His family members have unique names. He spells his name as Yurop. His sisters are named Australia and Malaysia. A unique family in Maharashtra, with unique names of nations and continents. With a reason.
By India Input desk
Yes, Yurop Meshram is the name. It is derived from the name of the continent we call Europe. Australia and Malaysia are the names of his two sisters. They also have Russia, America, Asia and Africa in the family.
Yurop is 24, a Mechanical Engineer and now employed in Pune. His elder sister Australia, 25,
has finished D. Pharma and is doing job. The younger sister Malaysia is 21, has finished her diploma in veterinary.
All in the family
Their father’s name is Bharat. However, as the fellow kids at the school used to tease, it was changed to Subhash, the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. His father’s sisters are all married now and still retain their original names as Russia, America, Asia and Africa. They did not face any big issues due to their names. America has named her sons as Rashtrapal or Rashtrapati, a Hindi word for the President of the nation and Rajyapal, Hindi substitute for Governor of a state.
The Meshram family originally belongs to a village Khodshivani in Maharashtra’s Gondia district. The only occasions they all meet and spend time together is when they visit the hometown during festivals like Rakshabandhan.
Why these unique names ?
Yurop tells indiainput.com, that the idea first struck his grandmother Mrs. Subhadratai Meshram, a lady who hadn’t received any formal schooling. She worked as a social worker and also helped village women during their pregnancy. During those days, when untouchability was practiced, Subhadratai was respectfully called by families of all castes for assistance during pregnancy. She used to put a question that intrigued many. The question was, when babies in all castes are born the same way, who are we to put caste tags and differentiate? Inspired by the thoughts of Dr B. R. alias Babasaheb Ambedkar on equality among all and the need to promote a global vision, as also the teachings by Gautam Buddha of being compassionate and calm, she began the trend by naming her first born as Bharat.
What is in a name.. Recall value !
Bharat Meshram remarks,- It began fifty years ago and took our family thirty eight years to bring so many nations and continents under one roof. Though Bharat, renamed Subhash, had to face undue criticism then, during his early school days, the times have changed now. His son Yurop shares, – Having such a unique name has its advantages now. Whenever I am called for a job interview, they usually talk more about my name than my qualifications or experience. Even my friends appreciate my unique name. And when they come to know about the noble thought behind keeping such names, about the spirit of considering the entire world as a family, in line with the ancient Indian thought of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, they grow respectful.
With a smile, he ads, – The benefit is immense. Once someone gets to know your name and the spirit behind the name, he or she is hardly able to forget you.
Offcourse, he wants to promote the noble thought by continuing the trend in the family.
