Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Tribute to My Mom
My mother, Krishna Rani was 67 when she passed away unexpectedly on this day 16 years ago in Rawat Bhata and was consigned to flames on the banks of the Chambal river. It was hard to say goodbye. We wish she had more time, and perhaps during the time she had, we had spent more of
it together. We wish that so much of her life had not been lost to her illness (BP), that things could have been different for her, and for us. While we know that she is at peace and that her struggles have ended, there is the lingering pain and sadness. But even though she is gone, she has left the legacy of her love and perseverance. The ways she touched our lives will remain, and I am attempting to keep those memories alive by sharing them here.
One of the most important things in Mummy’s life was reading & learning. She never got the opportunity to go to college but that did not deter her from learning. She was a voracious reader in her younger days. In fact she mastered alternative medicine (homeopathy & biochemic) by reading at
home and practiced it as a social past time. She loved Marathi literature despite being a Punjabi. She had no formal training in music or theatre but could perform to applause in get-togethers or on stage. She was a Hindi movie buff and an ardent fan of Meena Kumari (the tragedy queen).
Though Mummy was brought up with traditional values and learnt the skills that a woman of her era should — cooking, sewing, knitting and embroidery, as well as love for motherland, she was progressive for her times. She went about doing the outdoor chores on a cycle in the 60s.
Papa being the innovative kind, he made a detachable bar with seat for mom’s lady cycle enabling the family to travel around on 2 cycles, with one sibling on each cycle. The third had not yet arrived.
Being a mother of three diverse boys—Raju, Sonu (me) & Babloo, mummy had a hard time juggling the demands of us all, but she never complained at her unenviable task, nor did she ever turn anyone away—be it family, friends or local faces, wanting to stop by the house for a quick chat. She was a proud and dignified woman who had a passion for life.
Everybody thinks they have a great mom, but as kids, we knew we had a great mother because everybody else told us so. She mothered all our friends who came into the house, even those with perfectly good mothers of their own. Mummy taught us many things as young kids that hold us in
good stead today—good manners, respect and sound moral values. These values have made me who I am and I thank her so very, very much.
Mom was a vibrant spiritual soul, one who literally lit up the room whenever she entered. And right up until she became less able to get around, Mummy was full of energy and always eager to help out, no matter what the problem was. Later in life she was deep into spiritualism and shunned fancy clothes, jewelry & luxury. She was the person most responsible for shaping who I am.
My lasting memories of Mummy are simple: a hard-working, passionate figure of strength who never waned in her support or love of her family, and who soldiered on, even when times were tough.
Thank you mummy for everything you’ve given us—and the warmth we shared during your precious time on earth. God bless you always.
it together. We wish that so much of her life had not been lost to her illness (BP), that things could have been different for her, and for us. While we know that she is at peace and that her struggles have ended, there is the lingering pain and sadness. But even though she is gone, she has left the legacy of her love and perseverance. The ways she touched our lives will remain, and I am attempting to keep those memories alive by sharing them here.
One of the most important things in Mummy’s life was reading & learning. She never got the opportunity to go to college but that did not deter her from learning. She was a voracious reader in her younger days. In fact she mastered alternative medicine (homeopathy & biochemic) by reading at
home and practiced it as a social past time. She loved Marathi literature despite being a Punjabi. She had no formal training in music or theatre but could perform to applause in get-togethers or on stage. She was a Hindi movie buff and an ardent fan of Meena Kumari (the tragedy queen).
Though Mummy was brought up with traditional values and learnt the skills that a woman of her era should — cooking, sewing, knitting and embroidery, as well as love for motherland, she was progressive for her times. She went about doing the outdoor chores on a cycle in the 60s.
Papa being the innovative kind, he made a detachable bar with seat for mom’s lady cycle enabling the family to travel around on 2 cycles, with one sibling on each cycle. The third had not yet arrived.
Being a mother of three diverse boys—Raju, Sonu (me) & Babloo, mummy had a hard time juggling the demands of us all, but she never complained at her unenviable task, nor did she ever turn anyone away—be it family, friends or local faces, wanting to stop by the house for a quick chat. She was a proud and dignified woman who had a passion for life.
Everybody thinks they have a great mom, but as kids, we knew we had a great mother because everybody else told us so. She mothered all our friends who came into the house, even those with perfectly good mothers of their own. Mummy taught us many things as young kids that hold us in
good stead today—good manners, respect and sound moral values. These values have made me who I am and I thank her so very, very much.
Mom was a vibrant spiritual soul, one who literally lit up the room whenever she entered. And right up until she became less able to get around, Mummy was full of energy and always eager to help out, no matter what the problem was. Later in life she was deep into spiritualism and shunned fancy clothes, jewelry & luxury. She was the person most responsible for shaping who I am.
My lasting memories of Mummy are simple: a hard-working, passionate figure of strength who never waned in her support or love of her family, and who soldiered on, even when times were tough.
Thank you mummy for everything you’ve given us—and the warmth we shared during your precious time on earth. God bless you always.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
About Slovenia for a local magazine there
As my stay in Slovenia is coming to
a close, here are my impressions, which have also been expressed to a local
magazine, with translation to Slovene by Andrej.
Eastern Europe...just for the misguided? I
must say that's what I thought before this recent stay in Slovenia. To be
honest, I've never been too thrilled at the idea of going anywhere east of
Vienna. France...Italy...Switzerland...Europe has lots of lovely places, so why
was my company sending me off to some ex-commie hellhole for a one year MBA?
Leaving Delhi on an Austrian Airlines flight, I imagined the horrors that
awaited me: brutish architecture...boiled beetroot at every
mealtime...sour-faced locals waiting to rip-off the poor foolish foreigner at
any opportunity...
Who would want to visit a place
like Slovenia, let alone contemplate living there? Along with scenic
beauty, I like the good things in life: comfortable hotels, nice restaurants,
exotic drinks. But here I was, off on what I considered a hardship
assignment...and to make matters worse, I couldn't find anyone who had heard
about Slovenia or a book on Slovenia, for love nor money.
Well, I don't mind admitting that I couldn't
have been more wrong about a country. Slovenia is one of the most
gorgeous little places I've ever been lucky enough to visit or rather stay for
one year.
Surly natives? I feel ashamed that I thought
that way. The people were polite, helpful, friendly and full of
warmth. As for scenic splendors, well...I found it better than than
Switzerland. The country is tiny, but within its borders are all the things
that most visitors hope to experience on a whistle-stop tour of Europe: a
sunshine coastline studded with lively seaside resorts and ancient maritime harbor
towns...placid blue lakes, Heidi-like meadows, and alpine peaks where you can
ski in wintertime...plus quaint medieval towns where houses are decorated with
painted frescoes. And sitting queenly over everything is Ljubljana, as elegant
a capital city as you could wish for, a sleeping beauty of spires, bridges, and
sculpted dragons that seems lost in dreams of long ago.
Vineyards! Acre upon acre of them, all hanging
heavy with luscious-looking grapes waiting to be turned into my favorite
tipple. Yes, Slovenian wine is definitely great. The countryside of
the Primorska region was pure idyll...a land of hayricks, forests, and
white-spired churches...not an industrial blackspot in sight. Don't get me
wrong, though. While it's pleasingly rural and old-fashioned, this isn't a land
of bowed-back peasants living in bathroom-less shacks.
The infrastructure (roads, railways, and
public transport) is far better than back home in India. Communications are
excellent. Although Internet cafés aren't yet as widespread as in other parts
of Europe or India.
Just about everybody I met spoke a little
English. (And in rural cafés and bus offices where they didn't, body language,
got me what I wanted.) Language wouldn't be a problem if you were interested in
doing business here. Nearly all the professional people I encountered spoke
good English. And maybe you should be thinking of doing business
here. Slovenia is now in the EU, labor costs are far lower than in
the neighboring 'western' countries of Austria and Italy, and the government
has set up a special trade and investment department to facilitate foreign
investors.
-2-
Life though comfortable, there was lot of studying
to be done at ICPE. Ofcourse not as hectic as in India. There were about 25
students in the class from different countries - Germany, Italy, France,
Nepal, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Slovenia etc. The classes
were held by Professors from different Universities and different countries.
The classes were interactive and very interesting with lots of practical
situations and humour. They were conducted thru Powerpoint presentations, OHP
and flip charts. We had to also make presentations on current topics.
Diwali (An Indian
festival) was a very unusual experience here. We went for a prayer meeting
conducted by Slovenian followers (about 100 of them) of Guruji
from Pali (near Jaipur). They treated us with lot of honour making
frequent references to hon. guests from India. The prayer meeting was followed
by a potluck vegeterian dinner. They sing the bhajans and kirtans (devotional
songs so well), much better than we get to see in India. There was a fantastic
recital on Veena and Tanpura. I have never enjoyed classical music so much.
Everyone had a lit Diya (candle lamp) in hand for the Aarti (prayer). We were
given diyas (candle lamps) by the slovenians. The followers are all strictly
vegeterians with strong beliefs. The food was good - mix
of slovenian and Indian dishes.
Passing time here was
not a problem despite no Indian papers, no Indian TV and cold coditions outside
in winter. The difficulty was in finding time to study. To describe one
weekend, some group had a promotion campaign at ICPE for their product, guess
what, Slovenian WINE. It was a small gathering of
10 Sloveniancouples ( or would be couples), Big boys and Girls and
ofcourse, us (Residents of ICPE). It began with a power point presentation
about wine making, storing and drinking with question hour of doubts and
clarification. We were even taught the correct method of holding the glass. At
the end we were offered 13 different wines to sample(11 white and 2
red). By the sixth or seventh round we were all feeling quite high and the
others quite steamy. But they did'nt let us go until the 12th round of red
wine, by which time we were all drunk and could not distinguish one wine from
another. It was followed by dinner and then we straight crashed into our beds.
We had a three day weekend of full time studies in the rooms, preparing
for our exam on Monday. The exams were held every alternate Monday. Thank god
they are now over and gone quite well.
On the weekends, in pubs/ bars and on streets,
many of Ljubljana's young-upward-pretty things were there...traffic could
barely move...despite snow, heat or rain…...All the girls looking so
similar…...bare shouldered, tight pants or skirts, bobbed hair left lose (silky
and coloured, like some shampoo ad) .… and oh so fair...and all the guys
looking macho, clean shaven, t-shirts with arms extending to just below
the elbow, a chain around the neck...girls outnumbering guys....jeez, these
yuppies of Ljubljana are a treat to watch.
Overall its been a great experience and we have
loved every minute of it. Our Slovene classmates have made our stay memorable
and we shall go back home to India with many sweet memories
of Slovenia and its people.
Love you all
Harjeet. S. Kalsi
Wedding Anniversary
Celebrating 32 years of marriage with my wife, partner, champion, supporter, and friend Kiran. It feels generous to say that we are happily married for more than 3 decades, because while we have been married for over thirty years, and I am currently extremely happy in our marriage, not all thirty two of the years were completely blissful. I’d be lying to say marriage is easy, but in reflecting on 32 years married to Kiran and having reached this (amazing) middle-aged phase together, it really got me thinking about “why do we work”? As in, how did we build this foundation to succeed independently, while thriving together. Its even more amazing because of the fact that we are two contrasting individuals. In short, we are a totally different set of personalities, as different as chalk and cheese. We think differently and react differently too, because of our innate personality differences. She is good looking, determined, short tempered, go-getter, sophisticated, creative, convent educated with capitalist leanings from a business background with a flair for arguments and I am average looking, peace loving, calm, composed, laid back KV educated simpleton with communist leanings from a salaried background hating arguments. Despite the difference in personality type we share many common interests with high level of compatibility. We often find ourselves thinking of the same thing at the same time.
Our journey and choices are our own, and are certainly not a one size fits all, but here is what I think helped us reach and truly celebrate this milestone together:
● From the very beginning, we had a strong foundation built on common values & understanding. When times were tough, our understanding & values had the strength to carry us through, and I firmly believe friendship with partner is the anchor to a long and fruitful relationship.
● We championed each other. It was never all about me, nor was it about her.
● We parented with the same values. There was no “well papa said this” or “mama said we could do that” – we didn’t undermine one another’s choices in parenting and tried hard to remain consistent in our approach. Because of this, there wasn’t much friction, and as a result, there was less tension in our relationship as parents.
● We prioritized wellness together. What’s more (pleasantly) surprising is that we became more focused on this as we reached middle age.
● We set goals together. While trying at times (especially as you evolve as individuals), we worked hard to develop goals that complemented and supported one another’s goals, so that we could succeed individually while also building on our foundation as a couple and family. I think this is what allowed us to stay “consciously coupled” throughout our marriage, and what has brought us to current state, where we’ve achieved many dreams together and defined so many more.
● We spent time together and I can confidently say we have never stopped “dating”.
● We appreciated that compromise is inevitable in a multi-decade relationship
At the end of the day, it’s about finding a true partner to have a “go at life” with, where love, trust, respect, growth, and adventure can coexist in a way that works best for both. I’m lucky to have found that, and to have celebrated 32 amazing years with a good friend.
Cheers for being a part of the journey.
Renu Khanna HBD
From women climbing the highest mountains in the world to everyday women raising kids and just trying to make ends meet, I know a lot of strong women. For those who are unaware, these are the women who love themselves and are confident of their abilities. They are the few who don’t need validation from other people because they are sure of themselves and what they can give to society. They are fully functioning humans, who are independent and able to do things for themselves. It means they have opinions & beliefs that they stand for and would not settle for less. They embrace their color, shape and size without fear – yes, these are the brave and strong! and Dr. Renu Khanna is one of them at the top of my list.
After all, bravery isn’t reserved for mountaineers or people who run into burning buildings or attempt to stop crime. It’s also found in the acts of people next door that force you to take a deep breath. I know Renu from the time she came as a bride to the ground floor flat in our building. She was different from the usual stereo types and would not hesitate to call spade a spade. I often saw her sitting out in the verandah reading a book and a voracious reader she was. I thought she was reading novels but on hindsight I realized that she was doing serious reading/ research for her M phil/Phd. She was one of the few in those times to take up a job in a male dominated industry (Shriram Refrigeration) and rise to the level of VP in an IT MNC. Those were the days in 90s that she would ride a scooter 50 kms to & fro to attend office in an industrial belt where females were a rare sight. Despite many challenges at home & office, I have never seen her lose cool and always found her positive about life. She can stand shoulder to shoulder with any man worth his salt and who knows this better than Rakesh & me.
Happy b’day Renu. As they say life begins at sixty and what better way to begin than uncorking a champagne. ( I am ok with scotch & soda). Cheers to happy times ahead.
Retirement Anniversary
Can’t believe it's been one year since I retired. Seems like yesterday - time flies. Here’s how the year went by.
The retirement celebrations began with partying every alternate day in the first month. Never knew there were so many well wishers who wanted to see me retired and considered it a valid reason for never ending celebrations. The celebrations are continuing with reduced frequency.
Once I was done with the initial celebrations, it was time to catch up on our travel. Having done most of the popular tourist destinations in the domestic & international circuit during our working days (being a strong believer of work life balance), we zeroed in on South Africa which was in our to-do list. There couldn’t have been a better choice. After a reasonably hectic work life, wild Africa was just what the doctor ordered. The beauty of South Africa is breathed through the smiles of friendly natives, the mosaic of cultures and cuisines, and the complex history that has shaped it. But, most of all, it is the natural splendor of this country that sets it apart. South Africa's landscapes are made up of valleys, mountains, forests, deserts, coastlines, and grassy savannahs that are breath-taking in their
picturesque scale. South Africa is a destination where you can experience it all; from the unspoilt beaches along the Wild Coast to the vibrant nightlife of Johannesburg / Cape Town; the game reserves, the caves of Congo, ostrich farms, the table mountain, seals & penguins of Atlantic ocean to the lush green artificial forests & artificial beach of Sun city. One moment you can be enjoying
the breathtaking view of Mosul bay, the next you’re enjoying a drive along the Garden Route with wine of your choice.
After the SA sojourn, it was time to catch up with friends & relatives. After hosting some relatives and being hosted by others, we were ready to catch up the new year with friends in the tranquil surroundings of Pachmarhi, the queen of Satpura. Situated at 1100 m, Pachmarhi, popularly known as 'Satpura ki Rani' (Queen of Satpura), sits beautifully, embellished by nature and history, amidst the Satpura range. Legend says the Pandava brothers visited Pachmarhi during their exile. This most popular hill station of Madhya Pradesh is a treasure with ancient caves of the Buddhist era residing in harmony with serene waterfalls. It was the perfect place & way to welcome 2019 partying with dance, drink & dazzling performances around a bonfire in the midst of a forest.
The Bhopal – Pachmarhi travelogue is posted separately.
Two months down the line, we were off on a road trip to the temple town of Bhadrachalam. It was a nice drive on Hyderabad ring road on to Vijayawada highway to Suryapet - Khammam - coal belt of Kothagudem and finally Bhadracham by evening. It took about 8 hours with a couple of stops enroute.
We stayed in a hotel close to the temple and hence could do an evening and early morning darshan the next day. Enjoyed the steaming hot idlis and dosas prepared by a muslim couple at a roadside outlet near the entrance of the temple. After the morning darshan we started off to Kunavaram, the place from where the boat ride begins for Papikondalu. The Papikondalu hills & tropical rain
forests are located in the border confluence of Khammam district in Telangana and East & West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh.
We settled in our boat by 9.30 and the journey began. We were offered break-fast which was good (Upma with Masala Vada). As the journey begins, one feels completely cut-off from the world (literally after 30 minutes or so there was no signal on our cell phones) but we weren't bothered. With greenery all around and vast expanse of water beneath, and sand on the banks, it’s a heavenly
experience. Around 1 pm the boat reached Kolluru, where lunch was served. Bamboo chicken cooked by tribals is a specialty here. An hour or so after lunch we were in the midst of Papikondalu mountain range which is a sheer feast to the eyes in terms of its scenic beauty. As the hills become closer and closer to us, the width of the mighty Godavari becomes narrower. In accordance with this view, resembling the middle partition of a woman's hair, it was initially named as 'Papidi' Kondalu- Papidi in Telugu means the middle partition of a woman’s hair. The river narrowing, its twists and turns along with the Papi Hills form a breathtaking visual experience. Small waterfalls, water streams, thick rain forests and other flora & fauna add to the scenic beauty of PapiKondalu. By evening we
were back in Kunavaram and from there to Bhadrachalam by night.
The next day after an early morning darshan we headed for serene & scenic Parnasala, on the banks of Godavari, the place where Sri Rama along with his divine consort Sita and brother Lakshmana stayed during their vanavasa and is also the place wherein Goddess Sita was abducted by Ravana as per the local folklore. After the darshan, we were on the road to Hyderabad and reached home by evening, with a couple of halts enroute.
There were a couple of other short trips in between to other towns / cities visiting relatives / friends and delivering talks to practicing Engineers / Executives.
It remains a thrill till date to tell someone I have retired and watch their reactions. I met a guy at the gym the other day. He asked what I did for a living and told him I was retired. He thought I was taking him for a ride.
I get up early — usually before 6 am, make tea and do my yoga. I read the newspapers at a leisurely pace, which remains one of my greatest pleasures. Ganga generally announces breakfast at nine. It’s a meal that Kiran & I relish most at a relaxed pace that we missed doing all these years except on
weekends. I continue with the newspaper reading post breakfast and then it’s time to Whatsapp / surf the net on my mobile /laptop. There is always the odd miscellaneous task to perform before lunch is announced between 1.30 to 2 pm. The very thought that there is no work to perform after lunch makes it an interesting and engaging affair. The lunch is followed by TV, news or movie on
Amazon prime / Netfix and of course some siesta. I am up & fresh by 4 pm to take the world head on. After some lazing around, it’s time for cycling, gyming and socialising. During summer, it was fun time in the swimming pool before noon or past 4pm. At other times I enjoy sitting in the balcony with my legs stretched and watching the fountain in full bloom in the lawn, guyz & gals having fun in the pool, kids playing & cycling, health freaks walking, few demonstrating their yoga skills…..
Moving over to Aparna Sarovar Grande has added to the post retirement fun. It feels like being in a resort. By the time we are back home after gyming / socializing….. it's time for a light piping hot dinner. As Kiran gets busy with her serials, I get back to my laptop for some writing /surfing…..We get to bed around 11 pm, so get plenty of sleep and don’t need an alarm clock to wake up.
There is a break to the above routine when I go to deliver talks or we go to a mall, shop, watch a movie, or just chill. We enjoy our personal space when I go to deliver talks or she goes for her FICCI events, kitty parties, pooja socializing etc.
Try doing our bit of philanthropy as & when we find an opportunity. It’s been good going until now. Hope the trend continues. Ciao
The retirement celebrations began with partying every alternate day in the first month. Never knew there were so many well wishers who wanted to see me retired and considered it a valid reason for never ending celebrations. The celebrations are continuing with reduced frequency.
Once I was done with the initial celebrations, it was time to catch up on our travel. Having done most of the popular tourist destinations in the domestic & international circuit during our working days (being a strong believer of work life balance), we zeroed in on South Africa which was in our to-do list. There couldn’t have been a better choice. After a reasonably hectic work life, wild Africa was just what the doctor ordered. The beauty of South Africa is breathed through the smiles of friendly natives, the mosaic of cultures and cuisines, and the complex history that has shaped it. But, most of all, it is the natural splendor of this country that sets it apart. South Africa's landscapes are made up of valleys, mountains, forests, deserts, coastlines, and grassy savannahs that are breath-taking in their
picturesque scale. South Africa is a destination where you can experience it all; from the unspoilt beaches along the Wild Coast to the vibrant nightlife of Johannesburg / Cape Town; the game reserves, the caves of Congo, ostrich farms, the table mountain, seals & penguins of Atlantic ocean to the lush green artificial forests & artificial beach of Sun city. One moment you can be enjoying
the breathtaking view of Mosul bay, the next you’re enjoying a drive along the Garden Route with wine of your choice.
After the SA sojourn, it was time to catch up with friends & relatives. After hosting some relatives and being hosted by others, we were ready to catch up the new year with friends in the tranquil surroundings of Pachmarhi, the queen of Satpura. Situated at 1100 m, Pachmarhi, popularly known as 'Satpura ki Rani' (Queen of Satpura), sits beautifully, embellished by nature and history, amidst the Satpura range. Legend says the Pandava brothers visited Pachmarhi during their exile. This most popular hill station of Madhya Pradesh is a treasure with ancient caves of the Buddhist era residing in harmony with serene waterfalls. It was the perfect place & way to welcome 2019 partying with dance, drink & dazzling performances around a bonfire in the midst of a forest.
The Bhopal – Pachmarhi travelogue is posted separately.
Two months down the line, we were off on a road trip to the temple town of Bhadrachalam. It was a nice drive on Hyderabad ring road on to Vijayawada highway to Suryapet - Khammam - coal belt of Kothagudem and finally Bhadracham by evening. It took about 8 hours with a couple of stops enroute.
We stayed in a hotel close to the temple and hence could do an evening and early morning darshan the next day. Enjoyed the steaming hot idlis and dosas prepared by a muslim couple at a roadside outlet near the entrance of the temple. After the morning darshan we started off to Kunavaram, the place from where the boat ride begins for Papikondalu. The Papikondalu hills & tropical rain
forests are located in the border confluence of Khammam district in Telangana and East & West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh.
We settled in our boat by 9.30 and the journey began. We were offered break-fast which was good (Upma with Masala Vada). As the journey begins, one feels completely cut-off from the world (literally after 30 minutes or so there was no signal on our cell phones) but we weren't bothered. With greenery all around and vast expanse of water beneath, and sand on the banks, it’s a heavenly
experience. Around 1 pm the boat reached Kolluru, where lunch was served. Bamboo chicken cooked by tribals is a specialty here. An hour or so after lunch we were in the midst of Papikondalu mountain range which is a sheer feast to the eyes in terms of its scenic beauty. As the hills become closer and closer to us, the width of the mighty Godavari becomes narrower. In accordance with this view, resembling the middle partition of a woman's hair, it was initially named as 'Papidi' Kondalu- Papidi in Telugu means the middle partition of a woman’s hair. The river narrowing, its twists and turns along with the Papi Hills form a breathtaking visual experience. Small waterfalls, water streams, thick rain forests and other flora & fauna add to the scenic beauty of PapiKondalu. By evening we
were back in Kunavaram and from there to Bhadrachalam by night.
The next day after an early morning darshan we headed for serene & scenic Parnasala, on the banks of Godavari, the place where Sri Rama along with his divine consort Sita and brother Lakshmana stayed during their vanavasa and is also the place wherein Goddess Sita was abducted by Ravana as per the local folklore. After the darshan, we were on the road to Hyderabad and reached home by evening, with a couple of halts enroute.
There were a couple of other short trips in between to other towns / cities visiting relatives / friends and delivering talks to practicing Engineers / Executives.
It remains a thrill till date to tell someone I have retired and watch their reactions. I met a guy at the gym the other day. He asked what I did for a living and told him I was retired. He thought I was taking him for a ride.
I get up early — usually before 6 am, make tea and do my yoga. I read the newspapers at a leisurely pace, which remains one of my greatest pleasures. Ganga generally announces breakfast at nine. It’s a meal that Kiran & I relish most at a relaxed pace that we missed doing all these years except on
weekends. I continue with the newspaper reading post breakfast and then it’s time to Whatsapp / surf the net on my mobile /laptop. There is always the odd miscellaneous task to perform before lunch is announced between 1.30 to 2 pm. The very thought that there is no work to perform after lunch makes it an interesting and engaging affair. The lunch is followed by TV, news or movie on
Amazon prime / Netfix and of course some siesta. I am up & fresh by 4 pm to take the world head on. After some lazing around, it’s time for cycling, gyming and socialising. During summer, it was fun time in the swimming pool before noon or past 4pm. At other times I enjoy sitting in the balcony with my legs stretched and watching the fountain in full bloom in the lawn, guyz & gals having fun in the pool, kids playing & cycling, health freaks walking, few demonstrating their yoga skills…..
Moving over to Aparna Sarovar Grande has added to the post retirement fun. It feels like being in a resort. By the time we are back home after gyming / socializing….. it's time for a light piping hot dinner. As Kiran gets busy with her serials, I get back to my laptop for some writing /surfing…..We get to bed around 11 pm, so get plenty of sleep and don’t need an alarm clock to wake up.
There is a break to the above routine when I go to deliver talks or we go to a mall, shop, watch a movie, or just chill. We enjoy our personal space when I go to deliver talks or she goes for her FICCI events, kitty parties, pooja socializing etc.
Try doing our bit of philanthropy as & when we find an opportunity. It’s been good going until now. Hope the trend continues. Ciao
BHEL bids farewell to Mr Kishore Puruswani
BHEL bids farewell to our dear friend Mr Kishore Puruswani, who is retiring from the services on attaining Superannuation tomorrow. Parting is always emotional, and much more, when it is a beloved person who was a part of BHEL daily life over a few decades.. His colleagues will be missing that cheerful face and booming voice greeting them every morning. They will be feeling that void from tomorrow onwards.
The official wording says that he is being "relieved" tomorrow. That is true. After many years of strenuous commute and, now he is getting relief from those strains. No more targets, no more goals, no more KPIs and no more meetings. All there’s left to do now is to unfurl all the happiness that life has in store.
Kishore is an example to all the junior staff, in showing how to rise to higher positions in career by sheer dedication and hard work. He was a benevolent boss to his subordinates and a much sought after man to his superiors. Though his colleagues and staff will be missing his physical presence in the office from the day after tomorrow, he will still be beaming inspiration to all the staff. Though they will personally feel his absence, the organisation will not feel it in the daily routine because I am sure he has trained his juniors well to take the reigns in his absence. As we often discussed, a good boss is the one who always keeps a well trained second line. He always held the hand of his juniors and lifted them up. Hence, there will be a smooth transition.
Got to know Kishore through Satinder during my short stint at Delhi and it was fun knowing him, full of energy, always game for an adventure and ready to lead the pack. Despite going through a difficult phase in life in terms of health, he came out of it holding the flag flying high. He is a fighter & a go getter and that made life comfortable for us during our stay at BHEL Noida GH. He is generous with his compliments and I am lucky to be a major beneficiary. Have shared a lot of philosophy, psychology & life experiences with him during our morning walks in BHEL TS Noida and over cups of tea in his room / roadside tea stalls. His physical height & decibel levels makes him stand tall amongst us.
I had a chat with him this morning to wish him happiness and know his future plans. He was busy enjoying his Sunday with family & friends, so couldn’t get to talk much about his future plans. A man so meticulous, we know, he has made a concrete plan for his post-retirement life and I am sure voluntary service is a part of that plan.
It is said in a funny way that "a retiring man is a full-time job for his wife" and "when a man retires, his wife gets a full time husband without his income". The graceful lady she is, Mrs. Renu Puruswani, will not mind all these quotations and will be happy to have him back in Bhopal all to herself. We had a few occasions to experience her kind hospitality.
Kishore, the main course of your life has been amazing. Now finish it off with a classic dessert. Start listening to your heart... it’s the best gift you can give yourself when you retire. May you have a relaxing new chapter ahead – one where you will have unlimited time enjoying your life. The enjoyment & happiness of course is compounded when you start giving it back to the society. Happy retirement !!!
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