This post is my first blog post. But its probably not my last. And I'm not writing for namesake. But it is certainly for my name's sake. And it is for my first and last... er... name. For most of the days of my life I have only been addressed and called by a name that is not mine. I don't expect this to change for the rest of my life. Its a long story that I usually avoid, simply because I find it harder to say tell the story than the fact that the people with who I spend a lot time, don't even know my name. So, long story short... well, what the heck. Here the long story itself.
My parents named me Sivaprakash. My "given" name. They added Salai in front of it, in respect for the family shrine, as was practiced in the faith that my family believed (and still believe). Not an unusual practice in Tamil Nadu. And that was preceded with the initial "M" after my father's first name. Again, not an unusual practice in the south Indian state I came from. I always thought thats how it is. I never knew there is a history behind the initial. You can click on the link and read more if you want. But I don't want to make my story as long. This is painful enough!
And thus, I became M. Salai Sivaprakash. Which was, I guess, long enough. But still it did not include my family name. Well, we don't have a family name. May be we would have. I don't know. But the Dravidian ideology, my family's faith and the "We are born to Fathers, and not to Castes" concept of my region, ensured that my name is not going to be Sivaprakash Chettiar, as it would have probably been otherwise. But I don't regret it. Atleast not as much as everything else that the "naming convention" of my name would make me face.
To start with, by the format of my name, I was promptly became known as "Salai" at school and by my friends. Except for one of my 2nd grade language teacher, Eswari, who liked to call me "Siva". Meanwhile, I was called as "Prakash" by my family, relatives and my neighbors. So my close friends who hanged around a lot with me at my place and in my neighborhood also called me "Prakash". While my best friends would call me "Prak". Some of my sports and "tuition" teachers would call me "Sivaprakash". And all through my school days, I lived with the accusation of not being receptive when my "name" was called. And to add to the confusion, my cousins had the same problem as well. All of us were "Salai". So, when we used to get a call at our home phone for "Salai"... you probably can figure out what we had to go thru.
Anyways, I thought I can handle all this and go through with this. My college buddies added to the list. And my wife made her own list as well. But nothing troubled me. When I started working, I modeled my name after my brother-in-law who had lived around the world and I assumed he has figured it out by now. So, my employer thought I was "Murugamalai Salai Sivaprakash" in the order of first, middle and last ;-). This name carried into PAN card and my checking accounts. I still held on. Though I convinced my employer later that my name is "Salai Sivaprakash" in the order of first and last. No middle ;-). My bank manager didn't buy it though. He said that I have to get a "change of name" certificate. Oh forget it!
Meanwhile, my passport said that I don't have a "surname". While my name was apparently "Salai Siva Prakash" with a visible space created in the handwritten section for "Given Names". And so obviously, it confused the USCIS when I wanted a visa to the US stamped to my passport. Unfortunately, their software would not allow them to leave the last name blank. So, the worked around it. They made my last name as "SALAI-SIVA-PRAKASH" and my first name... as FNU. I learnt later that it meant "First Name Unknown". And in the to follow, FNU would become my first name on my US drivers licence, my car insurance and car registration. But I held on... and just assumed that FNU is a cool name.
Germany thought that "Salai" was my first name, while "Siva" is my middle name and "Prakash" is my last name. It wasn't a problem. No one understood the visa stamp that was in German, anyways. I had a temporary relief though, when Canada (god bless the Canadians), believed what I wrote in my application and stamped my passport with my first name as "Salai' and last name as "Sivaprakash".
But I held on. Patiently. With four different versions of my name, just in my passport. Hmmm. But, the day did really come. When my passport expired the next year. I trusted the Indian Consulate in Chicago to believe my application. And thank god they did. My passport now said that "Salai" is my first name. And "Sivaprakash" is my last. Hurray!!!!! And a couple of days later... ok fine... a couple of years later, when my US visa expired, the USCIS would change my first name to "Salai" and my last name to "Sivaprakash". Phooo....
It wasn't hard to convince the Michigan DMV that my name in my license has to be changed. But that was not before the whole office spent a good half hour of federal productivity listening to why I'm FNU. But at least, I was known. I mean... I was no longer "First Name Unknown".
I still have some clean-up to do, though. My car registration. Apparently, the bank has to agree to put my "correct" name. So, I am spending 1-2 hours every week trying to talk to the automated voice and confused call center agents around the world, who keep trying to figure out which bank bought my bank and what part, and who may potentially have my car title. Well, not a problem. I can wait. I don't care. Even when I had to move to California, who's DMV's software wont allow special characters in the last name. So, they think my first and last name can be "FNU" and "SALAISIVAPRAKASH" for a while. But, I still wonder when I will see the last of this. But I hope that my name will soon "universally" be accepted as "Salai" as first and "Sivaprakash" as last. Only, its a pity that I won't have my any part of my dad's name in any part of my name, anymore. May be I can add it as my middle name in a few years. ahem!!!!
For the time being... my old insurance agents send me New Year greetings every year that says "Dear FNU, Happy New Year". And my bank manager keeps asking for a "Change of Name" certificate". And I keep praying that Nandan Nilekani would get rid of the Indian PAN card.
However, all said and done... it brings me the most happiness when my two year old daughter calls me "Appa". In fact, sometimes she would mock my wife and call me "Sonu" with a naughty look that seem to say... "just for namesake" :-)
My parents named me Sivaprakash. My "given" name. They added Salai in front of it, in respect for the family shrine, as was practiced in the faith that my family believed (and still believe). Not an unusual practice in Tamil Nadu. And that was preceded with the initial "M" after my father's first name. Again, not an unusual practice in the south Indian state I came from. I always thought thats how it is. I never knew there is a history behind the initial. You can click on the link and read more if you want. But I don't want to make my story as long. This is painful enough!
And thus, I became M. Salai Sivaprakash. Which was, I guess, long enough. But still it did not include my family name. Well, we don't have a family name. May be we would have. I don't know. But the Dravidian ideology, my family's faith and the "We are born to Fathers, and not to Castes" concept of my region, ensured that my name is not going to be Sivaprakash Chettiar, as it would have probably been otherwise. But I don't regret it. Atleast not as much as everything else that the "naming convention" of my name would make me face.
To start with, by the format of my name, I was promptly became known as "Salai" at school and by my friends. Except for one of my 2nd grade language teacher, Eswari, who liked to call me "Siva". Meanwhile, I was called as "Prakash" by my family, relatives and my neighbors. So my close friends who hanged around a lot with me at my place and in my neighborhood also called me "Prakash". While my best friends would call me "Prak". Some of my sports and "tuition" teachers would call me "Sivaprakash". And all through my school days, I lived with the accusation of not being receptive when my "name" was called. And to add to the confusion, my cousins had the same problem as well. All of us were "Salai". So, when we used to get a call at our home phone for "Salai"... you probably can figure out what we had to go thru.
Anyways, I thought I can handle all this and go through with this. My college buddies added to the list. And my wife made her own list as well. But nothing troubled me. When I started working, I modeled my name after my brother-in-law who had lived around the world and I assumed he has figured it out by now. So, my employer thought I was "Murugamalai Salai Sivaprakash" in the order of first, middle and last ;-). This name carried into PAN card and my checking accounts. I still held on. Though I convinced my employer later that my name is "Salai Sivaprakash" in the order of first and last. No middle ;-). My bank manager didn't buy it though. He said that I have to get a "change of name" certificate. Oh forget it!
Meanwhile, my passport said that I don't have a "surname". While my name was apparently "Salai Siva Prakash" with a visible space created in the handwritten section for "Given Names". And so obviously, it confused the USCIS when I wanted a visa to the US stamped to my passport. Unfortunately, their software would not allow them to leave the last name blank. So, the worked around it. They made my last name as "SALAI-SIVA-PRAKASH" and my first name... as FNU. I learnt later that it meant "First Name Unknown". And in the to follow, FNU would become my first name on my US drivers licence, my car insurance and car registration. But I held on... and just assumed that FNU is a cool name.
Germany thought that "Salai" was my first name, while "Siva" is my middle name and "Prakash" is my last name. It wasn't a problem. No one understood the visa stamp that was in German, anyways. I had a temporary relief though, when Canada (god bless the Canadians), believed what I wrote in my application and stamped my passport with my first name as "Salai' and last name as "Sivaprakash".
But I held on. Patiently. With four different versions of my name, just in my passport. Hmmm. But, the day did really come. When my passport expired the next year. I trusted the Indian Consulate in Chicago to believe my application. And thank god they did. My passport now said that "Salai" is my first name. And "Sivaprakash" is my last. Hurray!!!!! And a couple of days later... ok fine... a couple of years later, when my US visa expired, the USCIS would change my first name to "Salai" and my last name to "Sivaprakash". Phooo....
It wasn't hard to convince the Michigan DMV that my name in my license has to be changed. But that was not before the whole office spent a good half hour of federal productivity listening to why I'm FNU. But at least, I was known. I mean... I was no longer "First Name Unknown".
I still have some clean-up to do, though. My car registration. Apparently, the bank has to agree to put my "correct" name. So, I am spending 1-2 hours every week trying to talk to the automated voice and confused call center agents around the world, who keep trying to figure out which bank bought my bank and what part, and who may potentially have my car title. Well, not a problem. I can wait. I don't care. Even when I had to move to California, who's DMV's software wont allow special characters in the last name. So, they think my first and last name can be "FNU" and "SALAISIVAPRAKASH" for a while. But, I still wonder when I will see the last of this. But I hope that my name will soon "universally" be accepted as "Salai" as first and "Sivaprakash" as last. Only, its a pity that I won't have my any part of my dad's name in any part of my name, anymore. May be I can add it as my middle name in a few years. ahem!!!!
For the time being... my old insurance agents send me New Year greetings every year that says "Dear FNU, Happy New Year". And my bank manager keeps asking for a "Change of Name" certificate". And I keep praying that Nandan Nilekani would get rid of the Indian PAN card.
However, all said and done... it brings me the most happiness when my two year old daughter calls me "Appa". In fact, sometimes she would mock my wife and call me "Sonu" with a naughty look that seem to say... "just for namesake" :-)
2 comments:
Nice one...anyways..have fun with your multiple names. Btw..you forgot to mention the names with which you are called at office.
good one man.. well written... I can feel your pain especially with your trouble with call center folks.. they butcher my first name.. first they sais Borat, now they are modelling after Barack which is a better !!!
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