Long before I got the opportunity to meet you, I had heard a lot about you and conjured an image of you that looked like Albert Einstein. More I got to know you, you surely are a legend in your own right with a wider knowledge range.
I recall the first time I got to meet you, I was accompanying one of your client’s manager visiting you in your office at JC Road. He introduced me and mentioned I was awaiting CA results and had started my career taking over a small business. You nodded in your inimitable style, shook my hand and continued with client’s business, which showed that you were not too impressed ☺. You did not engage in any conversation with me during that visit. As luck would have it, I got he opportunity to visit your office again, only this time I had passed my CA about a week earlier and the client’s manager mentioned this to you. There was a brief smile as you shook my hand to congratulate me and asked a bit about what I did and we had a small conversation. Almost immediately, you shifted back to discussing client’s business, but you took a brief moment to call out “Chaya” and asked her to bring some file. As you would expect my ears popped up and I tactfully caught a glimpse of Chaya when she came to leave the file, as did she of me and my tan shoes. Looking back now, it is clear that you probably planned it. That plan started rolling with Chaya pursuing the topic during the day and week, and rest is history. You had your own ways of being an enabler for many people in numerous ways. Thank you for your first move that opened doors, for me, eventually into your family.
Over the years I have seen how you maintained your curiosity about everything and your thirst for knowledge to stay up to date on a wide range of topics. You were like the calm river that has extremely strong undercurrents. Anyone who came in contact with you will feel that raging undercurrent and be left in awe of you and many would have had their own transformation initiated just by interacting with you. One of your first quotes that is etched in my mind is “You must have love for the subject” which is what made you the legend you are.
I have and will continue to be in awe with the ease with which you could shift from religion or philosophy to finance or technology or business & research to latest books to jewellery or sarees to food and menu and many more topics. You were able to talk to any of those topics with passion and data backed knowledge. You also linked some of these into your business speeches, to make your point impactful and relatable. As I try to emulate some of your traits with sincerity, I find it extremely difficult doing what you did with tremendous ease. As much as you were a teacher to all, you were that much a student for as long as you lived.
I cherish memories from your trips to visit us as well as us visiting Bangalore. Sitting the same room with you and the extended family with multiple parallel conversations where you would sit quietly, yet be absorbing it all and interject at the right time with your views. Sharing the dining table with you over breakfasts, lunches and dinners, where you showed your love for us by ensuring we were served the very best menu variety – many a times serving us yourself . Talking about latest in technology and how you would like to incorporate it into your next book. Road trips where you took time to learn about new cultures, traditions and architectures, while enjoying with grandchildren and us. I am glad to have made yearly family holidays to Bangalore to allow your grandchildren time to know you and learn from you, how I wish I had done it more frequently.
You have left an enormous impact on everyone you interacted with and now your grandchildren will emulate you to continue what you started, in their own inimitable way and continue building on your legacy. I will keep you alive through stories I will tell future generations about you and your values and principles and by trying harder to emulate you – my guru.
While I will not have the pleasure and honor of interacting with you in person anymore , I can see your traits collectively in your daughter and granddaughters, and I will remain ever so thankful to you for the initial ‘Chaya please bring me that file’ plan, that made me become part of your family and be touched by you.
Every thought of you, my eyes moisten, heart skips a beat and my stomach churns. I feel a soul connection with you. I will miss you forever!
Till our souls meet again!
Dilip