I THINK a painful, memory endurance that a historian and political activist has to live with, is how good people they once knew who have been unsung heroes just leave the world and the generation that comes after them doesn’t know a thing about them. They are gone without being remembered.

This is one of the injustices that all the countries in the world should avoid. I was shocked when as a poor, working-class boy I left unknown Guyana to study in one of the top countries in the world – Canada. At both MacMaster University and the University of Toronto where I studied, the university buildings were named after people who contributed to the greatness the universities have achieved.

At the University of Toronto, students, never, I mean, never would say; “Meet me at the grad library.” They would always say, “I’ll see you at Jason Robarts.” That is because the libraries on the campus carry the names of academics that made the university a success. Jason Robarts is the name for the graduate library. When I lived outside, I saw how important the authorities, both at the local and central levels and in society in general, saw the necessity of naming things after superb citizens who made superb contributions.

When you study history the remembrance value preoccupies you. You do not want people who have contributed to your country’s evolution in positively deep ways, to be forgotten. You want to see their names on things that will make their names a motif that will remain forever. Shruti Kant is one of them. If you ask Guyanese who Shruti Kant is, they will not know.

Shruti came from India, married a Guyanese, started a Guyanese family and set up the Guyana Oriental College (GOC) that eventually moved to Thomas Street between Middle Street and New Market Street, opposite the Georgetown Hospital. Everyone in Guyana referred to the school as GOC. It became the most successful post-independence private school in Guyana at the time. Shruti became a household name. I have never seen it before in Guyana and I don’t think we will see it in the near future, the example of student relation with their headmaster; all the students loved Shruti. I don’t think there was a student who ever showed frustration with Shruti or ever bad-mouthed him. Such was the nature of his personality.

GOC offered afternoon, private lessons and I had two friends that I met when I was a PPP youth working at the Michael Forde Bookstore that took afternoon classes at GOC. I couldn’t afford to eat, much less pay for lessons. Both of my friends suggested that I be brave and approach Shruti for free classes. I did just that and instantly he told me to choose which subjects I wanted. After successful GCEs, Shruti offered me a job at afternoon classes at GOC. I earned a few cents which my mom welcomed because we weren’t doing well for money at home.

With my GCEs, I entered UG and never looked back. I owe it all to a giant of a human named Shruti Kant. I think I am a good human that has done good in this world and in that existence, Shruti Kant played a prodigious role. I will always love Shruti. I will always remember Shruti. Next year, I plan to ask a few people if they can contribute $400,000 each year to me.

I want to use the money to establish a yearly grant of $100,000 each in the form of a school voucher for disadvantaged children. I will name each voucher after Shruti Kant, Fred Phillips, Yesu Persaud and Anil Nandlall. I think my evolution would not have been possible without these four personalities who made priceless contributions to my life.

Fred Philips, a Portuguese fellow, was the General Manager of the Georgetown Club on Camp Street and one of the leading Jehovah Witnesses in Guyana. He lived right where Bonny’s Supermarket sits on Church Street. Mr. Philips bought all the books I needed to study for my GCE examinations.

GOC brought Thomas Street to life. GOC and Shruti made a huge contribution to the educational system back then. There was a planter in colonial times named Thomas. Thomas Street is named after him. Thomas Street in Kitty is named after him. Thomas Road where the army headquarters are is named after him. The district of Thomas Lands where many important institutions are located is named after him.

Why can’t we change Thomas Street where GOC once stood after Shruti Kant? What is culturally, historically and logistically wrong with that? I will always write about Shruti Kant because Shruti Kant made my life livable. Thanks for the kindness Shruti!