Was reminiscing through old posts of mine at IRI and came across this one, an account of my meeting at Hyderabad on 22nd September 2011 with 2 IRI members. It was like a trip down memory lane and I thought of sharing it with all of you.
" Back home in Kolkata last night after a 2-day visit to Hyderabad. As I mentioned, the hallmark of the trip was the meeting on 22nd evening with Rahul and Venkat, 2 of our Hyderabad-based admins. Although I was relatively free that day, for both Rahul and Venkat it was a tough ask to free themselves from their work schedules and manage the time to meet me. We met at the Hyderabad Central Mall...
more... and Rahul was the first to arrive at 8.15 pm. The moment we came face to face, he greeted me with a BEAR's HUG, which kind of set the tone for the evening. Venkat joined 15 mns later. We immediately went to a nearby restaurant for a sumptuous dinner hosted by Venkat. Despite my vociferous protest, he refused to let me pick up the tab. Finally after much persuasion, Venkat agreed to permit me to pay the TIPS. During the course of the meal, we discussed almost all topics under the sun with IR and the site topping the agenda.
Both Venkat and Rahul impressed me as very resolute and confident individuals with firm convictions and opinions and endeared themselves to me. Rahul is a person brimming with ideas and suggestions, particularly of a technical nature, and has ensured himself a permanent place on this site with the Rahul's Coach Composition Widget. However, he had to leave hurriedly at 10 pm, in order to avail the last suburban local from Begumpet to his place of stay and he just about managed to make it on time.
Venkat kept me engrossed with his very definite opinions on various matters and the account of his experiences with spirituality and yoga was illuminating to say the least. He took the trouble of walking down with me to my Guest House before bidding adieu for the night. My affinity for Venkat is also in large measure due to the fact that he reminds me greatly of MYSELF AT HIS AGE both in outlook and looks to a certain extent. No wonder, I felt at least 30 years younger talking or rather listening to him.
My interactions with both of them reaffirmed my faith in the younger generation or the YOUTH BRIGADE as I prefer to call it. Personally, I feel that my generation has MISERABLY FAILED THIS COUNTRY by being PASSIVE if not ACTIVE CONTRIBUTORS to the general AIR OF MORAL DEGRADATION and POLITICAL DEPRAVITY that PERVADES MERA BHARAT MAHAN. Even to a confirmed cynic like myself, the YOUTH BRIGADE personified by individuals like Venkat and Rahul offers a ray of HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. Little wonder that much of the support for Anna Hazare's CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION stems from that age group rather than senior citizens like YOURS TRULY. But I only hope that such people keep the fires burning in their bellies and not get METAMORPHED INTO MEDIOCRITY. It would be unfortunate if they too fall victim to the CHALTA HAI or KYA KAREN attitude of their seniors, like me.
My thanks to both of them for giving me the opportunity of enjoying a WONDERFUL AND MEMORABLE EVENING IN THEIR COMPANY.
One omission of my Hyderabad trip was my failure to meet Rangacharyulu sir aka RIHAND. We spoke to each other over the phone and although Ranga sir and I could not meet each other, due to his preoccupation with family matters, he was GRACIOUS enough to offer to drive me down from my Guest House to the airport yesterday evening, in case I got stranded due to the fluid transport situation in Hyderabad. Fortunately that eventuality did not arise. That I thought was extremely generous of a person whom is senior to me in age. My regards to him for his very kind offer.
Finally, at the end of a long narrative, thanks to this wonderful site for its facilitating role in promoting kinship and camaraderie amongst the members.
And of course thanks to all of you for the patient reading. "
