appreciated occasionally for doing what I do through regular, simple gestures,” Andrew explains.
Elaborating further, Andrew talks about how guiding kids positively and helping them is not always as easy as it seems. “Trying to encourage them to building good habits is a lifelong affair, and it can sometimes be frustrating because young people have no idea how the world works. But, yes, the joy that takes you over on seeing your kids doing well is something that cannot be described,” he added.
Kids speak
Tara, 12, daughter of Andrew Martin Berry, says, “It’s an important day for me because it’s a day about fathers. It gives me and my siblings a chance to thank him for what he does for us. At home, we celebrate the day by sometimes getting cakes and flowers. Or I bake a cake for him or secretly call some of his friends over for a little party.”
Keya, 12, twin sister of Tara, adds, “I believe Father’s Day should get as much attention as Mother’s Day as dads do the same amount of work as mothers do. Sometimes when a mother is not free, dad takes you places, and he doesn’t even complain when he does things for me.”
One Man Army:
Colonel Yogesh Mudaliar, from Peerancheruvu Village, is an officer in the Indian Army and a single dad to a 15-year-old daughter Tanupriya and 11-year-old son Shaurya. Yogesh looks forward to celebrating Father’s Day as he believes the day gives children the chance to reciprocate and express their love. “Fathers are the pillars of society and homes, and I believe the day is an important one. In fact, my kids have been celebrating Father’s Day for a few years now. And though Tanupriya lives in Pune, she always sends me a card. Shaurya also makes me a card, and we try and go out for a meal together. It feels good,” recounts Yogesh.
In describing the role of fatherhood, Yogesh shares a message he recently received on WhatsApp: “Fatherhood is like a rough draft that bears the brunt of all mistakes and errors to ensure the final draft remains clean.” He adds, “A father really does endure the impact of all the mistakes and errors of life. He is the umbrella that takes on the worst so that that his family remains sheltered.”
One of the cards made by Colonel Yogesh Mudaliar’s children to wish him on Father’s Day
A little more time:
Another dad who doesn’t at all mind a day celebrating father’s efforts is Rajakumar Gollamandala, project manager of Clean and Green Cities Program at UN-Habitat. Rajakumar, who has a daughter, Arpitha, 16, and a son, Daniel,13, works on international assignments and has to travel frequently. He wishes he could instead spend more time with his family and kids. “It just feel like while I help other families build their lives, my family suffers. The role of a father is to always be on the lookout to bring comfort and protection to his wife and children. Hence Father’s Day is important,” he says.
Rajakumar believes that fathers are visionaries who guide, protect and instil the right values in the family for the holistic development of their children. “They work hard for their families,” he adds.
Daughter speaks
Rajakumar Gollamandala with wife Prameela and children Arpitha and Daniel
Arpitha, 16, daughter of Rajakumar Gollamandala, says, “Father’s Day is an important day as fathers form the backbone of the family. They earn for the family, guide us in our growing up years on how to lead our life.”
