Adieu Jatinder Sidhu!

Jatinder and Lt HS Sidhu were a lively couple at INS Agrani, when I was posted there from Jun '84 to early '87. He possessed a fantastic sense of humour while she was a dignified lady, ever smiling, outgoing and helpful. Since Sidhu and I were contemporaries, she took me along as a close friend and well wisher.

I fondly remember the countless times that I had been at their place, be it for a Sunday breakfast of steaming paranthas and 'sarson ka saag', a quickly ruffled up biriyani lunch or a three-course dinner accompanied with lively music, heated/interesting conversations punctuated with frequent guffaws - they were good hosts.

I still have a photograph of her giving me a gift during one of the Husbands' Nights at the establishment, in my personal album.

After my tenure there, we never came across each other but I used to get information about their whereabouts from mutual friends. Some time back, she had suffered a spinal injury owing to an accident and was bed ridden. I'd the fortune to talk to her in that medical condition of hers, just before the onset of Covid and realised that neither had she lost the verve nor her zest for life and had retained the warmth and friendliness in abundant measure. And we spoke for very long then - now, looking back in hindsight! - little realising that it was gonna be our last conversation! 

We human beings get busy with our own lives and do not spend time or efforts to nurture a relationship. It happened in this case, too, and I was smug at the thought that she was doing well, despite her unfortunate medical condition.

So, yesterday, it was like a bolt from the blue when my friend and senior, Ravi Ponappa - he was also with us at Agrani, gave me the sad news that she'd passed into the mist of time - and I quote, "Mrs Sidhu passed away due to cardiac arrest, after spending five weeks in the ICU, at Chandigarh. Perhaps, she was on life support systems as I make out. Cremation over. She was very close to my mother till mum passed away. She was with my mum for the entire duration of the cremation proceedings. Om Shanti". 

Along with it was Sidhu's cryptic message, "With profound grief, I inform that my wife, Jatinder passed away this morning due to cardiac arrest. She was in the ICU for the last five weeks. Cremation took place at 1130 hrs in Chandigarh".

I can never forget the bubbly self that she was and have still not been able to accept that she's no more amid us.

Adieu Jatinder! Om Shanti! Sadgati. My salute and tears to a wonderful human being. 

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle late by about a half past 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

Finished up a few pending work. The day was warm compared to what it was during the past few weeks.