My Avatars on Earth- 5

More avatars. An Irani chai lover, starting from the Hilton at Hyderabad's Osmania University campus (below).

 Author/editor of books- this one's edited, with Romy Saini.

 and the party-goer. Above, at a niece's wedding in Sri Lanka, and below, Bhangda with an international crowd at a conference dinner in Sri Lanka.

My Engineering College Days

 Some of my buddies from then (1977-82, Osmania University), in modern times..above, in a railway coach in Bangalore, and below, in Bheemeswari resort not too far from Bangalore.

Venugopal Reddy, who went on to join the Railways hosted us in a coach built up as a living room. He is also a golfer, and we have played a few times in Delhi Golf Club. K Srinivasa Murthy just retired after selling out his manufacturing company in a technical field, after successful forays into international markets. Nagarjuna continues in his business selling equipment made by big brands. Huma became an author and traveller. Others are pursuing various things as consultants in India and abroad. And I, of course, have nothing to do with electrical engineering any more, and teach marketing to unsuspecting students.

Some others, we have lost out on-Alok and Seshagiri Rao are no more. Our profs. made valiant attempts to teach us, with varying degrees of success. Dhanvantari, B. Hanumantha Rao and P. Hanumantha Rao (nicknamed Pichhi), are some that I remember, apart from Ethirajulu.

The Expected and the Unexpected

Life is a balance between the two. We wake up wanting some things (like we breathing) to be the same, and expecting some surprises to liven the proceedings (just breathing can't make you breathless with excitement?).

So it was. Some planned events, and some unplanned comprised this visit to my favourite place (actually I now have many, wherever I can meet old friends and new), Hyderabad. Though it was a very short visit, managed to meet a few of my engineer friends (classmates from O.U., or Osmaniacs) and visited the Hyderabad Boat Club for the first time. They have a lake-facing restaurant at Tank Bund-couldn't see any boats though.

Also ran into Bhawana Sahay, ex-student, with whom I was only in touch on fb so far..feels great to meet someone in person, and put a face to the DP (she has been an award winner at my DP Awards).

Also met some old friends from Singareni Collieries -the coal miner- who were visiting Hyderabad on vacation from Bangalore. To more such coincidences! Of course, a primary reason for the visit was my niece's birthday. She is turning into a cricketer too..good for Women's cricket.

Also saw some spectacular ad-carpet-bombs from Lalitha Jewellers all over the place. You couldn't miss the hoardings. Unique message too. More on that later.

Mir Osman Ali Khan

He was one of the Nizams of Hyderabad. He was responsible for a lot of good things. Osmania University being one of the biggest in education. He was the seventh in the line of Nizams. Before him too, many predecessors did a lot of good. But this one was probably one of the best. The buildings housing the university in Hyderabad are majestic, and resemble the palaces that many kings around the world had. Our engineering college in the campus was also a part of that stupendous set of architectural wonders.

This guy also set up Singareni Collieries, a coal-mining company later taken over by the Indian government. This company is where my parents spent most of their working life. It is spread across towns like Yellandu, Kothagudem, Ramagundam and Bellampalli in Andhra Pradesh.

How do I know all this? Happened to visit the Choumohalla Palace where one of the Nizams lived. It is close to Charminar in Hyderabad, and is a nice example of palatial yet simple, elegant living. Huge courtyards and a fountain are the mainstay of the complex, which was opened to the public after a restoration only a few years ago. There is also a section housing vintage cars and buggies that is classy. Includes a yellow Rolls Royce, sparkling. I was inspired to visit after reading of a trip by some students of IMT. Also, a friend's book had a cover shot taken in this beautiful place.