EnglishCBSE Class 8 · Chapter 6

Verghese Kurien, I Too Had A Dream Class 8: Summary and Questions

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Verghese Kurien, I Too Had A Dream is a letter Dr Verghese Kurien wrote from Anand in 2005 to his grandson Siddharth. He explains why he chose a life serving dairy farmers instead of richer careers, and shares his values: integrity, using your talents for the common good, and earning your own rewards.

What Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream is about

Verghese Kurien: I Too Had A Dream closes Unit 2 (Values and Dispositions) of Poorvi, the Class 8 English textbook. It is a personal letter, headed 'To my grandson', written by Dr Verghese Kurien from Anand, Gujarat, in 2005 to his grandson Siddharth.

Kurien explains why letters are worth more than phone calls, how he chose to work for a small cooperative of dairy farmers instead of becoming a company chief, an army general or a successful NRI, how his wife supported him, and what values guided him: integrity, responsibility, using your talents for the common good, and being content with what you have. He recalls receiving the Padma Vibhushan in 1999 and tells Siddharth to earn his own rewards. The 'Let us explore' section calls him 'the Milkman of India' for his role in the White Revolution.

CBSE sets no Class 8 paper; your school sets the exam. Expect extract questions, fact versus opinion, short and long answers on his choices and values, grammar (synonyms, expressions, dashes, its/it's and similar pairs, prepositional phrases) and an informal letter to your grandparents.

Weightage: CBSE sets no Class 8 English paper or marks: Class 8 is assessed by your school, which teaches from NCERT Poorvi. School papers usually mix extract questions, short answers (about 40-50 words) and longer answers (about 100-150 words), plus grammar and writing from the "Let us learn" and "Let us write" sections.Source: docs/research/cbse-8-2026-27.md (NCERT book list, Reprint 2026-27)

Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream: summary

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Why write a letter. Kurien begins by admitting he cannot remember when he last wrote to Siddharth. People today depend on instant communication like the telephone, which gives only quick, short-lived joy. A letter is different: it shares our thoughts about present events and becomes something to keep and re-read with lasting pleasure. He hopes that years later Siddharth will read these notes, understand why he chose a life of service to India's farmers, and share them with younger people as a glimpse of his grandparents' world.

His dream and his choice. He began working soon after India became independent. The noblest task then was to help build the India of their dreams: a free nation without hunger or poverty, where people respect one another and which stands among the leading nations of the world. He humbly realised that choosing one path means giving up others. Fifty years earlier, he took up work with a small dairy farmers' cooperative whose members wanted to take charge of their own lives. Farming service was not the career he had planned; he could have pursued a career in metallurgy and become the chief executive of a large company, taken a commission in the Indian Army and retired as a general, or become a successful NRI in the US. He chose none, believing he could contribute more meaningfully in Anand, Gujarat.

His wife's support. Life in Anand then lacked even simple comforts, yet his wife strongly supported his decision. Her choice gave him lasting strength and helped him carry his responsibilities calmly.

Values. He says every honour he received belongs to the many people he worked with. His work was possible because he held on to values learnt from his parents, elders and his mentor in Anand, Tribhuvandas Patel. The most important is integrity: being honest to yourself, which makes it easy to be honest with others. Life is a privilege; we must take responsibility, use our talents fully and contribute to the common good, which we can find every day, by helping a friend, volunteering for a teacher, or serving the community. Failure is not about not succeeding but about not giving your best effort. Things often go wrong, and happiness has little to do with circumstances; comparing ourselves with others who seem happier is pointless because we see only images of perfection.

The medal. He reminds Siddharth of the Padma Vibhushan ceremony in Delhi in 1999, when the boy put the medal round his neck and asked to keep it. His grandparents said it was as much his as theirs, but his real challenge was to earn his own reward.

Conclusion. A life is lived fully if we are brave enough to love, glad at others' happiness and wise enough to know there is enough for everyone. He dedicates his thoughts to Siddharth and the children of his generation, hoping they will work hard for the good of the country and humanity: the only true rewards of a life well spent.

Themes and message

Service before self

Kurien turned down well-paid, high-status careers to serve dairy farmers in Anand because he believed that was the more meaningful contribution to the nation.

From the text: 'I knew I could make a more meaningful contribution by working here in Anand, Gujarat.'

Integrity and values

He credits his success to values from his parents, elders and his mentor. Integrity, being honest to yourself, is the most important.

From the text: 'If you are always honest to yourself, it does not take much effort in always being honest with others.'

Effort and the common good

Life is a privilege to be used well. Real failure is not giving your best and not contributing to the common good, however modestly.

From the text: 'failure is not about not succeeding'

Earning your own rewards

The medal story teaches that inherited honour is not enough; each person must earn rewards through their own work.

From the text: 'the challenge before you was to earn your own reward'

Contentment

Happiness does not depend on circumstances. Comparing ourselves with others is misleading; we should value what we have.

From the text: 'what we saw were only images of perfection'

Characters

Dr Verghese Kurien (the writer)

Grandfather who writes the letter; served dairy farmers in Anand for fifty years.

Selfless and patriotic
Humble: shares credit for his honours
Principled: values integrity
Loving and wise grandfather

'it is a recognition of the achievements of many people'

Siddharth

Kurien's grandson, to whom the letter is written.

Innocent and admiring (put on the medal and asked to keep it)
Representative of the younger generation

'asked me very innocently if you could keep it'

Kurien's wife (Siddharth's grandmother)

Supported his decision to live and work in Anand.

Supportive and self-sacrificing
Gave him strength and calm

'she ardently supported my choice to live and work in Anand'

Tribhuvandas Patel

Kurien's mentor and supporter in Anand.

Showed the values Kurien admired

'my mentor and supporter here in Anand'

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
Personal, conversational tone	'When did I write to you last? I have trouble even remembering!'	Makes the letter warm and natural, like a grandfather talking.
Contrast	Telephone: 'immediate but fleeting joy' versus letters: 'great, abiding pleasure'	Shows why written words last longer than instant messages.
Anecdote	The Padma Vibhushan medal around Siddharth's neck	A real memory makes the lesson about earning rewards concrete and touching.
Parallel structure	'brave enough to love, strong enough to rejoice ... and wise enough to know'	Gives the closing advice rhythm and makes it memorable.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

speaking on the telephone only gives us an immediate but fleeting joy
Dr Kurien: Opening paragraph, comparing calls and letters.
Explains why he chose to write.
choosing to lead one kind of life means putting aside the desire to pursue other options
Dr Kurien: On his decision to serve farmers.
Every real choice involves sacrifice.
If you are always honest to yourself, it does not take much effort in always being honest with others.
Dr Kurien: Explaining integrity.
Honesty starts inside a person.
Life is a privilege and to waste it would be wrong.
Dr Kurien: Advice to Siddharth.
Core message: use life well.
failure is not about not succeeding
Dr Kurien: Defining real failure.
Effort matters more than results.
rewards that come to you then are the only true rewards for a life well-spent
Dr Kurien: Final lines of the letter.
True rewards come from serving others.

Key concepts

Fact and opinion

A fact can be checked and proved true or false (dates, events, names). An opinion is a belief, feeling or judgement that can vary from person to person and cannot be proved.

Clues to opinions: words like *I think, I believe, I hope, should, best, wrong, meaningful*, and value words (noble, fleeting). Clues to facts: dates, numbers, places, things that happened.

From the letter: 'I started my working life soon after our country became independent' = fact. 'Life is a privilege' = opinion.

Worked example

Fact or opinion: (i) The letter is dated Anand, 2005. (ii) Letters are better than phone calls.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(i) Can be checked: fact.
(ii) A judgement others may disagree with: opinion.

Answer: (i) fact; (ii) opinion.

Vocabulary and expressions

Synonyms: magnificent = splendid; fleeting = momentary; instant = swift; core = essential; valuable = useful; abiding = lifelong (lasting).

Margin words: addicted (dependent on), jottings (brief notes), foremost (leading), humility (modesty), envisioned (imagined), ardently (with strong feeling), poise (calm confidence), adhered (continued to support), integrity (honesty and strong moral principles), correlation (connection), musings (long, careful thoughts).

Expressions: in all humility (humbly); hold their heads high (be confident and proud); to be quite honest (speaking truthfully); to the best of your ability (using all your skills); looked at in awe (with respect and wonder); somewhere deep down (in your innermost self).

Worked example

Use 'to the best of your ability' in a sentence.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Meaning: with all your skill and effort.
Fit it into advice or a duty.

Answer: Sample: Whatever task you are given, do it to the best of your ability.

Dashes, and its/it's-type pairs

En dash (the shorter dash, about the width of 'n') shows a range or score: pages 50–75, June–September, India won 2–1, Delhi–Agra train.

Em dash (the longer dash, about the width of 'm') adds extra information or shows a sudden change of thought: Kurien writes that writing, even if it is a letter, becomes a possession, setting 'even if it is a letter' between two em dashes. Use no spaces around a dash, and do not overuse it.

Possessive vs contraction:

its (belonging to it) / it's (it is, it has)
your (belonging to you) / you're (you are)
their (belonging to them) / they're (they are)

Test: expand the apostrophe form; if 'it is / you are / they are' fits, use the apostrophe.

Worked example

Choose: (i) ___ (Its/It's) been raining since morning. (ii) The bird fed ___ (its/it's) chicks.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(i) 'It has been raining' fits: It's.
(ii) 'It is chicks' does not fit; possession: its.

Answer: (i) It's (ii) its

Prepositional phrases and word stress

A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun: *in today's fast-paced world, on the telephone, with equal respect and love*. It tells us time, place, manner, cause or direction.

Stress shifts with part of speech: PREsent (noun) / preSENT (verb); PROduce (n) / proDUCE (v); CONtract (n) / conTRACT (v); PROject (n) / proJECT (v); REfuse (n, rubbish) / reFUSE (v).

'-sure' sounds: 'zhuh' in treasure, pleasure, measure, leisure, exposure, composure, enclosure, seizure; 'shuh' in pressure, ensure, unsure, reassure, fissure.

Pausing and chunking: break long sentences into meaningful groups with short (/) and long (//) pauses so listeners can follow.

Worked example

Mark the stress: 'The farmers will ___ (record) the milk collected in a ___ (record) book.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

First: verb, stress second syllable.
Second: noun, stress first syllable.

Answer: reCORD (verb); REcord (noun).

Informal letter to grandparents

Format: your address, date, salutation (Dear Dadaji / Dear Nani), body in paragraphs, closing (Your loving grandson/granddaughter), name. No subject line.

Content: thank them for specific lessons, stories or help; show how their example shapes your values and actions (helping neighbours, honesty, saving money); promise how you will contribute to society; warm, personal tone.

Worked example

Write a letter to your younger cousin, passing on two lessons from Dr Kurien's letter with examples from your own life.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Opening: news, reason for writing.
Body: two lessons from the letter, each with your own example.
Close: encouragement, love.

Answer: B-12, Sector 4, Bhopal / 20 November 20XX / / Dear Meher, / / I hope you are enjoying your new school. This week we read a letter that Dr Verghese Kurien wrote to his grandson, and two of its lessons made me think of you. / / First, he says integrity means being honest to yourself. Last month a shopkeeper gave me too much change. I went back and returned it, and I felt lighter afterwards. / / Second, he says failure is not about not succeeding, but about not putting in your best effort. I lost the school chess final, yet I am proud because I prepared every evening. So do not be afraid of losing your first debate. / / Write and tell me how your classes are going. / / With lots of love, / Your cousin, / Kabir

Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Choosing service

Suppose your cousin, a top engineering graduate, chooses to work for a rural water project instead of a high-paying job abroad, and relatives call it a mistake.

How would Dr Kurien's letter help you respond?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Kurien also gave up big careers for Anand.
Meaningful contribution vs money.
Every choice means giving up others.

Answer: Kurien gave up becoming a company chief, a general or a rich NRI to serve farmers, and found it more meaningful. I would tell my relatives that my cousin is choosing a meaningful contribution, and that, as Kurien says, choosing one life means putting other options aside.

Memory hook: Meaning over money.

Comparison and contentment

Imagine you feel low after seeing a classmate's holiday photos online and think everyone is happier than you.

What would Kurien advise?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Others' lives are only 'images of perfection'.
Happiness has little link to circumstances.
Value what you have.

Answer: Kurien would remind me that I am seeing only a perfect image, not my classmate's real worries. Happiness depends little on holidays or things. I should appreciate my family, friends and chances, and focus on doing my best.

Memory hook: Posts are pictures, not the whole story.

Integrity

Say you find you have been given two extra marks by mistake in a test, and no one would know.

How does Kurien's idea of integrity apply?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Integrity = honest to yourself first.
Then honesty with others is easy.
Report the mistake.

Answer: Being honest to myself means admitting the marks are not truly mine. If I am honest with myself, telling my teacher is easy. The marks matter less than knowing I acted with integrity.

Memory hook: Honest inside, honest outside.

Topics in this chapter

Verghese Kurien's Choices and Values in the Letter

How the school exam asks Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Extract-based (5 x 1 mark)	A paragraph of the letter with MCQs, true/false, assertion-reason, best title and word meanings.	Read for the writer's attitude; use margin meanings (fleeting = short-lived; abiding = lasting).
Fact or opinion	Sort sentences from the letter into facts and opinions.	Ask: can it be checked? Dates and events are facts; judgements and beliefs are opinions.
Short answer (2 marks, 40-50 words)	Why did he write a letter? What careers did he give up? What does he mean by failure?	Answer directly, then quote or paraphrase one line.
Long answer (5 marks, 100-150 words)	His values and their relevance; 'life is a privilege' (your opinion); selfless service and society.	State your view, support with two or three points from the letter, add a modern example.
Grammar and writing	Synonyms, expressions, dashes, its/it's pairs, prepositional phrases; informal letter to grandparents.	Expand contractions to test; informal letter has no subject line.

Tricks to remember Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Three careers he refused
'CEO, General, NRI': chief executive (metallurgy), army general, successful NRI in the US.
Use it when: Short answers on his choice.
Key names and numbers
'Anand 2005, Padma 1999, Patel the mentor, Siddharth the reader'.
Use it when: Factual recall.
Its or it's
'Apostrophe = a missing letter': it's = it is; no apostrophe for possession (its, your, their).
Use it when: Grammar fill-ins.
Closing advice
'Brave, Strong, Wise': brave enough to love, strong enough to rejoice in others' happiness, wise enough to know there is enough for all.
Use it when: Long answers on his message.

Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: Life is a privilege

In living this privilege called ‘life’, you must accept responsibility for yourself, always use your talents to the best of your ability and contribute somehow to the common good.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The letter begins: 'Life is a privilege and to waste it would be wrong.' According to the writer, wasting life is:
(a) natural (b) wrong (c) unavoidable (d) a privilege
(2) · 1 mark · Short answer
List the three things the writer says we must do while living 'this privilege called life'.
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
(See the context given in the first question.) Is 'Life is a privilege' a fact or an opinion?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
The writer adds that the common good 'will present itself to you in many forms every day'. In this extract, 'present' (in 'will present itself') is a verb. On which syllable is it stressed?
(a) first (b) second (c) both (d) neither
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
(See the context given in the fourth question.) What does the writer suggest by saying the common good appears 'in many forms every day'?

Show the answersAnswers

(b) wrong
Accept responsibility for ourselves, use our talents to the best of our ability, and contribute to the common good.
Opinion (a belief that cannot be proved).
(b) second (preSENT)
That chances to help are everywhere in daily life, not only in big projects.

Extract 2: The medal

We told you that of course, this medal was yours as much as it was mine but that you should not be satisfied in merely keeping my award—the challenge before you was to earn your own reward for the work that you did in your lifetime.

(1) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which medal is being described?
(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
Just before this, the young Siddharth slipped the medal around his neck, looked at it 'in awe' and innocently asked if he could keep it. 'Looked at it in awe' means looked at it with:
(a) fear and anger (b) respect and wonder (c) boredom (d) jealousy
(3) · 1 mark · Short answer
Why does the writer say the medal was Siddharth's 'as much as it was mine'?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
The main lesson of the anecdote is:
(a) medals should be kept safe (b) children should not touch awards (c) one must earn one's own rewards (d) awards make people proud
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
Which dash is used before 'the challenge' in the original text, and why?

Show the answersAnswers

The Padma Vibhushan, awarded to Kurien in 1999.
(b) respect and wonder
Out of love; the family shares in his honour, though it was earned by his work.
(c) one must earn one's own rewards
An em dash, to introduce a change in thought: the real challenge for Siddharth.

Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Why a letter? · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Why does Dr Kurien prefer writing a letter to speaking on the telephone? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Phone: immediate but fleeting joy.
Letter: conveys present concerns; can be kept and re-read.
Abiding pleasure; future generations.

Answer: A phone call gives only quick, short-lived joy. A letter records our present thoughts about the world and becomes something to treasure and re-read for years with lasting pleasure. Kurien hopes Siddharth will read it decades later and understand his life and choices.

Example 2: The careers he gave up · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

What other careers could Dr Kurien have chosen, and why did he choose Anand instead? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Chief executive (metallurgy); army general; successful NRI in the US.
Felt a more meaningful contribution in Anand.

Answer: He could have pursued metallurgy and become the chief executive of a large company, retired as an army general, or become a successful NRI in the US. He chose none because, deep down, he felt that serving the dairy farmers' cooperative in Anand was a more meaningful contribution.

Example 3: Kurien's idea of failure · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

How does Dr Kurien define failure? Do you agree? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Failure = not giving best effort and not contributing.
Not the same as not succeeding.
Own view with a reason.

Answer: For Kurien, failure is not about losing; it is about not putting in your best effort and not contributing to the common good. I agree, because results depend on many things beyond our control, but effort is always our choice. Someone who tries honestly has not failed.

Example 4: The grandmother's role · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

Why does Dr Kurien give importance to his wife's choice? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Anand lacked simple comforts.
She strongly supported him.
Gave lasting strength; carried duties calmly.

Answer: Life in Anand then lacked even simple comforts, yet she strongly supported his decision. Her sacrifice gave him lasting strength and helped him carry his responsibilities with calm confidence. By honouring her choice, he shows that his achievement was shared.

Example 5: Values and today's students · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Which values does Dr Kurien pass on to his grandson, and how are they relevant to students today? Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Integrity: honest to yourself.
Responsibility and using talents for the common good.
Effort over success; contentment, no comparison.
Earn your own rewards.
Relevance with examples.

Answer: Dr Kurien passes on several values. The first is integrity: being honest to yourself, which makes honesty with others easy. For students, this means doing your own homework and admitting mistakes. Second, he says life is a privilege, so we must take responsibility and use our talents for the common good, such as helping a friend, volunteering for a teacher or joining a community drive. Third, he teaches that failure means not trying our best, not just losing; this frees students from fear of results. Fourth, he warns against comparing ourselves with others, whose lives we see only as 'images of perfection', which is very relevant in the age of social media. Finally, through the medal story he says we must earn our own rewards rather than rely on family name. These values guide young people towards honest, useful and contented lives.

Example 6: Have messages made letters useless? · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

'Instant messages have made letters useless.' Would Dr Kurien agree? Discuss, using his letter, and give your own view. Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Kurien's view: 'addicted to instant communication'; a call gives 'fleeting joy'.
A letter records present concerns and can be treasured and re-read with 'abiding pleasure'.
His own letter is meant to be read decades later and shared.
Own view: messages suit quick news; letters show care and last.
Conclusion: letters are rarer, not useless.

Answer: Kurien would disagree. He admits that we have become 'addicted to instant communication', but he says a phone call gives only 'an immediate but fleeting joy'. A letter, in contrast, records our present concerns and views of events, and becomes a possession that can be treasured and re-read 'with great, abiding pleasure'. His own letter proves the point: he writes it so that Siddharth can read it decades later, understand why he chose a life of service and share his memories with younger people. A quick call could never do that. In my view, instant messages are useful for quick news, such as telling parents we have reached school safely. But a thoughtful letter, even a short handwritten one, shows care and can be kept for years. So messages have not made letters useless; they have made a real letter rarer and more precious.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

What does Dr Kurien mean when he says that choosing one kind of life 'means putting aside the desire to pursue other options'? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks) (2 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: every real choice involves giving something up; he set aside careers as a company chief, an army general or an NRI to serve farmers in Anand, and accepted this humbly.	1
Expression within the word limit.	1

Write a letter to a friend who is upset about losing a competition, using Dr Kurien's ideas about failure and comparison to encourage them. (5 marks) (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Format: address, date, salutation, closing, name.	1
Content: Kurien's idea of failure (effort, not result); 'images of perfection'; warm encouragement and a suggestion.	2
Organisation and warm, personal tone.	1
Accuracy of grammar and spelling.	1

Where students lose marks in Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Treating the letter as a story told by a narrator
Not noticing the form.
Wrong working
The story is about a man named Siddharth who...
Right working
It is a letter by Dr Verghese Kurien to his grandson Siddharth.
Do this: Name the writer and the form (personal letter).
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Calling an opinion a fact because it sounds true
Agreeing with a statement is not proof.
Wrong working
'Life is a privilege' is a fact.
Right working
It is an opinion: a belief that cannot be proved.
Do this: Ask: can this be checked with evidence?
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Mixing up its and it's
Thinking the apostrophe shows possession.
Wrong working
The cooperative held it's meeting.
Right working
The cooperative held its meeting.
Do this: If 'it is' does not fit, drop the apostrophe.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Adding a subject line to an informal letter
Mixing formal and informal formats.
Wrong working
Subject: Thanking you for your lessons. Dear Dadaji...
Right working
Dear Dadaji, I hope you are well...
Do this: Informal letters have no subject line and close with love.
Usually costs: 1 mark of 5.

Practice questions on Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level
To whom is the letter written, and from where?
(a) his son, from Delhi (b) his grandson Siddharth, from Anand (c) his wife, from Anand (d) Tribhuvandas Patel, from Gujarat
Hint
Heading of the letter.
Answer
(b) his grandson Siddharth, from Anand
Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
Who was Dr Kurien's mentor in Anand?
Hint
Named in the values paragraph.
Answer
Tribhuvandas Patel.
Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Fact or opinion? (i) Kurien's wife supported his choice to live in Anand. (ii) Writing gives great, abiding pleasure. (iii) He agreed to work for a cooperative of dairy farmers.
Hint
Can it be checked?
Answer
(i) fact (ii) opinion (iii) fact.
Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Insert the correct dash: (i) The Delhi Jaipur bus leaves at six. (ii) My grandfather a retired teacher still reads every day.
Hint
Route = range; extra information = em dash.
Answer
(i) en dash between Delhi and Jaipur; (ii) an em dash before 'a retired teacher' and after it.
Q5 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
Fill in: (i) ___ (Your/You're) handwriting is neat. (ii) ___ (Their/They're) late again. (iii) The company changed ___ (its/it's) logo.
Hint
Expand to test.
Answer
(i) Your (ii) They're (iii) its
Q6 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Replace the underlined word with a synonym: 'The sunset gave us a fleeting moment of beauty, but the memory was abiding.'
Hint
Short-lived; lasting.
Answer
fleeting = momentary; abiding = lifelong (lasting).
Q7 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Write two sentences, one using 'PROject' as a noun and one using 'proJECT' as a verb.
Hint
Noun = first syllable stress.
Answer
Sample: (1) Our science project is on clean water. (2) The teacher will project the slides on the wall.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Kurien says there is 'little correlation' between people's circumstances and their happiness. Explain with an example. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Rich but unhappy; poor but content.
Answer
He means happiness does not depend mainly on wealth or comfort. A rich person may be unhappy, while a farmer with little money may be content with family and work. We often envy others, but we see only their 'images of perfection', not their real troubles.
Q9 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose Siddharth, now grown up, writes back. Write three sentences in which he tells his grandfather how he is 'earning his own reward'.
Hint
Use the letter's advice.
Answer
Sample: Dear Grandpa, I still remember the medal, but I have stopped wanting to keep it. I now teach science to children in a village school every weekend, using my talents for the common good. It is a small reward, but it is truly my own.
Q10 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Write a letter (100-120 words) to a grandparent who lives in another city, describing a small act of service you did for your community and what Dr Kurien's letter taught you about it.
Hint
Informal format; the act of service; Kurien's idea of the common good.
Answer
Format: your address, date, Dear Nanaji/Naniji, no subject line. Body: news and reason for writing; the act of service (e.g. teaching a younger child to read, a colony clean-up, helping a neighbour); Kurien's idea that the common good appears 'in many forms every day' and that every small contribution counts. Close: Your loving granddaughter, name.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.In which year and place was the letter written?Show answer
Anand, 2005.
2.What kind of joy does a phone call give, according to Kurien?Show answer
Immediate but fleeting joy.
3.Whom did Kurien agree to work for fifty years earlier?Show answer
A small cooperative of dairy farmers.
4.What did the grandmother do?Show answer
Strongly supported his choice to live and work in Anand despite the lack of comforts.
5.How does Kurien define failure?Show answer
Not putting in your best effort and not contributing to the common good.
6.What did Siddharth ask at the award ceremony?Show answer
If he could keep the medal.
7.What are the three 'enough' qualities in the closing advice?Show answer
Brave enough to love, strong enough to rejoice in another's happiness, wise enough to know there is enough for all.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Form: personal letter from Dr Verghese Kurien, Anand, 2005, to grandson Siddharth.
Letters give abiding pleasure; phone calls give fleeting joy.
Dream: an India free from hunger and poverty, with equal respect for all.
Gave up careers as company chief, army general, NRI; served dairy farmers' cooperative in Anand.
Wife supported him despite few comforts; mentor Tribhuvandas Patel.
Integrity = honest to yourself; life is a privilege; failure = not giving your best.
No link between circumstances and happiness; others' lives are 'images of perfection'.
Padma Vibhushan 1999: earn your own reward.
Called 'the Milkman of India' (White Revolution).
Grammar: fact/opinion, dashes, its/it's, prepositional phrases, stress; writing: letter to grandparents.

Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream: frequently asked questions

What is 'Verghese Kurien: I Too Had A Dream' about?

It is a letter written in 2005 by Dr Verghese Kurien to his grandson Siddharth, explaining why he served dairy farmers in Anand and sharing the values that guided his life.

Why is Dr Kurien called 'the Milkman of India'?

The lesson's 'Let us explore' section says his efforts drove the White Revolution, a large increase in India's milk production.

What does Kurien say is the most important value?

Integrity: being honest to yourself, which makes it easy to be honest with others.

Which award did he receive in 1999?

The Padma Vibhushan, presented by the President in Delhi.

What is the writing task?

An informal letter to your grandparents thanking them for the lessons they taught you and how these shape your values.

Based on: NCERT Poorvi, Textbook of English for Grade 8 (Reprint 2026-27); NCERT unit PDF: Poorvi Unit 2