Recollections- In Fond Memory Of Pankaj Sadhu

Mamata Sadhu Wazir	December 2002
Ashok Thussu	December 2002
Rajesh Wazir	December 2002
Aditya Sondhi	January 2003
Ashwin Krishnan	January 2003
Nisha Thussu	Feburary 2003
Shilpi	April 2003
Abbas	April 2003
Praveen	April 2003
Rahul	April 2003
Shilpi	November 2003
Nonny	April 2004
Rahul Srinivasan	November 2005
Rahul Srinivasan	November 2008
Achaia	December 2008

My first memory of Pankaj is when he was probably an hour old only or maybe lesser. Here was this adorable golden haired cherub, sticking his pink tongue out of his mouth. I remember experiencing the feeling of awe and jealously at the time. My reaction was to poke his tongue, resulting in me getting my hand smacked by the nurse who was holding him and stern look from the elders. This memory 27 years later is still very vivid in my mind and too very precious.

My baby bro Panki lala or "burfi" as mom referred to him, was a beautiful and adorable child all his life. He has always been a very affectionate, caring, warm and very giving person and not just to his family and friends but also the people around him, whether it was the gardener or the watchman or the domestic help even the poor and suffering.

Very rarely you find people who leave such an indelible mark on our mind and heart. Pankaj was one of those precious gents who are we to go on with this vacuum in our hearts is beyond me at this point. Everywhere I look I see him, feel him, hear him and smell him. The twinkle in his eyes, the naughtiness in his smile and his infectious laughter.

Memories are all we are left with. They are priceless and invaluable and maybe these memories will help us to survive this pain and learn to cope with it.

Pankoo and I have always been, what you call, typical siblings. We shared a room as kids; ended up squabbling. I remember him being an unwilling guinea pig, as a child, for my make-up experiments. Till one day he said "no way". Once in Ram lila organised by Kailash Apt. children he was designated the role of Hanumanji. He looked absolutely adorable.

Pankaj was a passionate sportsman and an absolute fitness freak. He was always full of energy and so restless that he always had to be doing something. Whether it was cricket, soccer, tennis, squash, badminton, athletics or golf, he was amazing in all.

He was a bright student who seemed to breeze thru academics effortlessly. He seemed to want to do as much as possible in every moment of life. Never waste any precious time.

He has been a great kid in all aspects. As a Son, brother, grandson, brother-in-law, cousin, nephew and friend. I don't know how anything this senseless can happen to a great guy like Pankaj.

Sometimes I shut my mind and pretend he is somewhere far away. But that doesn't seem to work for too long. There s not a day that I don't get up seeing him in my dreams. Even now I can hear him calling me on the phone saying " Hi Baby" what I wouldn't do to hear that.

When I started to learn driving, Pankaj was a great support, he was always pushing me that to give up and get scared. He has always been there for me; I wish I could have been there for him.

Before shifting to Dubai, he was in Bombay for a week. That whole week we were constantly doing something. Whether it was bowling, pool, movies, Squash or eating out. Rajesh and I would tease him that he had ants in his pants.

He was such charmer that nobody would be angry with him for too long. Many a time I would be angry with him but he seemed to charm his way out of it always.

Long ago, when we were kids, one day Pankoo decided that he was not going to call me " Didi " anymore but by my name. Since it sounded so cool and grown up, I had no problems (much to our parents horror). We became more like good friends rather than badi didi & lil' bro.

I remember before he shifted to Dubai, I was very upset with him one day. So, I told him that he didn't love me and had no time for me. He looked at me and said that he and I were from the same gene pool. He didn't have to prove his love to me. His love for me was unconditional and that he and I were there for each other always. How could he love anybody more than his own sister -was his argument. I told you that no one could stay mad at him for long, not even me.

The whole family has pledged to keep his name alive in any and every possible way. When I see my nephew Vidur look at Pankoo's photograph and squeal delightfully Pankoo's name ; it strengthens my resolve to not let his name fade away.

He is there in our hearts and will always be there. We will always love him and miss him terribly.

PANKOO I MISS YOU SO VERY MUCH.

--Mamta Sadhu Wazir
Feburary 2003

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The schoolboy who grew to be a young man was the span he lived with us as a son when he came over to join college in New Delhi. That was Pankaj, the caring, considerate, polite, dutiful, ebullient, joyful, sincere, level headed nephew-son, brother to Nisha and Reena - who was just growing into his bloom.

He lives with us ever since in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our experiences, in each of his beautiful facets that we have shared. He will continue to live as an interwoven part of our lives that no parting can ever take away. He has left so much behind that it is impossible to detail it out.

I saw him face change in his life when he came into a more regulated environment of our house. He faced it with understanding after a first huff and for over four years with us he never gave anyone a cause to complain. He had courage, of his convictions, and these convictions were goal focused in his first steps towards professional endeavours. They were also focused to enjoying life; full of humour, a naughty spark that teased and provoked others out of dignified seriousness. Living life well, each day, was a focus too and touching everyone in a warm personal sense was his secret of spreading that well being.

He could not hold a negative happening for too long, for his self and for others. His spirit would overcome that and bounce back instantly. He was a thinker in that sense and came out caring for others all the time because he would put those thoughts of his into actions. A hug, a tease, a prank, a joke - a peal of laughter with a bubbling sweet smile. He would be laughing at us now and perhaps telling us to remember to live well this day in life. This cycle is done and a new dawn approaches in his transformation and Pankaj wherever you are, for the new dawn you face in the new form of life your soul resides in, I quote the poem “Salutations to the Dawn” by Kalidasa :

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence.

The bliss of growth
he glory of action
The splendor of beauty

For yesterday is but a dream
nd tomorrow only a vision
But today lived well makes
Every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope
Look well, therefore, to this day
Such is the salutation to the dawn.

I am determined to remember the yesterday and the joy you shared.

Fare thee well Pankaj, in the new dawn of your new existence

--Ashok Thussu
December 2002

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IN FOND REMEMBERENCE OF MY PANKAJ

"SOME PEOPLE TOUCH OUR LIFE FOR A MOMENT AND DISAPPEAR THE NEXT.THE LOVE THAT THEY LEAVE BEHIND IS THE STUFF MEMORIES ARE MADE OF."

PANKAJ, PANKU, PANKOO LALA, BETA, BRO, BUDDY, these were the various names I would address him as……… Well………. What can I say …… ?

Me, I had all these plans with the GUY in years to come. After all he was my only bro-in-law, not to forget - a younger brother, I didn't have before and now I'll never have…………..

I am totally clueless as to why such a thing happened to all of us. For those who had known him a great deal in the years that they knew him, the painful shock of not having him around cannot be comprehended.

Me, I had all these plans with the GUY in years to come. After all he was my only bro-in-law, not to forget - a younger brother, I didn't have before and now I'll never have…………..

This kid had the confidence, self-belief and the go getting - full of life attitude, which made him ever so loving and favourite amongst all the people that he ever associated with.

Me, I had all these plans with the GUY in years to come. After all he was my only bro-in-law, not to forget - a younger brother, I didn't have before and now I'll never have…………..

For us in sorrow, we need to look again in our hearts and find that in truth, we are weeping for that which has been our delight. Life may take away happiness, but it can't take away having had.

-- Rajesh Wazir
December 2002

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HE IS MADE ONE WITH NATURE

Pankaj Sadhu. Handsome Kashmiri. Thorough gentleman. Strike bowler. Centre forward. Pettigrew House. Senior Prefect. True Cottonian.

My most vivid memories of Pankaj are from the cricket field, memories of him running in and hitting the deck with swift, seaming deliveries that would invariably get the batsman caught in the slips. It was from the slips that I watched the tenacity with which Pankaj played the game. One unforgettable incident was his hattrick in the Cottonian Shield finals of 1990-91 when he hit back with the grit of a heavyweight boxer needing a knock out to win the fight. Another was his role in the victorious School football team, donning his colours with pride. As Deputy Head of Day Scholars, Pankaj looked every bit the part…firm but gentle, leading from the front and never without a smile. Pankaj showed similar character in everything else he did………with many splendid cameos on and off the field

After Cottons he left for Delhi, and later New York and was on the verge of settling into a successful professional life. Pankaj had the ability to identify his goals and the determination to achieve them. When I met him in Delhi in 1997 (after tracking him for several days only to catch up with him), Pankaj seemed deeply nostalgic about his days in Bangalore and Cottons, many of which we happily recalled over the few hours we spent together. Though we never met thereafter, one was always kept posted about his whereabouts through his many friends. The latest I heard was that he was coming down for a friend's wedding before taking up a full-time corporate assignment.

And then Life played its ugly game…. Pankaj died in a car crash in Delhi, on November 23, 2002 at about 3:00 am. With him died an unforgettable lad, a winner in every sense of the word. One of Pankaj's best buddies Praveen Lekhraj, who flew down for his funeral but unfortunately could not be here today as much as he wanted to, specially wanted us to know that Pankaj loved Cottons immensely, so much so that his friends back in Delhi even remembered every house match that Pankaj wistfully described to them. Praveen says, "For me carrying his body was the toughest thing I have had to do. Not because he was my best friend but because he was Pankaj". I also share with you the sentiments of Mrs. Peacock, his English teacher in Cottons for four years, who reminds us that Pankaj was loved and respected by many, and shall never be forgotten. Lahar Appaiah remembers Pankaj as a born leader, a natural team player who always encouraged his mates to work that extra bit harder and one of the most popular and respected seniors, who embodied all the values that Cottons stood for.

Rahul Srinivasan, a classmate and dear friend of Pankaj sent this message from England - "I will never come across a more lively, enthusiastic, passionate, funny and caring friend than Pankaj. His spontaneity was refreshing and he was quite clearly the life and soul of any group. I will miss him sorely. I am really struggling to come to grips with this - I still see him storming in with that new ball and me writhing in pain as I collected the ball behind the stumps; I still see him running on to another one of my misdirected football passes; I still see him clowning around and that mischievous yet charming laugh. No amount of praise would be enough. Farewell buddy - I will miss you more than anything!"

Words fail us when we lose friends like Pankaj, because the pain and injustice is too great to overcome. Rationalise as we will, the void created by his absence can never be filled. That he shall live forever in our hearts is but a lame consolation, considering Pankaj was one guy who deserved to live a full and happy life. I can only borrow from Wordsworth's elegy at Keats' death to try and pay my tribute -

He is made one with Nature: there is heard
His voice in all her music, from the moan
Of thunder, to the song of night's sweet bird;
He is a presence to be felt and known
In darkness and in light, from herb and stone,
Spreading itself where'er that Power may move
Which has withdrawn his being to its own;
Which wields the world with never-wearied love,
Sustains it from beneath, and kindles it above.

Tribute paid to Pankaj at his Memorial Service held at the Bishop Cotton Boys' School Chapel on Friday, November 29, 2002.

-- Aditya Sondhi
January 2003

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Pankaj and I first met when our schools played each other on the cricket field. After he moved to Delhi, we go to know each other better through our common friends: Praveen, Sanjeev, Rajiv and Abhay. However I really got to know Pankaj when the two of us moved to New York.

In January 2000 I had to undergo a minor surgical procedure in New York. It was a daylong procedure and I was to be discharged from the hospital in the evening. The surgery involved my being anaesthetized from the hip downwards for a few hours. I asked Pankaj (on the previous day) if he could come by the hospital in the evening to help me home, as I wasn't able to walk with much freedom. To my surprise when I showed up at the hospital in the morning Pankaj was there.

He insisted on staying the whole day despite my protests and helped me home in the evening. By no means was Pankaj my closest friend and there was no reason for him to stay with me all day, but the fact that he did so is a testament to the nature of the man and the loyalty he showed friends.

-- Ashwin Krishnan
January 2003

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For My Brother….

My brother Pankaj passed away on the early morning of Saturday, 23rd November 2002. I can never ever forget that day. It all seemed so impossible, so unreal. It still does. But perhaps what makes it so untrue is the fact that he was such a great guy, so full of life, so perfect. To me, he was not just my brother. He was my friend, my mentor, my hero, the one person who I measured everyone to- the center of my universe. He was a friend because he always understood me. Never had to explain to him how I felt. He is the one person who I knew would always standby. Maybe at times there was nothing he could do. But just his presence helped, someway, to pull me through. He made me smile and he made me laugh. But above all he believed in me and trusted me. There have been moments when I lost faith in myself completely, maybe something I never even let my parents know. But he was always there for me. He was the one who gave me confidence in my own self. Constantly. He is the reason who made me think of even accomplishing anything in my life. And that, I think, is the very essence of friendship.

He was my mentor because he always was there when my hopes weren't met, my dreams unrealized. He gave me the strength, the wisdom to face the realities of the world. And never once did he do that in a condescending manner. Never once did he explain it to me as if he was old…and I a child…unknown to the ways of this world. Never shoved his advise down my throat. Always laid the cards in front of me and asked me to make sense of them. He treated me as an equal and always made me understand. He let me grow up and make my own mistakes. He always encouraged me to take my own decisions. Of course he was protective. He never wanted me to get hurt. But he made me see his point and never did in a way that would make me feel foolish. That's why I probably listened to him more than anyone else. That's why I trusted him the most.

He was my hero because he never failed to fascinate and impress me. It may sound like a trivial thing when I say he had impeccable manners. But that coupled with his handsome looks, his genuineness and his witty nature weaved something mysterious; a thing called charm. It is not often that we encounter another person who actually sees us; it is not often that we actually look at others. It is hard work to look at someone else and think about him. Most of us are so preoccupied that we forget to see every person as an individual human soul. Possessing the same manners for all people is a rare quality. Like many others may have discovered this secret, so did my brother. But unlike others, he found it, and never let it slip away.

He is the one man I measure every other guy to, because, he was able to be my friend, my mentor and my hero. He was someone who excelled in almost everything- whether it was in his family, whether at school, whether as a sportsman, whether as a friend or whether as a good human being. He was a wonderful individual. The one person I wouldn't even mind getting bored with. Never had to weigh my words with him. Never had to think twice before asking him for something. When I needed it, he would be a big brother and pamper me, take care of me. When I needed a friend, he would be there for me. He never failed to make me laugh. The kind of things he would say, he would do. The crank calls he made, the chewing gum he stuck in my hair, the times he claimed to teach me swimming…only to try and drown me, the time he swindled me into coming with him to the golf course inspite of knowing that I HATE golf, the time he pulled me out my bed and dragged me around the house….crazy but hilarious. So many memories, so many experiences shared. Each of them invaluable and cherishable. Never realized how deeply I depended on him. I understand that I will not meet him for a long, long time. That is something very hard we all will have to deal with. But I feel lucky to have been blessed with such a brother, to have known such a magnificent person. I am glad I got to spend so much time with him, to have got to know him so well and be loved by him. I know that he lives somewhere and I believe absolutely and certainly that one day I will meet him, once more. It's just a matter of time…until we meet again.

--Nisha Thussu
Feburary 2003

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Remembering Pankaj As I was reading the recollections, I was laughing even as tears rolled down my cheeks. That’s what Pankaj did to you. He made you cry and laugh all at once. Difficult to say whether he was more a friend or a brother to me, I guess he was both- both a wonderful brother and a wonderful friend.

My earliest memories of Pankaj are of a young energetic boy always on the move, full of verve and enthusiasm! For a short time as kids we went to school together at Tiny Tots, where he loved to play the older bro - all protective! He was a really popular guy at school. I remember girls flocking around me once they discovered that I was his sister! He was the star in our family- we were constantly in awe of him. He was the one who was always up to something, never a dull moment around him.

Pankaj had a special place in everyone’s heart in the family. He was somebody who made you smile. To his sisters he remained the favorite brother, in spite of his bullying us, beating us up and making us go mad. As children whenever he made us cry, we would be told to stay away from him. But you could never stay away from Pankaj, such was his charm. In so many ways, we loved getting bullied by him. He had us all tied around his little finger.

He was also the world’s biggest prankster! He came up with the funniest phrases, funniest jokes ever. His jokes weren’t only limited to his sisters, his mother and aunts were all part of it. He was the apple of everyone’s eyes. Everybody doted on him.

He was a tough act to follow. I am yet to meet a guy more vivacious than Pankaj. He did the balancing act very well - he played hard and worked hard. He was always very clear about his goals and priorities in life. Most systematic and methodical person you could meet, that was quite apparent even from his personal habits.

Even in his death, he has given us all hope to live on. Strange but true, exactly three months to the day of his passing I was engaged to get married. Had Pankaj been around I would have been plagued with jokes about my fiancé. For the first time ever, I long to be made fun of by him.

I know that if ever I need to smile, I’ll think of him and the time spent with him and that will be enough to brighten up my day. I know he’ll live in my heart for ever and he’ll stand by me in my every happiness and sorrow. He is missed every moment of the day and will be missed for as long as I live. Like others, I carry the memories with me and hope to be with him someday in the other world.

--Shilpi
( Cousin of Pankaj)
April 2003

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Wish I could ask how are you? maybe someday I will be able to catch up with you on the old times we shared together in bangalore.I have often admired you praised you for the person you are .You I cannot forget because I have shared some special moments with you and your family and the rest of the gang.

You came across as a fun loving, charming witty guy who we all loved and still do will do forever. Pankaj you are a great friend indeed even staying away in Delhi at that time going out of your way to help friends, to make them feel important to you. You know the emotional guy I ‘am it took me time to get to face the truth that THE BEST OF FRIENDS MUST PART. The first time you parted for studies I didn’t mind it was for your own good to achieve your goals, not this time...

With you around we all have drunken deep of joy and now wish to taste no other wine to nite.i can never forget the time when we were outside praveen's house shouting at him from down "that you think we are your friends because you have chocolates" coz he gave the girls and not us (as we always took it from his cupboard) I miss playing football with you on the play station whenever we stayed back at praveen's place you were a good player. And the time when I sent my puppy to erum you brought it from the airport looked after it stayed with it whole night. How can one forget all these little things? I think god loved you allot that's why he took you away from us.(GOD FORGIVE MY FRIEND'S LITTLE JOKES ON THEE.AND I'LL FORGIVE THE GREAT BIG ONE ON HIM).

To pankaj sadhu a friend who will not be forgotten in more than many ways as he has touched everybody's heart in his own special way and has passed his test in this life promoted to the next level .he has beaten all of us again and gone ahead .i miss his one liners soon i shall be promoted too one day .you take care my friend .

--Abbas
(Classmate of Pankaj)
April 2003

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I met Pankaj when he moved to Bangalore in 1990. He has been my best friend ever since. I don’t think that will ever change.

My school days were the best days of my life and a lot of that has to do with Pankaj. If it were not for him then my experiences in school would have been completely different. He was a year senior to me in school. I always thought of Pankaj as an older brother. I only wish he knew that. Most kids in school looked up to Pankaj.He was arguably one of the most popular guys in school. A lot of kids envied him because he had achieved so much in the 4 years he spent in Cottons. And it was also impossible for anyone to dislike him, unless you were from another school and had to play him with the new ball.

I played school and house cricket with Pankaj for four years. I thought that because we were best friends he would go easy on me during practice but I was so wrong. When we played against each other he always came hard at me. We were both extremely competitive, especially when we played against each other. When we did play together it was a different story. If he got a wicket then I would be the first person to run up to him and exchange high fives. I still remember all those games so clearly. When a new man walked into bat you could see that they were dreading playing Pankaj.

There are some incidents, which I will never forget. One of those was Old cottonian’s day when we were still in school. We were playing against the Old boys. We were batting together and I was at the non-strikers end. It was the last over of the innings and Pankaj had no choice but to go after the bowling. Unfortunately that over was to be bowled by the oldest member of the team. I think he was about 75. So Pankaj came up to me and told me that there was no way he was going to hit this ‘Old Dudes ‘bowling. So he played out the first 5 balls and the whole tem was yelling at him. So the last ball he decided to have a swing. The ball came so slowly that Pankaj completed his shot and then the ball hit him straight in the face. Everyone ran towards him to see if he was ok. He got cut just below the eye and was bleeding. But then he calls me aside and tells me that if I tell anyone that a 75 year old hit him in the face he would kill me.

The Cottonian Shield was one of the biggest cricket tournaments for us. School cricket was everything for us back then. We lost in the finals to our arch rivals St Josephs and all of us were absolutely devastated. Pankaj did not have a very good game and felt responsible for not winning the shield for us. A few months later he single handedly bowled us to victory in the finals of another school tournament, which we had never won. He gave his awl in everything that he did. Whether it was academics,cricket,golf,football,tennis,etc,etc. We always thought that he could have gone on to play a higher level of cricket if he pursued it. I am grateful that I got to play with him and under him.

After Cottons, Pankaj moved back to Delhi . I remember how depressed we were after he left. We could not wait for him to come to Bangalore for his summer holidays. We would coincide his trip with my parent’s trip so we could have the house to ourselves. I don’t think I will ever be able to forget those days. There was never a dull moment with him around. There were 5 of us who were inseparable back then, Pankaj, Rajiv, Abbas, Zach and me. We would play cricket, watch a movie, swim, play tennis, go out for lunch, go to a pub, all in one day. But even if we just stayed home we would have a great time. Pankaj was always doing something insane…basically just being himself. I don’t think any of us will have that much fun ever again.

Before Pankaj moved to New York we had a bit of a fall out. We did not talk for 2 years. He tried very hard to make up but unfortunately my ego got the better of me. Finally he got sick of trying to patch things up. Then I missed the man too much and wrote him an email. He called me back 5 minutes after he got my email. What took me 2 years to do took him only 5 minutes. That just tells us what an extraordinary person he was. He told me he was going to be in Delhi in February, so I made it a point to go and see him. I spent 5 incredible days with him. Pankaj was also visiting Delhi and I knew that he really wanted to spend time with family. He did spend a lot of time with me and I am so glad I went and met him. The last night was fun. Pankkaj took Nisha, Mona and me out. We went to a night club called Djins and had a super time. We dropped Nisha and Mona home after the night club and then pankaj took me for a drive and showed me pretty much most of delhi. That’s also because I had been pestering him all week to show me Humayan’s tomb. He got sick of me annoying him and also because pankaj did not know how to say no to anyone. I left delhi the next morning. 14th February 2002 was the last time I saw Pankaj. We talked a few times while he was in Dubai. We made plans to go to Goa and also to South Africa for the world cup.

Pankaj will always be my best friend, big brother and role model. If I can do half as much as what Pankaj has done in his life then I would have achieved a lot. I know that I’m going to meet Pankaj again. When I do meet him again I just hope that he’s waiting for me with a new ball in his hand. Pankaj, We miss you and we love you!!!

--Praveen
(Close Friend of Pankaj)
April 2003

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Pankaj - "Socials"

This is a classic. There is one event every year that gets the Cotton boys' juices going. No it isn't the Cottonian Shield, no it isn't the Baldwins football tournament, no it isn't BT Ramaiah tournament and no it certainly isn't the Cotton's LitFest (!!). This event represents a day when 364 days of built up hormones are let loose. Yes, it is the annual Cotton's Social!

I spent two days driving my mum bananas - I needed to be well dressed. So, on Pankaj's suggestion, off we went to Park Avenue to "buy me" some "flash" clothes. Pankaj and Achaia arrived at my Lavelle Road flat early evening. Pankaj spent no more than 15 minutes getting ready (I spent at least an hour dolling myself up - but you would never have guessed that when you compared Mr Sadhu and I) and off we went. Pankaj was far more used to "socials" than I was (and would ever be, as I've come to realise!). He was always a natural with the women, be it at tuitions or even during an aimless stroll down Brigades. The guy was in his element that evening. Chest puffed out, looking hard but with that endearing smile. I am not sure how many of you are familiar with Cotton's socials. Here is a brief description. Bishop Cotton Boys' School, as the name suggests, is an all boy school. When we get to class 10, Cotton Boys arrange a "social" with its sister Girls school. Essentially it is an opportunity for around 150+ boys to catch a "glimpse" (nothing more!) of around 150+ girls in a massive hall under the strict vigilance of around 200+ teachers. You think that's funny - consider this - this is the closest we (certainly I) got to these girls all year!!

Back to my story. So after half an hour of getting us all into single file and another half an hour of waiting for the hall doors to be opened - it's Showtime! Tradition requires the Boys' Head Boy to ask the Girls' Head Girl for a dance. So with 500+ people watching on (150+boys, 150+girls, 200+teachers), Pratap Rana (the Head Boy) asked the Head Girl at the time (I forget her name). Both the "Heads" are always from class 12. They danced for an entire 5 minutes (a whole song). Pankaj, Achaia and I were sat near the stage. The other 500+ people were sat along the perimeter of the hall. After the five full minutes, the Head Boy asked Preeti John (Vice or Assistant Head Girl). The only reason I remember her name was that Preeti John certainly lived up to the "Pretty" part of it.Yes, juices were beginning to flow. In the meantime, the Head Girl had to ask somebody to dance. I wonder who she chose? Out of the 150+ boys that remained, out of the 150+ (actually minus 1) eager faces that remained, she was only going to ask one person. The "minus 1" person. This "minus 1 " person was concentrating on looking hard and was as nonchalant as ever. Yes, of the 150+ boys, the Head Girl (a girl from class 12) asked Pankaj Sadhu (aka "minus 1"), from Class 10, to dance! I can still remember Achaia shout "Alright!". A class 12 girl, let alone a class 12 Head Girl, asking a boy from class 10 was unthinkable! But then again, that is another thing about Pankaj we all remember - he always had a knack of exceeding expectations. As it happened, "Pretty" John asked me to dance next. I'm sure she will never remember me. So there we were, partners in many a "crime" (mainly bunking classes and using sport as an excuse to skip just about every class), at the centre of things. Except whilst Pankaj was strutting his stuff in front of 500+ people, I froze. Nothing unusual there - I always played second fiddle to Pankaj. Then again, there is no shame in being second best to Pankaj. Cheerio pal!

Your partner in crime

--Rahul
(Friend of Pankaj)
April 2003

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A year without you….

The pain replaced by some sort of numbness
Faith wavering in search of godliness

Life goes on….
Births, Weddings, Sickness and Sorrow come and go

The life journey made more difficult
The load of your many memories added

We take you everywhere with us
We have made you a part of us

You are the reality
All else superficiality

Once more to let you know,
Dear brother, we love you so!!!!

--Shilpi
(Pankaj's cousin)
November 23, 2003

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Out of those of you who know me, will know ,that the first person I ever got to know in my entire life, was Pankaj. Despite the fact that we totally lost touch with each other and I hadnt seen him in the last 10-12 years, he was and always will be close to my heart. He was a lovely person and a great sportsman. Pankaj, you will be missed

--Nonny
(Pankaj's Friend)
April 02, 2004

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A bit silly perhaps - but just to say that Praveen and I still miss you dearly...
Thankfully, we have so many fond and vivid memories of you and we always end up reminiscing about the days gone by. Till we meet again buddy...

--Rahul Srinivasan
November 23, 2005

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Thought of you today. Completely random but just to say that you remain very much in our thoughts. A whole 6 years on.

Take care pal.

--Rahul Srinivasan
November 22, 2008

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Been a few years but the memories remain fresh of Pankaj.Praveen Lekhraj and Rahul Srinivasan have made their ever elusive trip to my pad in Coorg. Incomplete, however, without Pankaj.

--Achala, Neesha and Maya
December 26, 2008

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