2nd December, Summers Ago, A Day They Rejoiced Like Never Before…

Born with a silver spoon, married into a gold-spoon family!

Lived in Kolkata and Mumbai before settling in Chennai years later, not exactly wallowing in the lap of luxury however; for, the young couple believed living on their own income.

Worked as a field reporter for a local tabloid.

Managed all by herself a labour-intensive workshop making women’s undergarments.

Brought up two dear daughters with good education and marriage, of course, their father playing a major role.

Took/taking care of the substantial property that came into her hands after the untimely and sad demise of her husband.

Consolidating the property into fewer holdings on terms as favorable as one can get, for ease of management and also optimally using them to generate income for the household, involving large transactions assisted only by her auditor. Mind you,some of these properties had tangled ownership.

Employs a fleet of help for managing the large house she resides in and to handle the  paper-work with utilities and banks – a formidable job if you know Chennai and its work-ethics. Not one to suffer sloppiness or slacking off, never hesitating to act tough with them  using words I would never dream of mouthing at my slaves if ever I had; and, lo behold, the same people swearing by her with zero attrition for years! The secret: she genuinely likes them and helps them out in difficult times, so I learnt!

Showered anthropomorphic affection on a dog kept from pup-hood to its passing way years later.

Took very good care of an ailing mother until her recent demise. Often she would call up from wherever to check if the old lady had her pills on time and her food.

Now and then, between her travels overseas, trying her hand at acting in short films – a long time passion. From her school days, on special occasions, had been organizing several of those plays with kids of the neighborhood.

Whenever called, she supported(s) her daughters residing abroad by visiting them for months at a stretch, yet running the house with no hiccups, all done remotely – all, much before ‘working remotely’ came in vogue in the corporate world!

Maintains her relations very well with people on her side and, yes, on her late husband’s too – put together, a large number, and a host of friends. Stood by the families of her siblings when the going got difficult.

Anecdotes abound, told and re-told, in our circles on how innocently she walks into trouble – mind you, she’s still a housewife unaware of the ways of the wicked world– and gets out of it by sheer grit and wit!

A go-to resource to those around her when one felt down and under, full of cheer and unfazed. Ready to be part of, sing, act, joke, eat…or just to be with.

A thespian of renown, Vidya Balan of Bollywood would find it a challenge to her mettle to truly play the lady’s role if ever!

A big loss to the corporate world, I always thought. She would have nothing of it.

Well…best wishes to this amazing lady, V, on her birthday, 2^nd Dec.

End