To me, it's still one state, and not two. I was born at Kothagudem, Khammam district. Railway station was called Bhadrachalam Road. Singareni Collieries, a Centre-state joint venture coal-mining company, was the reason we were there. I learnt Telugu, and still speak a little, when I find a few who also do, like Siri Adi, my ex-student. Or Jayanti Ranjan, who was a colleague and friend from IMT G.
Anyway, we had a British-built bungalow with a sprawling front and back garden, for a house, the first few years on the planet. I climbed trees, watered plants, and picked mangoes by the bucket in a storm. Learnt photography by observing my parents use a German folding camera, and later, in school, learnt how to develop black and white pics in a lab.
After 1982, did not see much of the state, though we stayed till 1989. I was away getting an MBA, and later working, or getting a Ph.D. abroad. But my memories of those days -22 years- is still strong, and many of my childhood buddies from those years are in touch, at least on facebook. Met a few over the years too, last in Pune last November. Also had a record player, and lots of records. Developed my taste for Hindi film music by listening, and watching films- my parents were buffs, and we drove to cinema halls in town whenever a new film released. Jewel Thief was one of those, I remember.
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