Monday, September 24, 2012

Adieu....

When people who've enriched one's life take flight for their eternal life, a void is felt. The enormous sadness is brought about by the knowledge that they'd never be available in their physical forms that one was comfortable and familiar with, thus far. Two such personalities had moved into the mist of time in quick succession. I'd like to concentrate on the lovely memories provided by them.

1. Dr RK Keshwani.

He was our Chemistry instructor at the NDA. His classes were always interesting in that he'd a fund of anecdotes that were simply super. Known by the sobriquet, 'Adjutant of the Science Block' because of his insistence that we cadets maintained discipline at all times, parked our cycles properly at their earmarked racks while we're in the classrooms and were properly turned out! And he'd an elephantine memory.

When I'd returned a few years later as a DivO, while I'd called on him, with the excitement of a schoolkid he'd recalled, "The meticulous Cadet Rajeev of Hunter Squadron who'd the habit of losing his keys quite often". And I'd a lump in my throat. What a trivial thing to be remembered by a great person and a fantastic instructor like him!

An oft repeated crib of his was about the partiality shown by the cadets to him and his family regarding offering of marks of respect. And I quote, "When I'm alone nobody salutes me, when I'm with my wife 50% of the Academy salutes me but when I'm with my daughter(pronounced 'daaater') everybody salutes me, including the drill square failures"(For this unfortunate population salutes were taboo and they're only supposed to brace themselves to attention, in lieu, as per the Academy traditions and customs!), in his familiar and loud nasal twang.

He'd passed away, after a brief illness, on 21 Sep.

Dr Keshwani sir, you'll always live on in my heart till my very end and we shall ever remain indebted to you for the fine values that you'd taught us. RIP. My humble prayers and salute!


2. Malayalam cine actor Thilakan.

An actor who'd carved a powerful niche for himself in all the roles that he'd essayed during his lifetime. To me, his characters in the title role of 'Perunthachan' and as the constable father in 'Kireedom', are my all time  favourites.

And because of his acting prowess, was there a hint of the famous 'malayalee arrogance' in him? Well, he never hesitated to call a spade, a spade!

Mr Thilakan passed away in the wee hours of this morning at Thiruvananthapuram.

The void left by you in the Malayalam cinema will be difficult to fill. My humble prayers to a great actor. RIP.

No comments:

Post a Comment