Kind. Always smiling. Gentle. Soft spoken. Calm. These are some words that have been used to describe Papa. This is what the world saw. We saw all this and more. We saw Papa doting on Mummy every day of our lives. He was always the calm to her more vibrant energy. He was often the target of her jokes, but I don’t recall him ever being offended by that. His respect towards her was unwavering and crystal clear.

We saw Papa bringing each one of us up in an absolutely equal manner – there was never any difference in ideology, opportunity, support extended to his daughters in comparison to his son. He wanted each of us to have the best education. He wanted each of us to be strong and independent. And he wanted us to go live our lives to our full potential and not be tied down by any limitations.

Born in Jamshedpur in pre-partition India, into a family that was progressive and focused on education, Papa graduated from IIT Kharagpur in 1966 and the brothers set up manufacturing units including one that produced mopeds. They saw good times and they saw bad times. I can talk about the material successes and the failures, but what we saw were the lessons. Through the successful times, Papa remained humble. Through challenging times, he kept steadfast in his calm, yet rigorous effort to resolve every issue that loomed up. He struggled, but never gave up. Never backed down.

And through all his struggles, never denied us a single opportunity for education or better lives.

A fiercely committed Modi follower – Papa often engaged in very spirited political debates, sometimes leading to raised voices defending opposing political opinions. I can talk about political opinions, but what we saw was loyalty, and unwavering faith. The loyalty that kept him rooted and connected with all his connections – whether it was his school friends, IIT batchmates, Rotary Club, Punjabi Biradiri or his Tatvam Ke Bandhu. He loved staying connected and getting everyone together. Many a member of the extended family depended on Papa for advice and guidance. Every interaction got undivided attention and each conversation was listened to with kindness and empathy.

Highly intelligent, highly curious, always learning. That is the Papa we saw. Although he did not grow up in the age of technology, he embraced new devices and gadgets, of course only after initially vehemently resisting any change. He made full use of them – be it computer, laptop, smart phone, iPad, fitness tracker. The fitness tracker was a game changer. He read and researched and learned that 10,000 steps per day were a requirement for a healthy life. So he started walking. 10,000 steps a day. Obsessively.

He did yoga everyday. He ate a healthy home cooked vegetarian diet. He did not smoke. He did not drink.

And then he fell sick. The last 3 years were a struggle beyond imagination. It was difficult to see him trapped in his body. We were all helpless and we tried as best as we could to support him. I can talk about his suffering and his troubles, but what we saw was resilience, strong will and fortitude to bear the pain. He fought bravely for as long as he could.

It is impossible to imagine a life without Papa, but what I want to stay focused on is that he is now free. He is no longer trapped in his own body, and he is somewhere, counting 10,000 steps. Walking zigzag sometimes because, in his words “For the same linear distance, you can get more steps”.

Walk on, Papa. We will miss you. Thank you for everything you’ve taught us, and for the love and wisdom you’ve shared.