You wouldn't associate Calicut with biryanis. But thanks to my friend Ravi, who was my culinary guide, we tasted the Kuttichira biryani, a speciality of a locality near the beach there, and lots more. This is what friends are for, right? Pics from a couple of eateries that we visited. And more..
This time, I am speaking as a Chief Guest/Keynote Speaker to the audience at Calcut Management Association's convention. In December, it was as a delegate that I attended another Management Convention. The opportunity to visit the campus where I worked is welcome. It is one of the prettiest campuses I have seen anywhere.
I mean the permanent ones, of people known to us. I lost my Mom around end-2020, and it was a numbing experience, though not entirely unexpected due to her age.
More recently, two such happenings. One, my BIL, a cousin's husband, passed away suddenly. Jayant Dharmadhikari was a part of the socialist movement of George Fernandes and Madhu Limaye, in the days before I knew him. But I knew him as a friend and drinking partner- he enjoyed his whisky. And a very loving and welcoming guy to all of us cousins who visited him or occasionally stayed with him. He also wrote screenplays or scripts for films like Benaam, Mera Gaon Mera Desh and others. He also produced a marvelous film called Ankahee starring Amol Palekar, whom he resembled a bit too. I also attended his daughter's wedding in Sri Lanka-my first visit to the beautiful country.
Suguna Kannan, a friend from an online music group, also passed away a few days ago. We never met, and I did not know she had been ailing for a while until this happened. She participated in the music group with the enthusiasm of a child, and was very kind and knowledgeable. Felt bad to see her go, though it's inevitable we all have to, one day.
One hopes they are in a happy place.
Continuing on the theme, I continue to meet a lot of women who are women of substance, to borrow a well-known phrase, from diverse fields, at work or on visits to various places- these include visiting faculty or guests who visit our institutions. I recently met a lady who lives in Lagos, and had attended a Harvard course -she's a consultant. By the way, she also met a classmate of mine there-Narayan Das.
A few women, like the founder of Bandhej, and the Dean of NIFT Delhi, I happened to meet at the NIFT event in Gandhinagar recently, where I shared the stage with them briefly. I similarly happened to meet Rama Bijapurkar who is from the Marketing Research industry, a few years ago when we shared the stage at an event in Jaipuria Institute at NOIDA, I believe.
Of course, there are a lot of non-celebrity colleagues who I enjoy meeting every now and then, and many students too. I met Ananya Nandi De from IMT recently, after 2010 maybe. She works in sourcing (for an MNC), which not many do, at least among women. Here she is, with Raka, her hubby.
In Bangalore, I met Pooja Varun after many years, and found she runs a Food Park. Also has started a new business. Chatted with Swati Sinha, who runs Neerya, an online seller of sarees and other garments. She was in a class of mine. Aditi Atre, who runs Rajasthani Rangrez, I haven't been able to meet in person. Remember awarding her a prize at IMT Nagpur though.
Divya Sharma, Divya Singh, are in radio anchoring and digital marketing, respectively. Shatakshi is into her own digital agency too. Shraddha Nigdikar, who I haven't met in a while, for a good reason. She was doing a Master's in Psychology. After her MBA, that is.
There are also authors, like Khyati Jha, and budding authors, like Anushka Mishra. And poets, like Anuja Anand. And musicians like Shruti Sharma and Shweta Sinha. And people with great taste in dinners- like Tosha Dubey, Meghana Joshi, Abha Kulkarni. And those who are like pure sunshine- like Sheetal Garg and Shweta Kushal. And some who are just special for a variety of reasons- Prachi Jain, Anusha Soni for example. Some bankers like Ankita Joshi and Swati Jain-coincidentally, both from BoB.
And next gen. friends like Rimjhim Verma, who don't mind being friends with oldies.
Two unconnected events falling on the same day. Holi, there's enough said and done each year, so I'll concentrate on the other.
I already did a facebook album with women golfers' pics from my archives. Why I like this subject is because even among Men, Golf is a game only a few people play! These are markers of where women can go. Already, women pilots in commercial airline companies are many in number. Proving yet again, if proof was ever needed, that they can do as well or better than men.
Continuing on the Golf theme, I found most women-students, faculty or staff colleagues- open to learning Golf, when assured that they didn't need to buy any equipment! I used an old kit that I still use, to train whoever wished to get trained in the basics. And I am happy that all students-male and female- of at least one batch of MBA at NMIMS, and at least two at IMT Nagpur- were given an orientation to the game, and a lot of them enjoyed it and were good at it!
A tiny friend we made at Kodaikanal Golf course was the youngest kid I saw on a Golf course. She was with her Mom, and was sporting enough to try adult-sized clubs to play a few shots! Three cheers to Women in Golf! I also went to my first amateur golf tournament in Thailand thanks to Jogeswari, a former student who was a part of Golftripz, an Indian startup. So there!
I was invited to a novel (for me) meet, organised by India Didactics Association, a policy think tank on education at all levels. This meet was focused on Higher Ed policy. Met and heard from a lot of interesting people from across India. The recommendations from this meet will go to the government functionaries. Some pics from the meet.
I mean young friends, actually. I met Abha first at her wedding, in Nagpur. We formed a Mutual Admiration Society pretty quickly, and have been meeting regularly, through changes of job and cities of residence. So it was no surprise that we met again, last day of Feb. 2023. The first meeting, Tosha Dubey was with her, and the next, a large group that also included Sirisha Adi and Anuj Mathew- then, two meetings with Sheetal Garg in the threesome, at Koylaa near Taj and at Prithvi theatre, Juhu.
The latest one in Nehru Place. We found a lot to talk about, as usual. Pics-
P.S. She's a student I never taught, from IMT Nagpur.. could be one reason she likes me. :)
Saw the third and final part of this film in a theatre. Good acting, direction. Keeps you gripped, and the suspense is so good it can go ei...
