How do I introduce Pradeep to all of you? I really got to
think, so that I can do that without getting emotional.
Pradeep is a tall, sinewy gentleman brimming with positive spirit, so full of chivalry and etiquette. If
you have served the Indian Army, you would learn it automatically, I guess. Ah, and he always wears a cap.
I got to meet him sometime around 2015 in our walking track that
I frequent and the friendly person he is, waved a big hi loudly, with a broad
smile. I liked him instantly.
I don’t remember how we got speaking, but many of the days
this man’s “Hi Ms. Vincy“ got me going
an entire day, presumably. I always wish
him back saying "Hi Pradeep" ( the only name I remember from the people
on the track other than Susan, my friend) with a smile from my soul, which I reserve for
only special people.
Our walk timings were different and Pradeep always jogs and so,
on most days we crossed each other, but on few days, I would hear the cheerful greeting coming in from behind
and passing me – perhaps Pradeep was late those days. I have seen Pradeep cycling upto the track and he carries a little backpack.
I remember this very clearly – A Monday in November 2016, I
had a particularly bad weekend, 7th of November, I reached the
walking track, gloomy and dejected wondering how I was going manage my own
company. I heard a voice asking me, can I
walk with you today, Ms. Vincy? I found
that invite god sent. Pradeep, it was, and
the only time we walked together.
He told me lot of stuff that day, we shared details
about our families, he spoke about spirituality, our faith and how the spirit
had led him all through his life and yes about stuff like Machine Learning that
he is interested in. And in the passing
he also told me he was a grade IV cancer survivor having gone through multiple
surgeries and is on extreme medication. But he
said that so positively, that I didn’t dare ask him anything more about his ailment
– he didn’t look like he was ailing. I
thanked Pradeep profusely for lifting my spirits up on
that particularly bad morning.
Pradeep became an instant motivator for me. When my spirits were down, all I had to do
was to think of Pradeep and my positivity jumped several notches up.
One of the days, out of the blue, he checked if he can
mentor my son. I couldn’t believe he was
offering a help without being asked.
Pradeep was head of Training at Blue Dart Aviation, after his stint in army, and told me he was
already mentoring some youngsters. Unbelievably
Pradeep called Dennu the very day I sent the contact, not only did he mentor him,
he got him an amazing internship Project, at Blue dart Aviation attached to the Chennai airport and Dennu found it so interesting that he was totally excited. He was part of the complete check of Blue
Dart Boeing 757 as part of his internship.
An enormous favour I was not probably entitled to, really.
J wanted to meet Pradeep and one day during January this year, we
finally met up - J and I, Pradeep and Anita ( Pradeep’s wife), and made plans to
meet up for dinner sometime when J comes down from Cochin.
Pradeep’s trips to the walking track was getting less
frequent and I stayed in touch with him once in a while through messages, but
realised the ailment was playing havoc with his life. He preferred landlines and specific timings
and I was more worried about being a bother whenever I wanted to call him.
In the month of May, on one of my regular walk back, a
fellow walker, who has hardly spoken to me, stopped me and said, Your friend
from the airport, he passed away. I couldn’t
comprehend who he was speaking about, and kept looking at him. He said Madam, he is the only one who you
speak to in the walking track, and then it suddenly struck me. PRADEEP.
God.
Anita, Pradeep’s wife, called Dennu a couple of days later
and told him about his demise and how both of them used to pray for the
youngsters that Pradeep used to mentor. That was so touching. I spoke to Anita too, and she was so full of
composure and told me they were expecting this and were prepared.
Does God take away the real good ones early?
Every now and then in the walking track, when I see a tall
guy around the corner, I wonder if it is Pradeep. Then I realise he is no more.
As I am writing this, I am wondering if this has something
to do with me changing my walking track to St. Thomas Mount.
Post Script :
Miss you deeply Pradeep.
You Rest in Peace.
