Much has been written and aired about Leela Menon ma'am by now. Born in Nov '32, she began her career in the postal department in '49 and had, then, taken up journalism in '78, in her second innings. She shifted to Kerala in '82 and came into prominence by breaking stories of national importance like the rampant poverty and prostitution at Aruvacode in Malappuram district, the Vypeen hooch tragedy, the Suryanelli case and the Thoppumpady prostitution racket.
She had fought the deadly cancer on her own terms and came out of it, successfully thumbing her nose at the vicious illness! She'd gone about her life as cheerful as ever as though nothing had happened and it was this tremendous quality that endeared herself to many.
She was shifted from a private nursing home into palliative care about three months back and had passed into the mist of time last evening due to age related illness.
I'm taken back in time about seven months ago when I'd the privilege of interacting with Leela ma'am at the PN Panicker Foundation when she had come to steer a session of our weekend discussions. She did not hide her happiness in interacting with us because, to put it in her own words, "I feel that PN Panicker sir is very much alive here amid you". To quote an immortal saying, "She was charmingly unconscious of her charm". I feel lucky at having got the opportunity of being with her for those two hours and it was sheer education for me as she recalled quite a few anecdotes from her life.
RIP ma'am. My prayers and tears to a remarkable lady who lived life on her own terms. Ma'am, they don't make 'em people like you any more.
Tailpiece.
Had begun to shut down 'The Quarterdeck' in preparation to our journey to Kochi after lunch. Then made a dash to town to effect a bank transfer of Rs.5 grand to the Headmistress, Government School in Kura as endowment on mom's name to buy books and they'd be handed over officially to the school's fledgling library during the 'Vaayana Maasam'. The Chevy's tyre pressure was checked by the ever smiling-Krevka at the petrol bunk.
We set off at a half past 12 after an early lunch, through pouring rain and reached Kochi about 21/2 hrs later. Sat through at two places as Lekha went about her shopping bit and finally, tucked ourselves in the familiar cabin 13 of the Command Mess. It was while having dinner that we had the honour of being personally attended to by Johnson, my civilian bearer while I'd stayed in the Mess, on taking over as the MCO, Kochi about seven years back. It was nice catching up with him!
She had fought the deadly cancer on her own terms and came out of it, successfully thumbing her nose at the vicious illness! She'd gone about her life as cheerful as ever as though nothing had happened and it was this tremendous quality that endeared herself to many.
She was shifted from a private nursing home into palliative care about three months back and had passed into the mist of time last evening due to age related illness.
I'm taken back in time about seven months ago when I'd the privilege of interacting with Leela ma'am at the PN Panicker Foundation when she had come to steer a session of our weekend discussions. She did not hide her happiness in interacting with us because, to put it in her own words, "I feel that PN Panicker sir is very much alive here amid you". To quote an immortal saying, "She was charmingly unconscious of her charm". I feel lucky at having got the opportunity of being with her for those two hours and it was sheer education for me as she recalled quite a few anecdotes from her life.
RIP ma'am. My prayers and tears to a remarkable lady who lived life on her own terms. Ma'am, they don't make 'em people like you any more.
Tailpiece.
Had begun to shut down 'The Quarterdeck' in preparation to our journey to Kochi after lunch. Then made a dash to town to effect a bank transfer of Rs.5 grand to the Headmistress, Government School in Kura as endowment on mom's name to buy books and they'd be handed over officially to the school's fledgling library during the 'Vaayana Maasam'. The Chevy's tyre pressure was checked by the ever smiling-Krevka at the petrol bunk.
We set off at a half past 12 after an early lunch, through pouring rain and reached Kochi about 21/2 hrs later. Sat through at two places as Lekha went about her shopping bit and finally, tucked ourselves in the familiar cabin 13 of the Command Mess. It was while having dinner that we had the honour of being personally attended to by Johnson, my civilian bearer while I'd stayed in the Mess, on taking over as the MCO, Kochi about seven years back. It was nice catching up with him!
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