Vitamin-M Class 9- Summary & NCERT Solutions

Back to Class 9 English Notes

At a Glance

Author	Asha Nehemiah
Genre	Short story (prose) — domestic comedy with a serious social theme
Central Theme	Care, dignity, and independence of the elderly within the family
Tone	Light-hearted and humorous, with an undercurrent of tenderness and reflection
Central Message	Genuine ‘Vitamin-M’ is not a pill but patience, respect, and attention that families owe their elders

NCERT Solutions

Reflect and Respond

I. From your experience with an elderly person at home or in your neighbourhood, complete the graphic organiser on caring for the elderly.

reasons for caring for the elderly -(they have supported the family throughout their lives and deserve comfort and respect in old age);

problems faced by the elderly -(failing health, loneliness, reduced mobility, and being overlooked in decision-making);

possible reasons for these problems- (physical ageing, busy family schedules, and generational gaps in understanding); and

 ways to care for the elderly -(spending quality time with them, involving them in family decisions, ensuring timely medical attention, and listening patiently to their experiences).

II. Fill in the word-awareness table for frail, shuddered, poky, forbid, pottering, and winced, then check with a dictionary.

Suggested meanings, to be verified with a dictionary, are:

frail — physically weak

shuddered — trembled from an unpleasant feeling

poky — uncomfortably small

forbid — to order someone not to do something

 pottering — moving about in a relaxed, unhurried way

winced — showed a brief look of discomfort or embarrassment.

Check Your Understanding — Part I

I. Why did Grandpa dislike living in the city with his daughter?

Grandpa disliked the constant noise and bustle of city life, which felt overwhelming after the quiet and calm of his own small brick house, where the garden’s big mango tree and the evening stillness were a source of great comfort to him. He also resented the restriction placed on his independence, feeling that he was being denied the freedom he had always enjoyed.

II. Why did Vidya not want her father to go out alone?

The month before the story begins had been an alarming one: Grandpa had accidentally taken a double dose of his medicine and required hospital treatment, and on a separate occasion he had gone out for a walk alone, lost his way, and caused the family great anxiety. Fearing that such a frightening incident might happen again, Vidya insisted that he should not go out unaccompanied.

III. Was Ravi in favour of his mother treating Grandpa like a child? How can you say so?

No, Ravi was clearly not in favour of it. His discomfort is evident from the fact that he winced when his mother addressed Grandpa in an unnecessarily loud and simplified tone, as though speaking to someone incapable of understanding her properly. This reaction shows that Ravi sympathised with his grandfather’s dignity rather than his mother’s over-cautious manner.

IV. Would Ravi be able to keep up his promise to his mother?

No, Ravi was not able to keep his promise fully. Although he had assured his mother that Grandpa would stay safely at home with him, Grandpa was determined to go out on his own, and Ravi could not stop him without hurting his grandfather’s feelings or provoking an argument.

Check Your Understanding — Part II

I. Complete the flow chart describing Grandpa’s day out.

1. children’s park
2. peanuts
3. children playing
4. tea stall
5. street vendors
6. bananas
7. barber shop
8. bus stop
9. complete stranger

II. Was Grandpa lost as feared by Ravi’s mother?

Grandpa was not actually lost in the way Ravi’s mother had feared. He had simply given his distinctive yellow cap to a stranger at the barber shop out of generosity and made his own way home safely, which is why Ravi mistakenly followed the wrong man and briefly believed his grandfather had gone missing.

III. How would Ravi feel after seeing Grandpa?

Ravi would feel an overwhelming sense of relief and tenderness upon seeing Grandpa peacefully asleep at home, followed by a lingering sense of confusion, since he still could not be certain what exactly had happened to Grandpa’s cap or whether Grandpa had noticed him following.

IV. Do you think Ravi’s mother will get to know about what had happened?

It seems unlikely that Ravi’s mother will learn the full truth. Grandpa chose to be playful and evasive rather than explain the cap incident, and Ravi deliberately avoided questioning Grandpa, since doing so would have revealed that he had secretly been following him all day.

Check Your Understanding — Part III

I. Describe how Ravi’s emotional reaction upon finding Grandpa safe at home reveals his feelings towards his grandfather.

Ravi’s reaction reveals that he has a deep emotional attachment to his grandfather. His relief at finding Grandpa safe, followed by his affectionate embrace, shows genuine love and concern. His feelings are not merely the result of his mother’s instructions to keep watch over Grandpa. Ravi’s actions show that Grandpa holds a special and important place in his life.

II. What might be the significance of Grandpa’s habit of giving gifts to everyone on his birthday rather than receiving them?

Grandpa’s habit reflects his generous, affectionate and caring personality. He does not consider himself merely a person who needs care because of his age. Instead, he continues to express his affection by giving something to the members of his family. The practice also suggests that he values family relationships and derives happiness from making others feel special.

III. Why do you think Grandpa gave Ravi a detective story book as a gift? What might this suggest about Grandpa’s awareness of Ravi’s actions earlier in the day?

Grandpa probably gave Ravi the detective story because he had understood, at least to some extent, that Ravi had been secretly following him during the day. His reference to not being fooled while following a suspect appears to be a playful hint about Ravi’s actions. Instead of questioning Ravi directly, Grandpa responds with humour, suggesting that he is observant, intelligent and aware of what is happening around him.

Critical Reflection

I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1.

(i) Choose the emotion displayed by the Grandfather.
Answer: D. wistful

(ii) Complete the following sentence with a reason.
Grandpa hated the busy and noisy city life because ____________.
Answer: Grandpa hated the busy and noisy city life because he longed for the peace, quietness and freedom of his small brick house in the town.

(iii) Why did Grandpa come to the city despite his dislike for city life?
Answer: Grandpa came to the city because he had fallen in the garden of his house and remained there throughout the night without anyone to help him. His daughter therefore felt that he could no longer live alone safely and brought him to the city.

(iv) Choose an expression similar in meaning to, ‘you can even hear a leaf fall’.
Answer: D. pin drop silence

(v) State one advantage and one disadvantage of the Grandfather living in the house in town.
Answer: Advantage: Grandpa enjoyed peace, quietness and independence in his own house.
Disadvantage: He lived alone, so there was no one to assist him in case of an accident or emergency.

2.

(i) Choose the option that displays the tone of the Grandfather’s response.
Answer: C. calm

(ii) Why was Ravi confused and embarrassed?
Answer: Ravi was confused and embarrassed because Grandpa mentioned that Ravi had disappeared instead of staying at home. Ravi realised that Grandpa was aware of his actions, even though he had secretly followed him throughout the day.

(iii) Complete the sentence with a suitable reason.
Ravi’s mother was impatient because ____________.
Answer: Ravi’s mother was impatient because she believed that Grandpa had forgotten Ravi’s birthday and was surprised to see him present a gift parcel.

(iv) State whether the following sentence is true or false.
Grandfather forgot that Ravi’s birthday was three months ago.
Answer: False

(v) Why did Grandpa say he didn’t know what kind of morning Ravi might have had?
Answer: Grandpa said this because Ravi had spent the morning secretly following him around the city instead of remaining at home. The remark was a subtle indication that Grandpa knew about Ravi’s activities and was gently teasing him.

II Answer the following questions.

1. Grandpa is portrayed as a person with a failing memory at the beginning of the story. Give two pieces of evidence that disprove this impression.

Firstly, Grandpa displays a remarkably sharp memory for chess, recalling in precise detail the opening moves and historic matches of famous players such as Karpov and Bobby Fischer. Secondly, he remembers exactly that the day in question is his own birthday and that he customarily gives gifts to every child in the house on this occasion, a fact that his own daughter has completely forgotten despite marking it on her calendar.

2. Give two characteristic traits of each of the following characters: (i) Grandfather (ii) Ravi (iii) Ravi’s mother.

(i) Grandfather: he is fiercely independent and self-reliant, having managed his own household for decades, and he is also shrewd and quietly mischievous, as shown by his clever handling of the cap incident.

(ii) Ravi: he is caring and responsible, willing to take on the burden of looking after his grandfather, and he is also resourceful, improvising ways to follow Grandpa unseen even under difficult circumstances.

(iii) Ravi’s mother: she is anxious and protective, shaped by the frightening incidents of the previous month, and she can also be unintentionally patronising, as seen in the over-loud tone she uses when speaking to her father.

3. Why was Ravi worried about what Grandfather had at the tea stall?

Ravi was worried because Grandpa openly broke his dietary restrictions at the tea stall, drinking sugary tea and eating bananas and an ice cream, all of which were forbidden to him at home, and Ravi knew that his mother would be extremely upset if she discovered this.

4. Do you think it was easy for Ravi to follow his Grandfather? If yes, why? If no, why not?

No, it was certainly not easy for Ravi. He had to hide from an angry mother wielding an umbrella in the park, endure suspicious questioning from a group of street vendors near the tea stall, suffer the humiliation of being thrown out of a ladies’ hairdressing salon, and finally sprint to catch a moving bus, all while trying to remain unnoticed and constantly worrying about Grandpa’s safety.

5. ‘Ravi is a good detective.’ Give one argument in favour of and one against this statement.

In favour: Ravi shows persistence, quick thinking, and physical courage, managing to keep pace with Grandpa across a busy city and even jumping onto a moving bus without losing his nerve. Against: Ravi is repeatedly noticed by the very people he is trying to avoid, and, most tellingly, he is completely fooled into following a stranger wearing Grandpa’s cap, which suggests his observational skills are far from those of a genuine detective.

6. Was Grandfather aware that Ravi was following him? How do you know?

It is strongly implied that Grandpa was indeed aware. His choice of a detective-story book as Ravi’s birthday gift, together with his pointed comment about avoiding being fooled while trailing a suspect, suggests that he had guessed what Ravi was doing and chose to acknowledge it with a playful, knowing hint rather than a direct confrontation.

7. In your opinion, who needs Vitamin-M? And why?

In this reader’s opinion, it is Ravi’s mother who needs ‘Vitamin-M’ the most. Although she coined the term as a joke about her father’s memory, it is she who forgets to treat him as a capable, independent adult and who genuinely forgets his birthday despite having noted it on her own calendar.

8. Some people believe society shows bias based on age. Give an example where you might have experienced or observed such discrimination, when opinions were disregarded because of age.

This is a personal, open-ended response. A suitable example might describe an occasion when an elderly family member’s practical suggestion was dismissed as ‘old-fashioned’ without genuine consideration, or when a younger person’s idea was overlooked in a discussion simply because of their age, illustrating how age-based assumptions can prevent people from being heard on their merits.

Vocabulary and Structures in Context

I. Movement Words and Sound Words

Column 1: Movement Words	Column 2: Sound Words
pottering	boomed
twirling	bustle
crawl	thudded
creeping	shrieks
ducked	whirr
evicted	grunted
briskly	snoring
sprinting
jumping
darted
trailing
zigzagging
crouch

Fill in the Blanks — Detective Shankar Passage

Suggested completion of the passage using appropriate words from the classification above:

• 1. trailing   2. bustle   3. briskly   4. thudded   5. darted   6. crouch   7. creeping   8. winced   9. sprinted / darted away   10. whirr / hush of the sleeping city

Note: As this is a creative fill-in-the-blank exercise built around the given word bank, minor variation in exact word choice is acceptable provided the word fits both the grammatical context and its correct classification as a movement or sound word.

II. Synonyms for ‘Dilemma’

In the sentence describing Ravi being left in a dilemma as Grandpa twirls his walking stick and departs, two synonymous words can be derived as follows:

(1) QUANDARY, and (2) PREDICAMENT — both referring to a difficult situation requiring a decision between unwelcome alternatives.

III. Word Table — Meaning, Part of Speech, Synonym, Antonym

Word	Meaning	Part of Speech	Synonym	Antonym
craftily	in a cunning or artful manner	adverb	slyly	openly
dilemma	a situation requiring a difficult choice	noun	predicament	certainty
furious	extremely angry	adjective	enraged	calm
boomed	spoke in a loud, deep voice	verb	thundered	whispered
humiliation	a feeling of shame or embarrassment	noun	disgrace	honour
attire	clothing	noun	garb	undress

IV. Match the Emotions/Expressions with Their Meanings

Emotion/Expression	Meaning
1. embarrassed	(v) felt uncomfortable
2. countered	(iv) reply to an argument
3. flushed	(vi) became red in the face
4. stricken	(i) affected severely by an unpleasant feeling
5. gleam	(iii) expression of emotion

Note: One meaning option, ‘to be confused’, is extra and does not match any of the five expressions listed.

V. Prepositions

Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions:

• (i) through  
• (ii) over  
• (iii) near  
• (iv) in  
• (v) along  
• (vi) towards

VI. Sentence Types — Direct Speech Dialogues

A. The words in the quotes are (i) interrogative sentences.

B. Sentences 1, 4 and 5 are (ii) Yes/No type interrogative sentences.

C. Sentences 2 and 3 are (iii) Wh- type interrogative sentences.

D. So, there are (iv) two types of interrogative sentences.

VII. Reported Speech — Arvind and Priya Conversation

Arvind asked Priya if she 1. helped in taking care of her grandparents at home, for which Priya replied in the affirmative and said that they 2. took turns making sure they were alright. Priya further asked Arvind 3. if he had grandparents living with him. Arvind replied in the negative and said that 4. his parents and he visited his grandpa every weekend. He further enquired 5. how he managed his grandparents’ medical needs. Priya responded by saying that they 6. had a schedule for giving medications and visits to the doctor.

Listen and Respond

1. Meditation is a form of yoga that usually refreshes the mind and helps with stress management.

2. Meditation leads to a better health condition both physically and emotionally.

3. Meditation also aids in lessening undesirable feelings and improving self-awareness.

4. It is advised that we meditate every day so that it becomes a routine.

5. Meditating on a daily basis is beneficial in comfortably tackling exam-related pressure.

Speaking Activity

I. Intonation Practice

Students should revisit the story and select a range of different questions from the dialogues — Wh-questions, Yes/No questions, question tags, and choice-based questions — then practise reading them aloud in pairs, applying falling, rising, or rise-fall intonation as appropriate, following the patterns explained in the textbook.

II. Presentation on Caring for an Older Person

A Lesson in Caring

Good morning everyone.

I would like to share a personal experience of caring for my grandfather when he was recovering from an illness. For a few weeks, I helped him with simple tasks such as bringing his medicines, keeping his water nearby, accompanying him during short walks and reading the newspaper aloud when he felt tired.

At first, I thought caregiving was mainly about completing these small tasks. However, I soon realised that it also required patience, attentiveness and understanding. I learned to notice when my grandfather needed help without always having to be asked. This experience showed me that I could be responsible and patient even when things did not happen according to my routine.

I also understood my grandfather better. He valued his independence and did not always want others to do everything for him. Sometimes, what he needed most was someone who would listen to him and give him time. His slower pace made me realise that ageing can bring challenges that younger people may not immediately understand.

The experience changed the way I look at older people. I learned that caring for them is not about treating them as helpless. It is about respecting their dignity, listening to their choices and offering support when they need it.

Most importantly, caring for my grandfather taught me that kindness is often expressed through small, thoughtful actions. It made me more patient, responsible and sensitive to the needs of others.

Thank you.

Writing Task

Article for the School Magazine: ‘Our Inspiring Elderly’

Our Inspiring Elderly

By Suhana Sharma, Class IX

Older people are a valuable source of experience, wisdom and strength. Their lives often teach us lessons that cannot be found in textbooks. Their patience, resilience and ability to face difficulties can inspire younger generations to look at life with greater maturity.

My grandmother is one such inspiring person in my life. She has always encouraged our family to remain calm during difficult situations. Even after facing many changes in her life, she continues to begin each day with enthusiasm. She often tells us that mistakes are not failures if they help us learn. Her habit of saving useful things, managing household resources carefully and sharing what she has with others has also taught me the importance of being grateful and responsible.

What inspires me most is the way she deals with challenges. When she finds something difficult, she does not immediately give up. Instead, she takes her time, asks for help when necessary and tries again. Watching her has taught me that strength does not always mean doing everything alone. Sometimes, true strength lies in accepting change, remaining hopeful and moving forward patiently.

Our elderly deserve more than our respect; they deserve our time and attention. Their stories connect us with the past, while their experiences can guide us in the present. I have realised that spending time with older people is not merely an act of care. It is also an opportunity to learn values such as patience, resilience, gratitude and compassion. If we listen to them carefully, we may discover some of life’s most meaningful lessons.

Learning Beyond the Text

I. Identifying Grandpa’s Walking Stick

According to the description in the story, Grandpa’s walking stick is described as a beautiful, shiny-black mahogany stick with a brass handle carved in the shape of an eagle’s head. Image 2

II. Photograph Slide Show

This is a personal, creative activity. Students should select a few memorable family photographs and prepare a short slide show noting, for each photograph, when and where it was taken, who appears in it, and why it holds personal significance, connecting the activity to the story’s themes of memory and family bonds.

III. Comparing with ‘The Lost Child’ by Mulk Raj Anand

Students are asked to read the accompanying short story ‘The Lost Child’ and discuss it with classmates and their teacher. A brief comparative note is offered below.

How does ‘The Lost Child’ connect thematically with ‘Vitamin-M’?

Both stories explore the anxiety of losing a family member in a crowd and the powerful, instinctive bond of family love. In ‘The Lost Child’, a young boy becomes separated from his parents at a fair and, despite being offered every attraction he had earlier desired — toys, sweets, balloons, a ride on a roundabout — he wants nothing but his mother and father, showing that a child’s deepest need is not material pleasure but the security of family presence. Similarly, in ‘Vitamin-M’, beneath the comic chase through the city lies Ravi’s genuine fear of losing his grandfather and his overwhelming relief and affection on finding him safe, showing that both stories, despite their very different tones, ultimately affirm the same truth: that family bonds and the presence of loved ones matter more than any external distraction or comfort.

Short Chapter Summary

‘Vitamin-M’ opens with Ravi’s mother wishing, half in jest, for an invented memory pill that could help forgetful elderly people, unaware that her father-in-law is seated within earshot. Grandpa had moved in with the family a month earlier after two frightening incidents — an accidental overdose of medicine and a fall in his garden that left him lying outside all night. Though physically frail, Grandpa remains proud, independent, and mentally sharp, particularly in matters such as chess. Left in Ravi’s care for the day and forbidden from going out alone, Grandpa slips away regardless, prompting Ravi to secretly follow him through the city to ensure his safety. The resulting chase is filled with comic mishaps — Ravi is threatened by an angry mother in the park, surrounded by suspicious street vendors near a tea stall, and thrown out of a ladies’ hairdressing salon. Grandpa, meanwhile, enjoys a day of small forbidden pleasures, from sugary tea to ice cream, before entering a barber shop. When Ravi later follows a man wearing Grandpa’s distinctive yellow cap onto a bus, he discovers the man is a stranger who had simply been given the cap by a kind elderly gentleman. Panicked, Ravi searches for Grandpa in vain before returning home to find him safely asleep, prompting a wave of tenderness in Ravi that goes beyond mere duty. The story closes with the revelation that the day was Grandpa’s birthday — a fact his own daughter had forgotten — and with Grandpa’s parting gift and remark suggesting he may have known all along that Ravi had been secretly trailing him.

Author Biography & Literary Style

Asha Nehemiah is a contemporary Indian writer recognised for her contribution to children’s and young-adult fiction in English. Her work often blends warmth, gentle humour, and everyday domestic settings to explore themes relevant to family life and growing up. ‘Vitamin-M’ is characteristic of this approach, using a light comic narrative to draw attention to the serious, real-world concern of elder care within Indian families.

Style and Tone

The overall tone of ‘Vitamin-M’ is warmly comic, particularly in its central chase sequence, where Ravi’s escalating misadventures are narrated with a light, almost farcical touch. Beneath this humour, however, runs a tender, reflective undertone, most evident in the story’s quieter closing moments, when Ravi’s genuine affection for his grandfather comes to the surface. The narrative style favours vivid, concrete sensory detail — sounds, sights, and physical actions — over abstract description, giving the story a lively, cinematic quality. Dialogue is used extensively and effectively, both to advance the plot and to reveal the distinct personalities of Grandpa, Ravi, and Ravi’s mother without the need for explicit authorial commentary.

Detailed Explanation — Part I

The story opens with Ravi’s mother preparing tablets on a saucer and wishing aloud that scientists would invent a memory-boosting ‘Vitamin-M’ for the elderly, unaware that Grandpa, seated nearby in his rocking chair, may be within earshot. This opening line establishes both the story’s title and its central irony, since it is later Ravi’s mother, not Grandpa, who proves to be more forgetful of what truly matters. Ravi’s discomfort at his mother’s careless remark, and his warning that Grandpa might hear her, introduces his protective instinct towards his grandfather from the very first page.

The narration then moves to background information: Grandpa had come to live with the family only a month earlier, after a difficult period in which he accidentally took a double dose of his medicine and required hospitalisation, and on another occasion went for a walk alone and lost his way home. These incidents justify, at least on the surface, Ravi’s mother’s anxiety, even as her handling of the situation — instructing Ravi never to let Grandpa go out alone — comes across as overly restrictive to both Ravi and Grandpa himself.

Grandpa’s own account of the events leading to his move reveals his perspective: he had spent ‘the better part of’ seventy-five years living independently, cooking, shopping, and managing his own household even after his wife’s death a decade earlier. His outburst about being forced into a ‘poky little flat’ in a ‘horrible, crowded city’ and then denied the right to go out alone captures his resentment at losing his autonomy, and it also reveals the firmness that had once served him well as a lawyer.

The section closes with Ravi’s mother leaving detailed medical instructions before going to work, addressing Grandpa in an over-loud, simplified tone that visibly embarrasses Ravi. Grandpa’s game of chess with Ravi that follows demonstrates his continuing mental sharpness — he recalls specific historic matches in vivid detail even as Ravi wonders how someone with such a memory could also seem so forgetful in daily life. When Grandpa insists on walking to the corner shop alone, accusing Ravi of treating him ‘like a baby’ or ‘a prisoner’, Ravi is placed in an impossible position, torn between his promise to his mother and his respect for his grandfather’s dignity. Grandpa’s departure, twirling his walking stick ‘jauntily’, sets up the chase that dominates the rest of the story.

Word Meanings — Part I

Word/Phrase	Meaning as Used in the Text
frail	physically weak, especially owing to age
shuddered	trembled briefly from an unpleasant memory
poky	uncomfortably small and cramped
forbid	to order someone not to do something
pottering	moving about in a relaxed, unhurried way while doing small tasks
winced	showed a brief expression of discomfort or embarrassment
bustle	busy, noisy activity
jauntily	in a cheerful, confident, carefree manner
dilemma	a situation requiring a difficult choice between unwelcome options
craftily	in a cunning, artful manner

Literary Devices & Terms — Part I

Device	Example / Explanation
Dramatic Irony	Ravi’s mother wishes aloud for a memory pill for the elderly, unaware that it is she, rather than Grandpa, who will later be shown to have forgotten something important.
Characterisation Through Dialogue	Grandpa’s firm, dignified speech to his daughter about his seventy-five years of independence reveals his pride and self-reliance without direct authorial description.
Foreshadowing	Grandpa’s determination to go out alone despite instructions foreshadows the extended chase sequence that follows in Part II.
Contrast	The peaceful, quiet imagery of Grandpa’s rural house is contrasted with the noisy ‘bustle’ of city life, underlining his sense of displacement.
Sensory Imagery	The description of Grandpa reading with the newspaper held ‘inches from his nose’ vividly conveys his failing eyesight.

Detailed Explanation — Part II

Ravi  secretly trails Grandpa through the city, and it is here that the story’s comic energy is at its height. Ravi’s decision to follow Grandpa ‘secretly, at a safe distance’ rather than confront him directly reflects his continuing dilemma from Part I: he wishes to protect Grandpa without publicly undermining his independence or provoking a scene.

The sequence of misadventures that follows is structured almost like a series of comic set-pieces. At the children’s park, Ravi is forced to crouch behind a bush shaped like an elephant, only to be discovered by a curious child and then threatened by the child’s furious mother wielding an umbrella, forcing him to crawl away on all fours in humiliation. At the tea stall, Ravi hides behind a banyan tree, but is soon surrounded by a group of suspicious street vendors who assume he is either spying on them or trying to encroach on their pitch, leading to a comic exchange of raised voices. Throughout these episodes, Grandpa remains blissfully unaware, indulging in small forbidden pleasures — sugary tea, bananas, and an ice cream — that Ravi knows would horrify his mother.

The tension shifts when Grandpa crosses a busy road, causing Ravi genuine alarm as he hears the screech of brakes, before Grandpa disappears into a barber shop. Ravi’s attempt at a ‘closer look’ leads to his most humiliating mishap yet, as he mistakenly ducks into a ladies’ hairdressing salon and is evicted amid shrieks. The section builds to its climax when Ravi, having lost sight of Grandpa, spots his familiar yellow cap boarding a bus and scrambles to follow, only to discover, once aboard, that the wearer is a complete stranger — a kind gesture from Grandpa, who had given away his cap to a fellow customer at the barber shop because of the heat. This twist leaves both Ravi and the reader uncertain about Grandpa’s whereabouts, generating suspense as Part II closes.

Word Meanings — Part II

Word/Phrase	Meaning as Used in the Text
crouch	to bend the body close to the ground
ducking	lowering the head or body quickly to avoid being seen
a volley of	a rapid burst of (shouts, criticism, and so on)
deterred	discouraged or prevented from doing something
confront	to face someone directly, often to challenge them
quizzical	expressing mild or amused puzzlement
zigzagging	moving in a series of sharp turns from side to side
thudded	made a dull, heavy sound
briskly	in an energetic, quick manner

Literary Devices & Terms — Part II

Device	Example / Explanation
Situational Irony	The very act meant to protect Grandpa (secretly following him) leads Ravi into a series of embarrassing and dangerous situations of his own.
Comic Exaggeration (Farce)	The rapid succession of mishaps — the umbrella-wielding mother, the suspicious vendors, the ladies’ salon — builds a farcical, almost slapstick comic rhythm.
Suspense	The chapter ends on a cliffhanger, with Ravi discovering that the cap-wearer is a stranger and Grandpa’s whereabouts unknown.
Simile	Grandpa is described as being ‘as bald as a table tennis ball’, a vivid comic comparison that also explains Ravi’s plan to get a closer look at him.
Onomatopoeia	Words such as ‘thudded’ and ‘screech’ recreate the sounds of the chase, heightening the sense of urgency and physical action.

Detailed Explanation — Part III

Ravi’s frantic search for Grandpa — retracing his steps to the barber shop and the park, and his failed attempts to telephone his parents — conveys his genuine fear and sense of responsibility. His relief on returning home to find Grandpa peacefully asleep and snoring is expressed through a moment of unguarded tenderness: kneeling beside the bed, noticing the ‘creases’ on Grandpa’s face, and impulsively hugging him. This moment marks an emotional turning point in the story, transforming Ravi’s earlier sense of duty into something closer to unconditional affection.

Grandpa’s response when questioned by Ravi’s mother — claiming coolly that Ravi had ‘disappeared’ rather than looking after him — introduces a final layer of comic irony, since it is technically accurate yet conceals the full truth of what actually happened. Ravi’s silence, born of his own need to keep his secret, mirrors Grandpa’s evasiveness, suggesting an unspoken understanding developing between grandfather and grandson.

The revelation of the gift-wrapped parcels, and the fact that the day is actually Grandpa’s own birthday, delivers the story’s central twist. Ravi’s mother’s flustered realisation that she had forgotten her own father’s birthday, despite having marked it on the calendar, directly and ironically fulfils the story’s opening joke — it is she, not Grandpa, who needed ‘Vitamin-M’. Grandpa’s parting words to Ravi’s father, pointedly suggesting his daughter needs ‘Vitamin-M… for her memory’, make this reversal explicit. The final exchange, in which Grandpa gifts Ravi a book of detective stories and offers advice on ‘how to avoid getting fooled when one is trailing a suspect’, closes the story on a deliberately ambiguous, warmly humorous note, leaving both Ravi and the reader wondering whether Grandpa knew all along.

Word Meanings — Part III

Word/Phrase	Meaning as Used in the Text
frantic	wild with worry or fear
creases	folds or lines (here, wrinkles on ageing skin)
darted (a look)	glanced quickly and sharply
trailing	following someone secretly or at a distance
solemnly	in a serious, grave manner
countered	responded to an argument or accusation with a reply
stricken	affected severely by an unpleasant feeling, such as guilt or shock
flushed	became red in the face, typically from embarrassment

Literary Devices & Terms — Part III

Device	Example / Explanation
Situational Irony (Resolution)	The story’s opening wish for ‘Vitamin-M’ for the elderly is ironically reversed, as it is Ravi’s mother who is shown to need it by the story’s end.
Symbolism	‘Vitamin-M’ evolves from a literal, joking idea of a memory pill into a symbol of the attentive care and respect owed to the elderly.
Ambiguity / Open Ending	The story deliberately leaves unresolved whether Grandpa knew Ravi had been following him, inviting readers to interpret his final ‘twinkle’ for themselves.
Tactile and Olfactory Imagery	The description of Grandpa’s wrinkled skin, and the smell of ‘eucalyptus ointment and shaving cream’, appeals directly to touch and smell to convey intimacy.
Role Reversal	Grandpa’s calm, controlled account of the day to Ravi’s mother momentarily places him in the position of authority, reversing the earlier dynamic in which he was treated as dependent.

Character Sketches

Grandpa

Grandpa is a retired lawyer of about seventy-five, whose physical frailty, his weakening eyesight, hearing, and memory for everyday matters, stands in sharp contrast to his continuing mental sharpness in areas that genuinely interest him, such as chess. Having managed his own household independently for many years, including after his wife’s death, he values his autonomy deeply and resents being treated as helpless or untrustworthy. His firmness and quiet authority, honed over a long legal career, surface clearly when he challenges his daughter’s restrictions. Beneath his occasional crustiness lies a warm, generous nature, expressed through his tradition of gifting every child in the household on his own birthday. Grandpa also proves himself shrewd and playfully mischievous, most notably in the story’s closing suggestion that he may have known, all along, that Ravi was secretly following him.

Ravi

Ravi is Grandpa’s grandson, a schoolboy whose summer holidays begin just as he is given responsibility for his grandfather’s care. He is caring and dutiful, genuinely committed to keeping his promise to his mother, yet he is equally sensitive to his grandfather’s dignity, visibly wincing when his mother speaks to Grandpa in a patronising tone. This sensitivity places him in a persistent moral dilemma throughout the story, torn between obedience to his mother’s instructions and respect for Grandpa’s independence. Ravi’s attempt to secretly trail Grandpa reveals both his resourcefulness and his comic ineptitude as an amateur ‘detective’, as he stumbles from one embarrassing mishap to another. By the story’s end, his relief and tenderness on finding Grandpa safely home reveal that his sense of duty has grown into genuine, deeply felt affection.

Ravi’s Mother (Vidya)

Vidya, Grandpa’s daughter, is a working woman attempting to balance her professional responsibilities with the demands of caring for an ageing parent. Her anxious, overprotective behaviour is rooted in real fear, shaped by the frightening incidents of the previous month, Grandpa’s medicine overdose and his fall. However, this anxiety sometimes causes her to speak to her father in an unintentionally condescending, over loud tone, treating him more like a child than the capable adult he still largely is. Her forgetfulness of her father’s own birthday, despite having marked it on the calendar herself, becomes the story’s central irony, revealing that she, rather than Grandpa, is the one who most needs the ‘Vitamin M’ she jokingly invented at the start of the story.

Ravi’s Father

Ravi’s father plays a smaller, largely reactive role in the story, appearing mainly in the final scene. His confusion at Grandpa’s remarks about ‘Vitamin-M’ for his wife, and his gentle scepticism about whether Ravi truly wishes to become a detective, provide a calm, good-humoured counterpoint to the more heightened emotions of the other characters, and his presence completes the picture of a loving, if occasionally muddled, family unit.

Important Exam Questions (NEP 2020 Aligned)

Section A: Extract-Based Questions

Extract 1

“I’ll have you know, Vidya, my dear,” he had told his daughter with a trace of the firmness that had been a natural part of his job as a lawyer, that he had managed on his own for the better part of his seventy-five years.

(a) Who is the speaker of these lines, and to whom are they addressed?

(b) What profession had the speaker held, and how does this influence his tone here?

(c) Choose the correct option:

The speaker’s tone in this extract is —

• apologetic
• (ii) firm and assertive
• (iii) fearful
•  (iv) indifferent.

(d) What does this extract reveal about the speaker’s attitude towards his independence?

Answers: (a) Grandpa is speaking to his daughter, Vidya (Ravi’s mother).

(b) He had been a lawyer, and this explains the firm, assertive, almost argumentative tone he adopts, drawing on habits of persuasion and self-assurance built over his career.

(c) (ii) firm and assertive.

(d) The extract reveals that Grandpa takes considerable pride in his long-standing self-sufficiency and resents any suggestion that he can no longer be trusted to manage his own life.

Extract 2

Ravi knelt down near the bed and put his cheek against the old man’s face, suddenly overcome with affection for his grandfather, though Grandpa only grunted in his sleep.

(a) What had caused Ravi’s anxiety just before this moment?

(b) Why does Ravi decide not to question Grandpa about the day’s events?

(c) Choose the correct option:

The dominant emotion conveyed in this extract is —

(i) anger

(ii) tenderness and relief

(iii) suspicion

(iv) boredom.

(d) What does this moment reveal about the true nature of Ravi’s relationship with his grandfather?

Answers:

 (a) Ravi had spent a frantic period searching for Grandpa after mistakenly following a stranger wearing his cap, fearing that Grandpa was genuinely lost.

(b) Ravi avoids questioning Grandpa because doing so would require him to admit that he had been secretly following him all day, which he wishes to keep hidden.

(c) (ii) tenderness and relief.

(d) This moment reveals that Ravi’s feelings for Grandpa go far beyond a sense of duty; his instinctive affection shows a deep, genuine emotional bond between grandfather and grandson.

Section B: Short Answer Questions (40–50 words)

1. Why does the title ‘Vitamin-M’ carry an ironic meaning by the end of the story?

Although ‘Vitamin-M’ is first proposed as a memory pill for forgetful elderly people like Grandpa, the story ultimately reveals that it is Ravi’s mother who has forgotten something important — her own father’s birthday — making her, ironically, the one who truly needs ‘Vitamin-M’.

2. What earlier incidents made Ravi’s mother anxious about Grandpa going out alone?

The previous month, Grandpa had accidentally taken a double dose of his medicine and needed hospital care, and on another occasion he had gone for a walk alone and got lost, causing his family considerable worry over his safety.

3. How does Grandpa demonstrate that his memory is far from failing?

Grandpa recalls specific historic chess matches and opening moves in precise detail during his game with Ravi, and later remembers exactly that the day is his own birthday, showing that his memory remains sharp in matters he cares about.

4. Describe one instance where Ravi’s attempt to secretly follow Grandpa leads to embarrassment.

While hiding behind a bush in the children’s park to avoid being seen, Ravi is discovered by a small child and then confronted by the child’s furious mother wielding an umbrella, forcing him to crawl away on all fours in humiliation.

5. What does Grandpa do at the tea stall that would upset Ravi’s mother if she knew?

At the tea stall, Grandpa enjoys a sugary cup of tea, two bananas, and an ice cream, all of which are strictly forbidden to him at home, showing his mischievous enjoyment of small forbidden pleasures while unsupervised.

6. Why does Ravi mistakenly believe Grandpa has boarded the bus?

Ravi sees a yellow cap identical to Grandpa’s, complete with a matching coffee-strain on its rim, being worn by a man boarding the bus, and understandably assumes this must be his grandfather until he discovers it is a stranger.

7. What surprise awaits the family when Grandpa produces gift-wrapped parcels?

The gift-wrapped parcels reveal that the day is actually Grandpa’s own birthday, a fact his daughter had entirely forgotten despite having marked the date on the calendar at the start of the year, causing her considerable embarrassment.

8. What final hint suggests that Grandpa may have known Ravi was following him?

Grandpa’s gift of a detective-story book to Ravi, together with his solemn remark about avoiding being fooled while trailing a suspect, strongly hints that he may have been aware of Ravi’s secret pursuit throughout the day.

Section C: Long Answer Questions (120–150 words)

Extrapolation Questions

1. Imagine Grandpa had directly confronted Ravi about following him. Write, in your own words, how this conversation might have unfolded and how it might have changed the story’s ending.

Had Grandpa confronted Ravi directly, the conversation might have opened with a knowing smile rather than anger, since Grandpa’s character throughout the story is marked by good humour rather than resentment. He might have gently teased Ravi about his poor ‘detective’ skills, pointing out the moments when he was nearly discovered, while also expressing quiet appreciation for Ravi’s concern for his safety. Ravi, in turn, might have confessed his fear of losing Grandpa and his internal conflict between obeying his mother and respecting Grandpa’s independence. Such an open conversation could have led to a more explicit understanding between the two, perhaps with Grandpa proposing a compromise — greater freedom in exchange for keeping Ravi informed of his plans — rather than leaving the matter as an unspoken, ambiguous secret, which is how the actual story chooses to end it.

2. If Ravi had told his mother the whole truth about the day’s events, how might she have reacted, and what might this reveal about her character?

If Ravi had told his mother everything, her initial reaction would likely have been alarm and renewed anxiety about Grandpa’s safety, given her fear of a repeat of the earlier incidents. However, given her fundamentally loving nature — evident in her concern throughout the story — she might eventually have softened, especially upon realising how much thought and care both Ravi and Grandpa had shown, in their own ways, that day. This hypothetical reaction would reveal that her overprotectiveness stems from genuine love rather than a wish to control, and it might also have prompted her to reflect more honestly on her own tendency to underestimate her father’s continued competence, potentially leading to a more balanced, respectful approach to his care going forward.

Theme and Character Questions

1. Discuss how the story ‘Vitamin-M’ explores the theme of dignity and independence in old age, with reference to Grandpa’s words and actions.

Throughout the story, Grandpa’s words and actions consistently assert his right to independence despite his advancing age. His forceful reminder to his daughter that he managed his own household for decades, his firm objection to being treated ‘like a baby’ or a ‘prisoner’, and his determined decision to go out alone despite instructions all demonstrate his refusal to be defined solely by his physical frailty. At the same time, the story does not dismiss the genuine risks involved, acknowledging the medicine overdose and the fall that brought him to the city in the first place. This balanced portrayal invites readers to consider that true care for the elderly involves respecting their autonomy and judgement wherever possible, rather than imposing blanket restrictions out of anxiety, since dignity and safety need not always be in conflict if approached with sensitivity and open communication.

2. Ravi undergoes a subtle emotional transformation over the course of the story. Trace this development with reference to specific incidents.

At the story’s opening, Ravi’s care for Grandpa appears largely dutiful, shaped by his promise to his anxious mother; he feels sorry for her and agrees to look after Grandpa mainly out of obligation. As the story progresses, however, his motivations deepen. His decision to follow Grandpa secretly, enduring considerable embarrassment and physical discomfort, shows a growing personal investment in his grandfather’s safety that goes beyond mere duty. The turning point comes when Ravi, believing Grandpa may be lost, experiences genuine panic, and this culminates in the tender scene of him kneeling by Grandpa’s bed, noticing the details of his ageing face, and impulsively hugging him. By the story’s end, Ravi’s emotional connection to Grandpa has visibly matured from a child following instructions into a grandson bound by real affection and concern.

Section D: Case-Based Question (Competency-Based)

Read the following case and answer the questions that follow, applying your understanding of the story ‘Vitamin-M’.

Case: Meera’s grandmother, who is seventy-eight, has recently moved in with Meera’s family after a minor accident at home. Meera’s parents have decided that her grandmother should not be left alone under any circumstances and have arranged for someone to accompany her at all times, including short walks to the local shop that she has made independently for years. Meera’s grandmother has become increasingly quiet and withdrawn since this arrangement began.

(a) Which character and situation from ‘Vitamin-M’ does this case most closely resemble, and why?

(b) What advice, based on Grandpa’s experience in the story, would you offer Meera’s parents to help address her grandmother’s withdrawal?

(c) Do you think complete restriction of movement is always the safest approach for elderly family members? Justify your answer with reference to the story.

(d) Suggest one practical step Meera could take, inspired by Ravi’s actions in the story, to support her grandmother while balancing safety and independence.

Answers:

(a) This case closely resembles Grandpa’s situation after he moved in with Ravi’s family and was forbidden from going out alone, as both involve an elderly person’s sudden loss of independence following an accident, leading to resentment or, in this case, withdrawal.

 (b) Drawing on the story, Meera’s parents might consider involving her grandmother in decisions about her own routine, allowing supervised or gradually increasing independence rather than complete restriction, much as a more open conversation with Grandpa might have eased his frustration. (

c) No, complete restriction is not always the safest or most appropriate approach, since, as the story shows, it can cause emotional harm, resentment, and a loss of self-worth; a balanced approach that manages genuine risk while preserving dignity, such as accompanied outings that still allow choice and engagement, is likely to be more effective.

(d) Meera could offer to accompany her grandmother on regular walks, using the time to talk and reconnect, similar to how Ravi’s shared game of chess with Grandpa strengthened their bond, ensuring her grandmother feels supported rather than merely supervised.

Section E: Higher-Order Thinking Questions (HOTS)

Analytical Thinking

1. Analyse how the author uses humour strategically to address a serious social issue in ‘Vitamin-M’.

The author employs humour, particularly in the extended chase sequence, to make the serious issue of elder care approachable and engaging for young readers, without diminishing its underlying seriousness. By presenting Ravi’s mishaps in a farcical, exaggerated manner, the narrative maintains a light tone even as it explores genuine anxieties about safety, dignity, and generational misunderstanding. This strategic use of comedy allows the story to critique overprotective parenting and highlight the emotional needs of the elderly without becoming preachy or heavy-handed, ultimately making its message more memorable and persuasive than a purely serious treatment might have achieved.

Evaluation-Based Questions

1. In your view, was Ravi’s decision to secretly follow Grandpa the most appropriate response to his dilemma? Evaluate alternative courses of action he might have taken.

While Ravi’s decision to secretly follow Grandpa reflects genuine care, it can be evaluated as only a partially appropriate response, since it involved deception and placed Ravi himself in several risky and embarrassing situations. An alternative might have been for Ravi to accompany Grandpa openly, framing it not as supervision but as wanting to spend time together, which could have satisfied both his mother’s safety concerns and Grandpa’s need for dignity. Another option might have been for Ravi to negotiate a compromise with Grandpa before he left, perhaps agreeing on a route and a return time. Ultimately, Ravi’s chosen approach, though understandable given his age and the pressure of conflicting loyalties, illustrates how difficult it can be to balance competing responsibilities without open communication among all parties involved.

Application-Based Questions

1. Based on the lessons of ‘Vitamin-M’, suggest three practical steps a family could take to care for an elderly member while respecting their independence.

Firstly, families could involve elderly members directly in decisions about their own routines and restrictions, rather than imposing rules without discussion, thereby preserving their sense of agency. Secondly, families could create structured opportunities for supervised independence, such as accompanied walks or outings, that allow a degree of freedom within reasonable safety limits. Thirdly, families could make a conscious effort to engage elderly members in shared activities, such as games, storytelling, or hobbies, which not only provide companionship but also allow younger family members to recognise and value the continuing mental and emotional capabilities of their elders, much as Ravi’s chess games with Grandpa did in the story.

Assertion-Reason Questions

Question 1

Assertion (A): Ravi’s mother’s restrictions on Grandpa’s movement are shown entirely as a negative or unjustified response in the story.

Reason (R): Grandpa had genuinely suffered a medicine overdose and a dangerous fall while living alone, making his daughter’s concern understandable.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

(c) A is false, but R is true.

(d) Both A and R are false.

Answer: (c) A is false, but R is true. The story does not portray the mother’s restrictions as entirely negative or unjustified; rather, it presents her concern as understandable given the genuine incidents of the medicine overdose and the fall, while also gently critiquing her manner of expressing that concern.

Question 2

Assertion (A): Grandpa’s gift of a detective-story book to Ravi suggests he may have known about Ravi following him.

Reason (R): Grandpa explicitly tells Ravi’s mother the full details of how Ravi followed him throughout the day.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

(c) A is true, but R is false.

(d) Both A and R are false.

Answer: (c) A is true, but R is false. While the gift and Grandpa’s remark strongly hint that he suspected Ravi’s actions, he never explicitly reveals this to Ravi’s mother, choosing instead to keep the matter ambiguous and unspoken.

Section F: Language and Literature (Competency-Based)

1. Rewrite the following sentence in reported speech: Ravi asked, ‘Shall we play chess or watch the cricket match on TV, Grandpa?’

Ravi asked Grandpa whether they should play chess or watch the cricket match on television.

2. Identify and underline the preposition in the sentence: ‘Ravi took position behind a big banyan tree to watch him.’ Use the same preposition in a sentence of your own related to the story.

The preposition in the given sentence is ‘behind’. Example sentence: Ravi hid behind a shiny silver car while keeping an eye on his grandfather in the market.

3. Combine the following two sentences using an appropriate conjunction: ‘Grandpa hated the noise of the city. He often spoke of his quiet house in town.’

Grandpa hated the noise of the city, so he often spoke of his quiet house in town.

4. Identify the sentence type (Wh-type, Yes/No type, or declarative) of the following: ‘Are you playing hide and seek?’

This is a Yes/No type interrogative sentence, since it can be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

5. Using vocabulary from the chapter, write one original sentence each using the words ‘frantic’ and ‘solemnly’ in a context different from the story.

Sample sentences: The passengers grew frantic when the train was delayed with no announcement of the reason. The judge solemnly reminded the courtroom of the seriousness of the case.

6. Transform the following direct speech into indirect speech: Grandpa said, ‘I’ll be back home before you can set up the board, Ravi.’

Grandpa told Ravi that he would be back home before Ravi could set up the board.

Back to Class 9 English Notes

For official academic guidelines and updates, you can refer to CBSE Academic Website