Miss the legent person. Always rembember in the work. 

I remember my days at Quest. Those were meaningful days. I would reach out to you with one huge doubt, and you would calmly listen and explain in two lines. I would return to my desk with all energy and work towards with a full plan.

I was new to Quest, barely two months in, when the annual retreat of 2019 happened at Pondicherry. I had spent only about a week at the Bangalore office before joining at Bihar and I doubt Abhijeet knew my face. As one of only two vegans at the retreat, a lot of my meals were basic rice, dal/sambar and veggies with no frills and no dessert. I didn't have an issue with that and didn't bring it up. But Abhijeet somehow found out, made it a point to come find me in that crowd and told me to feel free to order anything from the A la carte menu.  
I never did order anything but the fact that he cared enough to do that left an indelible impression. He was just that sort of person, quick to notice the details but also quick to care.

Thank you Abhijeet, for being you. 

Abhi made me feel so welcome when I first came to Quest. He was always fulls of smiles and full of questions. I can vividly remember his particularness when it came to, well, just about anything. It made working with him incredibly rewarding. I knew he was challenging thinking in ways that could only improve the ideas. And it made him so very human. He was a deep empath with a lust for life that you don't come across too often. We lost a kind and generous soul. My thoughts go out to friends and family.

I realise now how much Abhi's life decisions have inspired me. 

I quizzed Abhi on his Vipassana experience and decided immediately that I would do Vipassana one day. (Which I did do a few years after)

I read his marathon training updates from 5 am in Cubbon Park and I managed to take up long distance running a few years later. 

I hope I have the courage to someday make the career move he made. 

Abhi was a mountain of a man in such a humble packaging. 

My thoughts and prayers are with the family. 

Dear Anika, 

I went to school with your dad in SJBHS, Bangalore. We chatted endlessly about cricket, and he would tell me about the matches he played for the school team. During the breaks (or sometimes even during classes) he was known for his funny one-liners and could lighten the mood in no time. We were envious of the tasty lunch he got to school (what yummy parathas!) and sometimes playfully hid his lunch box to wind him up. Many years after leaving school, I met him at an India-Pakistan Test match in Bangalore, and we sat through a whole day's play reliving our memories from our schooldays.

Wherever he is, I am sure he is making everyone around him laugh. And if he is reading this, I am sure he is saying – with his trademark chuckle - "Stop this nonsense man".

Heartfelt condolences,

It has been a year since I joined Quest, and had the privilege to do the last travels before lockdown with Abhi in Hyderabad. It was just so assuring to listen to him and seek his advice on how to bond more with other teams to make work more fun. Amazing listener and keen eye for understanding the context with patience.
You will be terribly missed Abhi....

My first memory of you is stealing the remote in Ajji and Thata's house to change the channel from cartoons to cricket and me promptly bursting into tears. 

I remember you coming home for Kannada tuition from Thatha and being fed bucket loads by Ajji. I heard that you were good at cricket and you showed me a photo of you and Sachin. I didn't care enough about cricket to be jealous and I suppose you might have been offended that I wasn't impressed lol. 

After you finished school I didn't see you much. You were too busy with college and AIESEC and travelling the world. Cut to the next memory of you, me at 18, you at 28. "You finally learned how to talk is it?", you asked me. I was FINALLY as tall as you and no longer afraid of you. And that's when we actually became friends who happened to be cousins. 

We went to Hard Rock Cafe one time where you introduced me to craft beer. You got me a Chimay Blue and I almost cried, it was so beautiful. That beer has always reminded me of you. For my 18th birthday you got me a stack of CDs to teach me about "real" music. Creedence Clearwater Revival. Cat Stevens. Counting Crows. Why did they all start with c? You introduced me to Adele before she was famous. I still know most of her first album by heart. 

Everything I did in my 20s, I did because I wanted to be like you. I joined AIESEC, I faci'd conferences, I got on EB, I even ran for LCP. Because you did. You had the world at your feet and you chose to come home. I did too. Your passion for making India better inspired me. I wanted to be like you. I still do. 

You referred me for jobs, introduced me to your friends, made fun of my angsty teenage behaviour and paid for so much craft beer. I remember the first time you introduced me to Ankura. I got jealous that you wouldn't have time for me any more. Little did I know that a few years later I would spend days with her without you and tell her about boys. If I told you you would roll your eyes and say "Please don't date these idiots." 

On your 30th birthday, right before my 20th, I asked you what it was like and you said "I'm no longer a slave to my dreams." And it was the most profound thing I had heard at 20. I turn 30 next year and I was going to call you on your 40th and ask you how it felt. Quite rudely you pulled the rug out from under us. 

Anika baby, your dad was fiercely protective of you and constantly worked to make sure you had everything you could want, especially books. He's the coolest guy I know and would have given you an incredible life. But I'll take the baton now and share it with everyone who loved your papa. We'll go on bike rides and swims and run marathons just like your dad would have wanted, okay? I promise. You are so loved baby girl and we will make sure we give you the life your papa wanted for you. 

Ankura, one of the main reasons I moved back to India was to be closer to my family. I promise that I'll always be a call away. I hope I can help you feel loved and always a part of our family. I love you more than you know. 

Abhi, if there's ever a Chimay Blue on the menu, I'll have one for you. I hope I can make you proud. I hope you're watching, big brother. 

Your sister, your mentee, your (hopefully) favorite sibling. Love always.

A man with a smile dresses on his face always. Very humble and grounded despite of achievements. Fond memories of Pondicherry, got an opportunity to interact with him and work was really great. Motivation and positivity was all that u get during interacting with him, his life experience. I will always remember what u taught me while interacting with you that be clear nd have faith u will definitely archive what u want the journey should b full of fun nd not stressed.
RIP

I don't know how to express every feeling in words here...your untimely death has shocked and saddened me and everyone You were the energy and your contribution for making everyone energetic will be always remembered...a journey never stops as you made them and us to believe that and you shared your energy with your team members, family, friends and everyone will always keep you alive around us. RIP

My enduring memory of Abhijeet is a casual conversation we had back in 2019 after Quest2Learn where I was ranting about doomsday scenarios and Abhijeet just had this air of cautious optimism about where the world was headed and how it wasn't all a hopeless cause, that history was cyclical and things often got a lot worse before they got better again.That conversation stayed with me and defined how I came to see Abhijeet - as a person who did not get bogged down by how bleak or broken things seemed in the here and now and had the ability to keep what truly mattered in sight, and work towards realising that 'better tomorrow' slowly and steadily.

Anika, your father was a witty, kind person who cared deeply about his work and the people he worked with. It's been privilege knowing him and working with him, and his influence and legacy will live on in you, and in Quest Alliance. 

Of the many many memories that come to mind now, my fav is the one in which Abhi and I were paired up at a residential Quest retreat for our team in 2019. We had to draw out our journeys uptil then and talk to our partners about life milestones until then. I didn't know then how fortunate and lucky I was to have had that conversation with him. I asked him how he managed to always bring calm and understanding to complicated situations. I asked him how one knows when they've reached a point in their lives when they know they can breath and the rest will be easy.. And he spoke to me.. For a long time. He spoke about his wife, and Anika. He told me how he knew he was doing okay in life because he was able to find peace with his daughter and the time they spent as a family and how important it is for each of us to find these anchors of life, even if they might look different for all of us. That conversation left a mark Abhi. It stuck and I learnt a little about looking inwards from you. I learnt some more from you when during Q2L preparations,  we'd be panicking over small things and you'd just call me out ask me to do something I'd never had done before and I'd ask you how and why you think I can do it now and you'd just shrug and smile and say something like 'dude it's not that hard! Just do it and you'll know'. You cared for your people and team more than what the world would think if we'd screw up. And for that I'm so so grateful to you Abhi. Thank you for your trust and faith and for making me discover strengths I didn't know I had till you smiled and shrugged and cracked a joke that only you could. Thanks for all the laughs, the coffee machine chats that often became projects, for the first good morning of the day, the restaurant recommendations, the relentless Delhi vs Bombay food arguments and of course for your faith and trust in us.  I cannot believe you're gone.

Anika, your dad and I are chaddi-baddis. We met as members of this international student organization called Aiesec when we were 18. We were the bosses of the group in Bangalore. It was our job to talk to companies and convince them to hire international interns through Aiesec. We were really good at it and in our year, Bangalore had more interns than any other group in India! It was mostly your dad doing all the work. 

"RIDICULOUS!" was your dad's favorite expression. He was a passionate perfectionist, and that meant that anything that didn't meet his high bar was... yup, reeeediculous. I've reaped dividends from it ever since. Any time I find myself slacking, I invoke my inner Abhi shouting "ridiculous" to myself. And over the years every time we'd meet, we'd go "Macha ridiculous, you're 5 mins late!" and crack up (that's probably why we're grinning in that pic from 2010 in NYC). 

Abhi no doubt is being Abhi right now for what he's done... chuckling and shaking his head incredulously going... ridiculous. 

More when we meet... 
Love, 
Bob

Your relationship with Aakash is so unique, so rare and precious. I have enjoyed watching you both work, love your stories... it's a once in a lifetime kind of friendship and I am glad I got to witness the power of such collaboration..

My earliest recollection is of meeting you in Delhi in the beginning of 2017 during an event I was to speak at. I was nervous and did a bad job that day. Talk about first impressions! But this was also the day I realised people at Quest focused on strengths. They didn't dwell on the mistakes and the small stuff; beyond the learnings. I did a fantastic job the next day. And I can safely say it was the kindness, humility and the 'no sweat' attitude from those around me that got me there, in such a short time. 

You've always been one to walk the talk Abhi. Your calm logic, work ethic, kindness as a human being are things that stand out for me. Working more closely with you over these last few months, one thing you've said more than often has been - "Are you sure you want to do this now? Let's tread slowly. Let's all just get through this year." These words have not left me in these past 12-14 hours.

To you, Abhi: Luke 23:43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” May your legacy live forever. You have had a big impact on lives of all at Quest and for the people we work with. 

For your dear wife and Anika: Thinking of you in these difficult times, sending up prayers for strength, love and comfort to you. Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

I had the privilege to meet, know and work with Abhijeet. Not only was he a fantastic peer and professional but once you got to know him, his kind, fair, personality really came through. You were left feeling that you had met a solid person whom you can respect and be inspired by in every way. I will remember the long car rides with him during site visits where Abhijeet was chatting and joking non stop. I have been lucky to have known Abhijeet.