We moved very close to Rajive and Anjana’s home in Gurgaon this month. Can see his lovely apartments from where we are. Brings back so many memories of convivial evenings spent in their home. Would have met much more often had things been different but fate decided otherwise. From a fellow Cancerian

Once again on his birthday, remembered Rajive. He was and will remain a source of intellectual inspiration to so many of us.

Pyar se

Chacha

2 years today and it seems like yesterday that we were having fun time together at the Joka campus.

Rest in peace wherever you are dear Rajive.

Love you.

Vinit

Rajive , remembering the day in 2019 when you proudly called to tell me you had bought your apartment in “crest “ and how much you and Anju liked it’s views and general ambience. A wise decision in retrospect from all angles.You later sent to me a photograph of ribbon cutting at Crest. which I’m uploading in the gallery.We later had the privilege of spending quite a few memorable evenings with you and Anju at Crest and have fond memories of our time together !  Condie .

Today the May 1st we remembered Rajive on his barsi over a Zoom call at 6 pm. Ritika joined in from Boston and so did others. It was good to hear about Anookhi turning two and Anantya is off to Kellogg's in August. Let's keep in touch.

We lost this lovable man last year on 1st May.

I remember spending many an intimate time together with him. When we went to our Agra reunion, Rajive and I did not go for the outing, him because of his ailment, that got him back to India, and I because of my general lack of interest in tourism.

We spent hours catching up then.

And stayed closely in touch ever since. Anjana also worked closely with a team of volunteers at my not for profit Tresonance Foundation.

He is the first classmate to lose to Covid and it still hurts.

But this is the time to remember him for many of his qualities and endearing characteristics. A sharp brain, an incisive and high quality writing skill that put PG Wodehouse to shame, his curious mind and his helping heart.

Be happy wherever you are my friend. We miss you and we love you.

God bless.

Vinit

On Rajive's birthday all the Sixteeners fondly remembered him. His posts and articles would add great wisdom to any conversation. The depth of his knowledge was amazing. Rajive's memories shall always be us.

Always in our hearts and never forgotten

Rajive was a unique person: uniquely funny, uniquely caring, uniquely thoughtful.

He worked on my team at Motorola and since the very first time we met, we instantly liked each other.

He was a kind man in a world where kindness is all too rare, an erudite scholar in a world that gets more ignorant every day, a polite gentleman in a world that is far too coarse.

I only met Rajive's wife Anjana and son Anantya once in Singapore (his daughter Ritika was off at College) but his family was wonderful. He was clearly a great husband and father.

Rajive brought light wherever he went. He was taken far too soon. I will deeply miss him. I hope his family can come to terms with this devastating loss. I know he is up there somewhere looking at us and smiling as he looks up from some interesting book he is reading in paradise.





Death Is Nothing At All

By Henry Scott-Holland

Death is nothing at all.
It does not count.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
Nothing has happened.

Everything remains exactly as it was.
I am I, and you are you,
and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by the old familiar name.
Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is absolute and unbroken continuity.
What is this death but a negligible accident?

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just round the corner.

All is well.
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

Rajive or Jiver as he was known to the crew from HMM ( Horlicks in the old days ) was a delightfully entertaining buddy who spiced up so many evenings and afternoons over the span of 40 years that we knew him and Anju.

He was a great storyteller always adding a twist , often with a deadpan expression and a hushed tone and in those HMM days we had great fun with him uncovering things that we weren’t aware of . Even later during his time in Motorola and then DELL we used to often hark back to our times in HMM and that bond never frayed and only became stronger over time.

Since we returned back to India a few years back we met often though now much to my regret not often enough. Although he was battling his illness he never let it cramp his style , never talked about it and whenever we met it was it was always about everything but never about him. 

His last message to me was “Nice meeting you and Naveli . Lets aim to meet once a month and stay in touch . Our best wishes to the handsome couple “ . Off late he had started addressing us as that ...and I replied “ jiver - kyun kheench raha hai yaar . Sab budhe ho gaye hain” 

We will miss you dearly Rajive .You leave us with lessons of a life well lived , of a caring father and husband , of a loyal friend and colleague .

Rest In Peace my friend .

Rajive was one of my best friends and I still remember the day we met in Al Ain (UAE) ~1990 and later turned into a friendship spanning a few decades and a few cities. For years we played tennis together, first in Dubai and later in Singapore, exchanged notes and what we were reading.

Despite his serious appearance he had a good sense of humor and we would joke about a lot of things and sometimes of other people too!

I last met Rajive in Jul 2019 when he, Anju and I had lunch together at their condo's restaurant. He was so happy with the new place and showed me around the library and the gym.

He has left too soon but left his mark on all of us.

I came to know Rajive about 2 years back and more closely just a few months back. In these few months, it was delightful to know Rajive with his multifaceted talents. On 4th April, I was fortunate to have a long conversation at his home and he requested me to come back for what he called "another session". Alas, God had other ideas and s/he was keen to have more conversation with Rajive. Will miss our chats and your wonderful writings which I must admit sometimes I had to get back to him to clarify. But it gave me another opportunity to chat. Unfortunately, that privilege is now withdrawn. Look forward to chat with you Rajive again. We shall meet again. 

This cruel scourge has consumed a dear friend, Rajive Chandra . The news of Rajive’s passing is shocking. Still difficult to believe.

A great friend who was a gentle giant. A voracious reader who enjoyed sharing his book finds with friends. A beautiful mind who enjoyed delving deep in marketing and business thinking like an academic even as he moved ahead in the corporate world. And a cheerful bloke who kept his sense of humour, come what may.

Our family dinners with friends in Singapore, our coffee meets before he went back to India and the long conversations during his calls from Gurgaon will continue to remind me of Rajive.

And of course, some photos from the last time we met Rajive and Anju Anjana Motihar Chandra in July 2019.

Goodbye my friend. Will miss you and our times together. Our deepest condolences to Anju and the kids, sending you positive energy and vibes.

A true and a complete gentleman -- that's the impression Rajive left of himself every time you met him... What's more he was an erudite scholar in the truest sense of the word. If I could write a fraction as well as him, I would be many times the author I am... Yours was a life well lead, even if you have left your loved ones sadly early; rest in peace Rajive.

Rajive was an exceptionally warm and friendly person.  He went out of his way to make new friends and maintain friendships. Though we were classmates at IIM, we were perhaps just acquaintances, being in different hostels and having our own inner circles. Yet at some stage, after we graduated, we became friends, thanks to Rajive's special trait of reaching out.  He would call, chat, and the call would be about me not him. He never asked for anything, he only gave and shared - his hospitality, his smile, his warmth.  

Words fail me when I try to say more about him. There is so much more - oh if only I had 10% of his flair for writing. I only wish we had more time together. We will miss you, dear friend. And will always cherish the memories of the good times we had together.

I met Rajive for the first time in Crest less than a year back.

And we struck it off very well. We both felt we had met each other before. We both hunted our paths over the past decades to find where we crossed each other. We found none. We perhaps we were journeymen across births.

Rajive was full of zest, despite being affected by Parkinson's. He wanted to do things for the Crest. He would want to do things for people. Always willing to help and encourage. He proposed a Spic-Macay performance to DLF Crest based on my interest.

He was widely read and would connect on vast number of subjects. Sharing my own insights from my own readings and hearing about his, was constant company. We would occasionally go together to the Hanuman temple. He could recite the Hanuman Chalisa well.

He was amongst the few I had tried to befriend in the Crest. And his loss has been bothering me immensely. Efforts at getting him a bed or help within Artemis, seemed to have not worked. Seemed helpless.

May his Soul's journey bring him back to help humanity, as he always tried, in this life time. May his journey help him realize the ultimate truth!! May he rest in peace for he had done well !!

I remember reading ,some years ago that there is no dignity in death - in fact quite the opposite and becoming quite upset about it . Later I read further that the only dignity possible was in the life led before death arrived , which I confess wasn’t as comforting a reality .
Rajive , with his wit , bonhomie and refined literary touch , all lovingly cultivated over the decades that we all have spent together gently showed us how it was done .
Even in the small details , as Jayashree remarked he was ever punctual , in Delhi where that is almost a character flaw , he’d arrive by the clock which began by unsettling the hosts but over the years we accepted and came to appreciate that time of unhurried sharing ,the savoring of the finer details - about the kids , moments of our day , a phrase that stuck ...
merge with the flow and the ebb 

A light went out of our lives when Rajive left us so suddenly. Will always remember Rajive as a warm, friendly, generous and kind soul. A good friend, a loving husband and doting father. Privileged to have known you, dear Rajive, and will cherish fond memories of you forever.

Few lines from a poem by Margaret Mead:
I cannot speak, but I can listen.
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.
So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea,
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,
Remember me.

We will always remember you, dear Rajive. Delhi will never be the same without you. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Rajive had posted a request on the group WA around 25th April seeking advice on which oxymeter to buy. I thought it was just to have it at home in these times as an abundant precaution. Little did I realise then that our dear Rajive was already in the Covid grip. The 32 hours between getting the news of his being Covid +ve on 30th April +and his leaving us the very next day were spent in nervous anticipation, hoping each post on him will bring some good news.

But alas it was not to be.

We connected very easily at Joka in 1979 on learning of our common aquaintances at St.Columbus. After passing out I interacted briefly with him at HMM (now GSK) on work but much more in our Delhi group get togethers after he returned from his overseas assignments. Each get together was a pleasure and its’ recounting in his inimitable prose a treat. He felt at ease in the Delhi group, let his guard down and allowed us the privilege of physically comforting him in his condition, whenever needed, in our get togethers.

I can not add more to the glowing tributes by others on his mastery of english prose, on him being a thorough gentleman, on his sincerity at work and in relationships and so many other facets. However I recount a particularly hilarious incident that illustrates his disarming simplicity.

In our Cal days, we often carried back a raw egg or two, saved from our breakfast entitlement, using it later to have egg fried rice made at lunch or dinner. Rajive once brought a thus saved egg and asked the mess waiter for the usual, adding grandly while curling hair on his forehead with his index finger, that the exotic dish be made with that single precious egg and ample rice to be served to the other 5 seated on the table, me included, oblivious of the fact that it was just a single egg and not a bunch of Gucchi mushrooms. We were in splits. He SIMPLY wanted us to have a good meal ! I still relish that treat and it still regales.

His passing away leaves a huge void and underlines how fragile our existence is and makes me value our get togethers, in person and in whatsapp space, even more. We should make the most of it and stay united, even amidst our serious disagreements, and never become disagreeable. It is a sad commentary on these terrible times that we were not even able to have his antim darshan, leave alone paying him a visit at the hospital.

As I write this, I have seen a few fond messages from his Columbus mates on our IIT Delhi Nilgiri hostel group including one on duster hammering by Mr Farrell, their teacher.

Rest in peace our very dear Rajive. I pray for strength to Anjana, Ritika, Anantya , Monish and the extended family to face this enormous loss which is ours too.

Will miss you 

Chavs
4th May 2021

PS The group B&W photograph with Rajive in it that served as profile pic of Sixteen Forever a couple of days ago was taken by me. Feb 79

Knew Rajive as a very warm person. It was because of him that I joined the Sweet Sixteen book club. To me the book club was in a way synonymous with Rajive. Will miss his presence in the book club!

I am fortunate to have been in touch with Rajive continually since leaving Kolkata, whether in Dubai, Singapore and now in Gurgaon where he relocated on returning. My office is just across his home and we would meet regularly over coffee, usually at the club. and have lively discussions on varied topics given his wide knowledge and sharp intellect.

We were to be neighbours in Crest where we are planning to move in shortly. Rajive introduced me to the entire management team whom he knew very well and was very helpful in renovating the house through his contacts. It was always a pleasure to speak with him as he always made you feel good.

Plans to spend the future together have been shattered and he has left a big void in our lives. Am at a loss of words to describe the sadness. Condolences to the family. Will always be there as neighbours.

Om Shanti.

Rajive was classy, brilliant, eloquent and down to earth. Met Rajive for the first time after Joka in the 25th re-union in Kolkata. While we moved out of Delhi a few years before Anjana and Rajive shifted to Gurgaon, his musings on each of the Delhi get togethers made us feel as if we were an integral part of the celebrations. When I met Rajive in India Habitat Center in the summer of 2017 along with the Delhi gang and a visiting Ishan, never could imagine that it would be the last. Will cherish your musings and you will be in our hearts forever. Heaven is now a better place with your arrival Rajive. 

Remembering Rajive: Reflections from the Past


I first saw Rajive in the summer 1979 on the footsteps of our hostel in Joka. He was speaking to our 6’ 3” tall gentle giant Daddy Raina who appeared my age and with workex. Daddy and Rajive had come from Kota having worked for Shriram Fertilizers. So that made us a threesome from the Shriram Group! How exciting.

But shortly the equations changed. Rajive’s BIL too worked with the Shriram Group, so he said. Suddenly the world shrank; Rajive’s BIL Sarvesh and I knew each other very well though working in two different cities.

I have a lot of memories of Rajive from the Joka days but will let the other batch-mates droll on them. Two matters however have stuck: ‘hum toh chudhay hain’ was Rajive’s constant refrain, and lonely-hearts club of which Rajive was perhaps the uncrowned founder President.

Rajive was a marketing whiz kid. As a Chemical Engineer from IIT Bombay he had started life on the shop floor like me but he looked far beyond the horizon, unlike me. He got a prized job at HMM and became famous. Later Rajive’s close friend Thiru from the 18th batch got married to Vinita’s cousin Ruchi and that brought us further close.

In the 90s my work required frequent overseas travel. I would thus never miss an opportunity to meet the Sweet 16 batch-mates. When in Dubai I would meet Sharat-Rashmey, Gautam-Kumud, Arun-Pinky, and later Rajive-Anjana. On one of my trips when I was staying in Sharjah Rajive picked me up and we had dinner. Anjana, such a gracious host, I met for the first time in UAE, with Ritika. Rajive always bestowed a special respect on me because he respected age; and I was his BIL’s chum as well!

Later when Rajive moved to Singapore I visited them again over dinner and met Ritika and Anantya. Rajive had rapidly climbed the corporate ladder and was flying high, which gave me immense pleasure. Nevertheless Rajive’s signature humility never left him; he was a gentleman to its very core, a hallmark very few can match.

Back to India, and amidst several get-togethers whose narratives are sprinkled in the various tributes to Rajive as a testimony to his authorship, I vividly remember when in Nov 2013 the four of us drove from Delhi to Agra for the Reunion. We spoke, shared notes, and laughed. So when Rajive-Anjana invited us for Ritika-Monish’s wedding in Gurgaon both of us made it a point to attend and also enjoy the hospitality of Vivek-Archna with whom we stayed.

When Milind and Yanks founded the Sixteeners Book Club last year both of us were delighted to have Rajive once again in our midst, even though it was virtually. Rajive would unendingly lift the pedestal of our WA and zoom exchanges and provide insights of books we had either not heard of, or not read, thus leaving us enthralled.

Rajive may have left a vacuum by way of his physical presence but his words, said and written, would remain etched all around us.

Pyar se

Chacha

4th May 2021
Kolkata

Rajive was one of the gentlest and kindest persons I have come in touch with. And this was reflected in kind demeanour and his phenomenal recounting of our batch get-togethers where he would pick up the best in everyone that evening and had a positive word to say for all persons present. He had a keen eye for detail and his choice of words to express these nuances was unique and legendary.
One incident that touched me to the core was his insistence on coming to our home in Delhi in 2019 to condole my father’s passing. I tried to dissuade him to no avail. It was obvious that it was not physically easy for him but his can-do spirit to do the right thing was equally obvious and won our hearts.
Rajive’s love of books and was well known and his was one of the most enthusiastic voices when the idea of our book club was first mooted. Thanks to the book club, we all got to e-meet him every month and enjoy his ruminations filled with his trademark wit and whimsical humor.
He was a good human being and he will be missed but never forgotten.

We may have lost Rajive in the physical form, but his presence will be with us forever. A very special soul came into our lives many years ago, and I feel privileged to have shared the same space intermittently over the years. Much has been said about his kindness, his warmth, his generosity, his humor, his command over the English language, his gentleman qualities and more....and yet none of that is enough. While I had all intentions of joining the book club, life came in the way & I haven’t joined in time. I regret that, as it would have given me a chance to share some more time with this amazing soul in recent times and to witness his intellectual wit. I will always remember him addresing me fondly as “bewadi Pushpittta” (coming from a gentleman, it was quite funny) one day when he thought I had one too many drinks. I remain here in peace and surrender our loss & sadness to The Divine, knowing his soul is united with Him. Om Shanti

Our dear Rajive Chandra,

A simple, down to earth, warm , compassionate & caring person - he was humility personified. Brilliant writer with impeccable English, one used to look forward to his summaries and anecdotes.

We have vivid and fond memories of the wonderful times spent together in Joka. Though I could not meet him when I visited Singapore many years ago, he was always just a phone call away, and I knew his whereabouts. Romi and I recall his wedding in Delhi.

“रहने को सदा दहर में आता नहीं कोई,
तुम जैसे गए ऐसे भी जाता नहीं कोई !
इक बार तो ख़ुद मौत भी घबरा गई होगी,
यूँ मौत को सीने से लगाता नहीं कोई..!”

Those whom the God’s love — die young “— evil hands of fate have snatched RAJIVE away from us, and all too suddenly. Though he may have departed physically, and the void cannot be filled , he will continue to be a part of our lives forever.

His smiles, his jokes, his all-encompassing warmth will always live with us- the Angel's above are enriched as he must be resting in the lotus feet of the Lord.

Pray God Almighty rest his soul in eternal peace & give Anjana and the family courage & fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Om shanti !


We little knew that god was going to call your name
In life we loved you dearly
In death we do the same
It broke our hearts to lose you
You did not go alone
For part of us went with you
Today when god called you home
You left us precious memories
Your love is still our guide
And though we cannot see you
You will always be by our side

We will miss you dear --- Harjit and Romi

Right from our first meeting that warm summer evening 42 years ago when we met in a ramshackle bus from Howrah to Joka, I knew that this bond is going to be special. There was something in his calm demeanour which did not require any expression. The quiet companionship was testimony to the enduring nature of our friendship. It went beyond sharing common tastes and preferences but of shared values. He abhorred showmanship and posturing of any kind, demolishing those who indulged in it with cutting yet gentle humour. 
Over the years while our paths drifted, we somehow remained connected, whether in Delhi, Dubai, Singapore or finally Gurgaon. His home was always welcome for a short stay or long. I have lost count of the number of times I used to crash at his lovely apartment in Waterside in Singapore for a few hours in the wee hours of the morning while waiting for my hotel room to be readied. He and Anjana dismissed the inconvenience obviously caused to them as being of no consequences.
He had recently moved to Gurgaon, quite close to us. And while we met frequently, we were really looking to spend quality time when we moved closer to his home later this year. Alas, fate decided otherwise.
A shared love of fine whiskies, jazz and 80’s rock were the other bonds. But the main underpinning of the relationship was a commonality of views about where we are today and where should we be going tomorrow.
Anjuly and Devika share my grief. When I informed Devika this morning, she was quite shattered that her Churs Uncle, as she affectionately called him was no more.
Rest in peace, dear Rajive. Hope to see you nursing a nice malt and listening to some cool jazz in the great beyond.

Rajive was the last of his kind. He was the rare engineer who was more at home with English classics than English majors. He was the serious man who could see humor in everything around him. He was equally comfortable with music and philosophy. Most of all, he was a unique combination of friendly extroversion and pensive loneliness.
We became friends from our first semester at IIM-C and it was a pleasure to engage him in conversation. After we graduated, we both moved to Bombay and he was always there for our monthly get togethers. After I moved to Bahrain, we used to write long letters to each other because there was no whatsapp or internet those days. We lost touch for the next several years after I moved to the US. Then suddenly when I was teaching in Singapore during my sabbatical year, he surprised me one day calling from his hotel telling me that he was there on work and suggesting that we spend the evening together. We spent the evening in his hotel room updating each other about all the events on our lives as well as of our friends. Interestingly, his daughter Ritika and my son Rahul attended the same school in Singapore, although they were separated by a few years and never had the chance to meet each other. Our last long conversation was in the bus returning to campus after our 25th year reunion from the Tollygunge club. In recent months the book club brought us together again.
Rajive, you will forever live in our hearts.

Like a feather, he touched lives. Unlike a feather, he left a lasting impression.
His eloquence and wit were hard to match. His ability to expound on almost any subject was astounding.
You will be forever missed, Rajive.

While I had numerous conversations with Rajive during our Joka days, I was not in contact with him until our 25th Reunion and Chacha bringing our group together. I always enjoyed his wit and of course his many emails describing sweet sixteen get togethers. Reading Rajive always took me back to rainy monsoon afternoons in Kolkata curled up with a Woodhouse book. If I were to do text mining on Rajive’s many emails the word “bonhomie” would take first place. While he used the word many times, it really epitomized what he stood for, supported, enabled and enhanced.
Rajive - sweet Sixteeners bonhomie will never will be complete without you.
One instance of Rajive’s kindness stands out. When he had omitted reference to me in an email regarding a US get together, he proceeded to send me a detailed email that included many references to out conversations as well as details of a piece I had published in a Kolkata newspaper at the time. What is amazing is how he remembered details after all these years.
It was nice that our daughters went to graduate school together as batch mates. My prayers and best wishes to the family and may be always have Rajive in our thoughts as we get together in person and in spirit in future.
May the memories always resonate as we continue to enjoy bonhomie and relish the thought that time is the most precious thing we possess.

Manash Ray

I would pick up the phone and he would say “Aap ka kya haal, Bade din se aapne yaad hi nahi kiya”! The upbringing, the culture and the education all coming through in that one salutation. He was proud of the Allahabad culture and sensibility in him. Just as he was proud of the family and friends that he had. And prouder of his children. And he made sure you knew why he was proud of you as well. Of course he wrote beautifully. But it is not the choice of words or the eloquence of the prose that struck me as much as the fact that how observant he was and engaged with everyone in the gathering to produce those individual gems. And above all, he always had something really beautiful to say for everyone in the room. That was Rajive. Caring and sensitive. Fun loving and witty. He brightened up every one’s day. Rajive had this unique quality of making you feel a better person.

When I was in Manila and needing to transit through Singapore to go to the various other countries, often I would take the evening flight from Manila to have dinner with Rajive. Or as he would say, “Let’s meet for a few beers and some good laughs”. I was fortunate to be in touch with him for most of the years post Joka, even though we were not in the same city. And so it felt great to have Anjana and him move to Gurgaon to our immediate neighbourhood. We were looking forward to many more good hearty laughs over single malts. Alas!
We will miss him. We have lost a warm and caring human being. A gentleman. And above, all, a genuine friend.

Rajive played a special role in our batch, and while I did not know him very well at the institute he always made it a point to reach out through social media or common friends over the years. When I visited Delhi in 2017, Chaws and Duggs were kind enough to organize a get together in Delhi and I was touched by Rajive warm welcome after 35+ years. The stories and smiles were flowing and we might have been back on campus during the summer training time that Naney mentioned in her post! His humor in the room was the warm up for the narrative he posted to describe the evening.... Rama Rao shared it with me again a couple of days ago and I was blown away by the larger than life images and flow he created with his words. While I may not be able to recreate the evening, Rajive’s words have captured them to be revisited whenever I need a touch of Joka!

It's hard to believe that Rajive is no longer with us but his memory will always remain with us all, through his musings he shared with us in our group, his wit and humor, love of life and as a kind and caring person. We will sorely miss him.

Rajive - An Endearing Friend and a Gentleman

My first memory of Rajive from college days is the statistical name of Ojive Chandra bestowed on him by our brethren and the unique way in which he would say "Oye Yaar". Being in different hostel wings, and with different interests, our meetings were restricted to taking birthday mishtis or an odd meal together in the canteen.

We had some interactions post IIMC since we were practically neighbours after 1987 when he was in Press Enclave and I lived in the block adjoining to him. We both were married by then. I have no specific memories of those times.

We really reconnected during our Agra reunion in 2013 when the rest of the gang stepped out picnicking and shopping. Rajive did not go because of his ailment and I was not feeling interested in stepping out. Anjana told me to look after him. We caught up and must have spoken about a number of things but my RAM holds none of that.

Being in NCR, we stayed in touch and met during our get togethers. Rajive would also frequently reach out to me when he needed some specific help like finding a CA or a broker, for example. I generally obliged and he would be delighted and amazed at the same time by my network. This would be part of our conversation common thread.

Anjana and I worked closely together for a couple of years as part of Tresonance Foundation, a not for profit that some of us had set up in 2013. This brought us even closer.

God knows what all we talked about. This included his venting if someone would take him for a ride, about mindfulness, meditation and a range that typically excluded music (our tastes were very different) and liquor (I was not drinking any hard liquor in those times).

Rajive was very sharp and also simple in many ways. People who sometimes exploited him thought he had no idea but he knew exactly what was happening and chose to forgive and forget.

Our last conversation was a long call on 15th April 2021 when we mostly talked of the pandemic, how it was impacting our personal lives and how we were grateful to be safe from it thus far.

Little did I know this would be the last time I would be speaking with him.

I got to know of his condition on 30th April morning when Anjana reached out for help in the form of setting up healing prayers for his well being and recovery. Our Sweet 16 batch set up daily prayer sessions commencing 1st May and our healing groups of Rene Mey also began the process of praying for Rajive.

Little did we know that, 24 hours later, we would be meeting to talk about him in the past tense as we held our batch session online.

It is still like a bad dream from which I hope to wake up.

In the process of sharing the details of his prayer meeting, a number of people responded to me from his school and IITB batches, from Singapore, from his previous organizations and even those who had simply crossed paths with him for a reason or a season. They all had only good things to say. How he helped them, the quality of conversations they would have etc. I also discovered that Rajive was a fast bowler and an opening batsman for his class cricket team in Columba's, a fact that he managed to conceal from us all these years.

His endearing qualities will always remain a deeply embedded memory in our hearts.

Renuka and I join together in wishing him a peaceful journey home and our love and support to Anantya, Ritika and Anjana in these difficult times and beyond.

Vinit
3rd May 2021

Rajive was a dear friend who will be missed by many. I will always have a special place in my heart for how he was there for me when we both were summer interns at the Bank of America in Calcutta. It was my first job and I was so nervous but Rajive made sure that no one messed with me! He kept a watchful eye on me including checking out anyone who sat next to me at lunch! He was warm, kind and always helpful.

My extended family connected with Rajive through different aspects of his personality.....his passion for reading, writing, music and of course PG Wodehouse. The delight of seeing him in person at our get togethers was only made sweeter by reading his insightful commentary the next morning.

My heartfelt condolences to Anjana, Ritika, Anantya and Monish. Rajive will continue to live in our hearts forever.

Rajive was a wonderful human being who was intelligent, kind, modest and humble. He was always soft spoken and a good listener. I did not have the opportunity to interact with him much after IIMC. However he got in touch with me when he wanted to buy an Air Purifier. He asked me a lot of relevant intriguing questions and wanted all specs and details meticulously before he bought one.  When I read his write ups about the Delhi get togethers and some of the trips I missed, I almost felt like I was there. He was a talented writer and also had a sharp analytical mind. His interpretations in some of the readings in the IIMC Book club were phenomenal. Though time will be the only healing factor, I will never forget him as a good friend forever. My heartfelt condolences to the family. Rajive, you will be with us forever and ever. 

Still in disbelief that Rajive is not amongst us in person. However, the tributes here and elsewhere show that he will not be forgotten. My memories of him at IIM and years later in Singapore, while I was on a business trip, were of him being a good listener. His comments were very thoughtful and caring. You just felt good around him. He is a great loss to all of us who knew him and to those who did not have the chance to meet him. Bye for now Rajive!

Like many others, I got to know more of Rajive after Joka than while still there with him. He was a voracious reader and one of the most scholarly people in the Batch, it was impossible to find a book he had not read before most others. And, he remembered everything he read!
My personal memory of him was that he was one of the earliest from our Batch to pay us a visit at our home in Sydney. Almost the very first question he asked after he entered our home was, what did you read recently?
I could repay that visit more than 20 years later, when I visited Delhi, and he hosted a lunch at his home in my honour with other Delhiwallas. It was the first time I could also meet Anjana and my last personal interaction with them, before Rajive left all of us.
Knowing his spirit, I would not be surprised if he is already starting a book club in Paradise.

Always I eagerly looked for Rajive’s wonderful thoughts flowing perennially through WA Sweetsixteen group intricately touching on various subjects of interest be it humane be it humour which used to prompt me to muse on it over and over. On its arrival promptly share his writings with my children and friends for its sheer tendency of uplifting joy. Sad that we miss my distant friend so soon .....

Rajive is with us no more in this physical world, but he will live on forever in our memories, especially through his wonderful writings. I looked forward to his eloquent missives after every IIMC gathering he attended. After IIMC we lost touch for a while. However one morning, many years ago, I got an email out of the blue. In that email, Rajive spoke very fondly of his daughter Ritika and asked for advice on MBA programs for her. We connected over the phone after that and stayed in touch sporadically over the years. I remember Rajive as a very unique individual, who could talk about anything under the sun and make it a super interesting conversation. He also was my go-to person to provide recommendations for books to read. We will miss you dear friend.

Rajive was one of the closest friends I have had. He was an intellectual par excellence, one of the finest writers I have ever met and a very generous and hospitable soul. My quality interactions started with him when he was posted in Singapore and I had also moved to ASEAN patch. Our paths would cross often. One of the many enjoyable evenings I spent with him was at our house in Taipei overlooking Yangmingshan mountains and a sumptuous dinner at Chilli's in Taipei downtown. I also had the opportunity of visiting him often in Singapore where he and Anjana were the most hospitable host you could come across.

After he moved to Gurgaon, we kept on meeting during my travels to Delhi. He would cajole me to settle down in Gurgaon and I vividly remember how enthusiastic he was moving into his new apartment at DLF Crest. I still remember how eagerly he gave me an elaborate orientation of the Crest apartment building, the club and all the facilities. He was always pushing me to buy an apartment in Crest so that we could be neighbours.

I always eagerly looked forward to meeting Rajive whenever I was planning a trip to Delhi. I thoroughly enjoyed his intellectual wit, camaraderie and social interactions. It was a rare privilege to have a dear friend like Rajive. I for one would sorely miss him forever. May God rest his soul in eternal peace in his new heavenly abode!

Rajive was a wonderful person. I became good friends with him almost immediately upon meeting him. We had many stories of common friends to share. His wit and prose were superlative. I have vicariously enjoyed his musings about every reunion or gathering of IIM-C friends. He will be greatly missed. May his family have the strength to bear his leaving too soon.

I first met Rajive when we became neighbours in our first year with adjoining rooms in IIMC H-4.

He was always a bit restless--a quirky way of standing but not staying still. Initially it was a bit odd, but it became endearing over the years. Little did I know it was a portent of his Parkinsons issue that was to surface much later in life...

He introduced me (all of us) to his trademark word : Chooday. So much so, that we started calling him Choods !

And yes, his penmanship was wonderful. Give him a topic and he would write brilliantly on it, his comments on it in our friendly get- togethers were equally well articulated. It was clear that that was his gift, a rare talent indeed. My single claim to fame was that the note on me in the 16th batch yearbook was ( I think) written by Rajive !
I will treasure that.

I met him just a few times later in life. Once in Delhi in his early Motorola days, when he insisted that I take down his mobile number and call him on that ( Showoff !). When we had gone to Singapore on a holiday, he was out of town--but Anju treated us to a lovely meal at home. Much later in Bangalore, when he'd come over for some Yoga treatment on his Parkinsons--he seemed the same--quirky, incisive yet absent-minded at times, his mind wandering elsewhere even whilst you were talking. But he seemed physically ok, although the Parkinsons clearly had taken its toll.
And then finally, at their lovely home in Delhi, when I had the opportunity to meet a small gaggle of the Delhi Sweet Sixteeners, thanks to Vinit, at Def Col club. And he insisted on getting his driver and driving us there.

Alas, all too few times...

Farewell Rajive. May the heavens now enjoy your talent. A bit of our youth is forever lost with the passing away of friends like you.

Rajive was a dear friend and gifted individual! Right from the time he co-edited Technik the IIT-B magazine with Ashok Sarath in the late 1970s his writing prowess was evident. To his credit, Rajive held on to his passion, writing beautifully about reunions with IIMC friends, articles that he oftern shared with all of us on topics of current interest and of literary and historic significance, and last but not least, of recent times contributing with sincerity, thoughtfulness and his ever present wit and turn of phrase that made us look forward to his reflections in the recently started IIMC Book Club during the pandemic. For me, this reconnecting with Rajive was a matter of great joy and learning. His gentle, humble nature of which several have shared their memories, was something special to cherish in friendship. Just as I was feeling happy we had reconnected, sadly we will see him no more.  May his soul rest in peace and may he be remembered for long for all his conributions.

Rajive was a thorough gentleman, accomplished international executive, intellectual and curious polymath, and eloquent writer. Above all, he was a dear friend and colleague. He would record our get-togethers and reunions with a personal essay so that the event would come alive even for those of us who were unable to attend in person. We will miss him dearly.

Pasted below is a piece that he wrote in July 2016 - a small example of his inimitable writing style to savor and enjoy! Thank you Rajive.

START

Tête-à-tête with Trivi

I vividly remember my last encounter with Trivi over a decade ago. On comparing departure plans after a memorable twenty fifth celebration at Joka, we discovered that providence had ordained our departure in a Singapore bound aircraft that would fly Trivi thereafter to SFO, and enable Akshay Bansal to alight at Changi to take a connector to Melbourne.

Serendipity had thus smiled, and an opportunity had presented for us tipplers to extend the twenty fifth anniversary celebration to our eventful journey home. We had alighted a ramshackle IIMC bus, piloted by an elderly gentlemen who appeared more sozzled than its worthy passengers. It weaved its way, through the crowded, Calcutta thoroughfare. Unmindful of the roller coaster ride, the three occupants passed on the bottle, oblivious of whether they were riding the said contraption in Disneyland or through crowded Calcutta The eventual destination at Dum Dum only mattered and till Singapore our world was bliss.

I recall staggering to the airport Silver Kris lounge (Trivi and I were proud members due to our travel status) ushering in Akshay B and grabbing a few more rounds of the elixir and then lurching to the plane . The rest is a blur till we bid tearful goodbyes at Changi.

Over the years I have marveled at Trivi’s frenetic pace of travel and his frequent trips to China and his valiant attempts to navigate the destiny of Nvidia. I therefore looked forward to the opportunity of touching base with him again at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.

Through the years the IHC has presented itself artistically, but a lost place of privilege and of intricately stratified classes in brutal social competition. It is the backdrop for middle-aged, middle-class people engaged in such suburban pursuits.

The Sixteen Entourage led by dear Swappy, Mayar and Charlie would have added weight and grist to the mill at IHC. They were instrumental with our presence, in Increasing the average age of all the customers at the bar, but more importantly the IQ , which in the hive of the intense upward mobility and showoff had been cast by the wayside by IHC members.

Notwithstanding the above, Thanks to Swappy, Mayar and Charlie under whose auspices this was made possible. Stellar folks who threw in their weight and reserved the exclusive verandah adjoining the bar, and ensured free flow of alcohol and food to fuel the evening proceedings to a crescendo. Duggs was sorely missed whose wisdom would have added to the repartee. It was also heartening to see Kenny working the room with a digital gizmo slung around his neck clicking at selfies, recording these timeless moments for posterity.

All my mates were there refreshingly unaffected. Vicky with his philosophical demeanor, the gracious hosts. Dear Gautam from Dubai whose presence provided the much needed gravity to the room. Vivek Chandra whose presence lit up the room and the big picture and small detail appeared equally important. Pradeep Mehra who keeps the vision of Management Education so alive and so animated that we might as well all be doing a refresher MBA. They were juxtaposed by Jugnoo who came and left early (please forgive the obvious innuendo).and old school mate Venkatesh (Lambu) who is now regaling the Tatas, presiding over their empire with dollops of creativity and acumen.

It was wonderful to catch up with Trivi and Anuradha, and thanks to Anu for all the time she spent with an awestruck Anantya (my son) and he certainly benefitted from her wisdom. It was great fun to get Trivi to critique my Mandarin accent, and much in the same vein, discuss GPUs, Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Neural Networks and our larger than life acquaintances that emerged from the tragic saga 'The Billionaire Apprentice'. On the whole, our narrative symbolized the battle cry of this august group : ' Long live the geeks'

The high point of the evening was an interesting speech delivered by Mayar on behalf of dear Chacha ( a video link from Calcutta would have made a significant impact) that voted for Srilanka sojourn by a show of hands . A valiant attempt to arouse enthusiasm among the proletariat.

And as the evening wore on the only thing we had in common was bonhomie, as I stood by the verandah and gazed outwards to take it all in.

But the windows were not big enough…..

END

I am finding it difficult to use past tense for Rajive. So difficult to imagine that he is not amongst us. Many memories about his caring personality are cherished in my mind. He would phone if he came to know about any problem. He liked my son and guided him about doing business in Southeast Asia. He even suggested a girl for his marriage. Dear Rajive, you will be missed by me and my family. Pradeep Mehra

Rajive and I became close friends at IIM Calcutta. There were many things to like about him. He gave help and he took help. He shared stories. He was well read. You could talk about any topics with him. More than anything, you could trust him for sure! We lost touch after I emigrated to US. Thanks to the Internet, we were able to reconnect. We continued to exchange emails.

Now he is gone! It feels like a vacuum. It makes me sad. But I know he would not want me to be sad. As he would often say in Joka: "Cheer up! Let's do something!"

Rajive had this amazing ability to be able to see the funny side of life and then express it so eloquently in words so that others could share the joy of his unique perspective

His write ups after our get togetherness were often better that the event itself!

But I will remember Rajive most of all for being a great friend and human being. One of the reasons Sunaina and I chose to retire in Gurgaon was to be close to our dearest friends and Rajive and Anjana were in the same building. He could always be relied on to be there for you when you needed something and both were a massive support when we finally moved last year

We were so looking forward to renewing our friendship over many evenings of great food , music and musings! But that was not be ..

So farewell dear friend. We are deeply saddened by your loss but feel blessed that we will always be able to call you our friend !

My friendship with Rajive goes way back to the mid 70’s when both of us studied at IIT Bombay, and then later at IIMC. Two qualities that stand out, among several, are his immense talent as a writer and as a mild-mannered and kind human being, always concerned about others. Rajive was a frequent contributor and editor of the IITB campus magazine called ‘Technik’ and his clips (sometimes anonymous) featured a Wodehousian style of humor but adapted to campus issues and personalities. This style carried on even during post IIMC days when he used to report on get-togethers so extensively that people like me used to get a complete rundown even without attending.

Another passion of Rajive’s was his love for music, especially the Beatles and rock music and I vividly remember one instance of this love for music. At IIT, Rajive and I used to be in different, but nearby, hostels. When Wings (Paul McCartney) released the ‘Band on the Run’ album in the mid ‘70s (in 1974?), my hostel common room was one of the first to get it, and Rajive used to trudge along from his hostel to ours to listen to it many times a week! He loved the title number as well as the song ‘Let me roll it’ the most. I will always remember Rajive whenever I listen to the songs.

Goodbye Rajive, my friend, we will miss you terribly…Rest in Peace.

Rajive was a sensitive and generous person, a thorough gentleman. His command over the written word, his wit and humour was par excellence. Inspite of Parkinson's disease, he remained alert and engaged. Rajive will be sorely missed but will remain in our memories forever. May god give strength to Anjana, Ritika and Anantya and the entire family to come to terms with the loss of their loving husband and father. Rajive's inspiration will always remain in their hearts, and we the iimc sweet16 family are available forever and just a call away for any practical support that we can provide on Rajive's behalf.