Issue No. 227. I. July 2020

 

 

 

                                                             EDITORIAL

 

A Lancet report says the world population will decline by 2100 because of greater prosperity and higher literacy rates among other things. Societies the world over have become more egalitarian. I have reasonable cause to believe that it has not happened by design or social consciousness but more by the trickle-down effect of economic growth and lower fertility rates. About 40 years ago, the gulf between the Americans and us in terms of affordability was so wide that we could never imagine catching up. The situation now is such that we have all the things that Americans have. Car, fridge, TV, microwave, washing machine, mobile phone etc. There is absolutely no difference. To boot, we have maids, cooks, and drivers which even well-to-do Americans cannot dream of having. Even the social stratification that was so stark before is not so apparent now. For example, our domestic staff too have fridge, TV, washing machines, mobile phones etc. Manufactured goods have become more affordable. Even the clothes that they wear have the same lasting quality. This is not to say the gap between the haves and have-nots has narrowed. It only means that many people in the less-privileged strata of society are now better fed, better clothed, and have more material comforts than before.

 

There is general aversion that is developing in consuming anything Chinese including Chinese cuisine due to China’s misadventure in the Galwan Valley. There is nothing remotely Chinese in Chinese food that is served in India except the names of the restaurants and the décor. Chinese food served in India bears no resemblance to Chinese food in Shanghai or Beijing either in taste, texture, or the creatures found within! Even the so-called Chinese looking waiters and hostesses are from the North East. In the early days of the Chinese food invasion in the late sixties and early seventies, there were probably some things transported from the middle kingdom like the soya sauce, spices, music and the quirky aphorisms that emerged from the packets of fortune cookies. I do not find these identity markers in Chinese restaurants anymore. Now, all the ingredients used for making Chinese cuisine are made in India. Increasingly, the so-called Chinese cuisine is becoming more and more Indian with a higher spice quotient. As a matter of fact, there is nothing called Chinese cuisine even in China! You have Sichuan cuisine, Shandong cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine, Zhejiang cuisine, Hejiang cuisine, Anhui cuisine, Guangdong cuisine, Fujian cuisine, and Hainanese cuisine, all typical culinary styles of the various regions of China. It’s like saying “Indian cuisine”, where South Indian food and North Indian food are poles apart. Even the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which I am familiar with, have at least three types of cuisines each. Therefore, our desire to shun Chinese food to teach China a lesson is a bit misplaced.

 

China’s acts of belligerence around the world are getting more and more pronounced –- whether it is sending veiled threats to Taiwan by reconnaissance flights or getting fighter jets to overfly or threatening to take over the islands of the littoral states along the South China Sea of Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Philippines etc. or clamping down on pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong or staking claim to Himalayan territories of India, Nepal, and Bhutan. They are just behaving like a bully. For residents of Hong Kong, the ever-intrusive form of governance and the draconian laws that Beijing is seeking to impose is a red herring. After you have drunk the elixir of freedom both under the British as well as the self-rule guaranteed in the treaty signed by the UK and China, the thought of having to watch over your shoulder for everything you utter or do can be quite daunting and insufferable. No wonder the Hong Kongers have been protesting for the last nine months in the streets against their arm-flexing tactics.

 

With the withdrawal of the Chinese Army from the Galwan Valley and Finger 4, even the most trenchant critics quietly acknowledge the Government’s clever handling of the matter. The resolve to stand firm and take punitive action against Chinese apps and other economic involvements have given a body blow to the neighbour’s machinations. Narendra Modi’s adroit handling of the border kerfuffle by his timely visit to Leh to boost the morale of the forces, and issuing bold statements from there, gave the Chinese the clear message that India is not going to buckle under China’s economic and military might. The PM also read the tea leaves well when he noticed that in the wake of Covid-19, there is a greater global appreciation that China has gone too far. Signals from the US, Australia, Japan, and France reinforced the belief that the long-simmering discontent with China is coalescing into an incipient an anti-Beijing coalition. He also cleverly timed the signing of a defence deal with Russia for buying fighter aircraft and missiles. These signals were not lost on China and they decided to withdraw their forces from some areas, to avoid any escalation of the crisis where things were beginning to stack up against them. Unfortunately, China has cultivated influential friends in this country and they are not confined to those that wave a red flag! These appeasers which include some so-called intellectuals couch their indulgence of China in the logic of realpolitik, in return for handsome payoffs and junkets.

 

Covid-19 has brought in its wake a sense of apathy. The ghastly sight on TV screens of dead bodies being carted off in garbage trucks and lined up in a pile at cremation sites or buried in mass graves is an affront to the dignity of the departed souls as well as their families. For the children, bodies of their parents shrouded from head to toe in opaque plastic PPE’s without being able to bid so much as a last-minute goodbye, leaves them bereft of emotional release. For the spouse, not being able to catch even the penumbra of the visage of their life-partner before they are consigned to the flames or interred, does not lead to closure. For the dying, to be left in a totally uncaring environment in their last days, without their near and dear ones next to them, is too traumatic even to imagine. Even the fatigued doctors and nurses are unable to show empathy because of the sheer number of patients that are wheeled in. All this makes this pandemic uniquely heartless.

 

Last month, the brutal murder in the US of a black man, George Floyd, at the hands of the police triggered worldwide protests and led to the “Black Lives Matter” or BLM movement. Amongst the Indian diaspora, Yamuna’s own Tejaswin Shankar is in the forefront of protests against racial discrimination on behalf of Kansas University. Arising out of this enormous groundswell of support for race and colour equality, companies have become socially conscious or, probably fearing a backlash, have decided to drop any inappropriate affiliation to fair colour in their products. Thus, Unilever is going to drop their highly popular “Fair and Lovely” skincare creams, and L’Oréal is going to drop the words, “white, fair, light” from all their skin care products. Even the marriage portal Shaadi.com has decided to ban any words alluding to skin colour in their advertisements. What is gratifying, however, is that the government at last has woken up to this malaise and is proposing to impose a five-year jail term or Rs. 50 lakh fine for ads promoting fairness products. Many of our Bollywood stars profited immensely by shamelessly appearing in ads pandering to the insatiable desire to get fair at all costs. This obsession with fairness is driven by lifelong training in self-loathing, where one is made to believe that one’s self-esteem is directly proportional to the lightness of the skin. I had written about this socially evil practice of blatant discrimination on the basis of colour in the Chronicle about three years ago and, at that time, suggested that the government should impose a ban on all fairness promoting products. Now, due to a host of other reasons, it will see the light of day. It is blatant falsification of facts and ignorance of the user that cosmetic companies thrive on. How can the pigment melanin, which gives your skin its colour and lies under the skin, be removed by something that is applied on the surface of the skin? We Indians are basically brown, barring exceptions, getting a progressively darker hue as we move from the North to the South. This magnificent palette of shades, progressing from pink to very fair, ivory, tan( or wheatish), mulatto, burnt sienna, burnt umber, and chocolate, to ebony, is what makes Indian diversity so enchanting. The acceptable norm for matrimonial ads ceased with wheatish, a colour attribute typically Indian. Any shade darker than wheatish was considered swarthy and therefore not worthy of mentioning in marriage ads.

 

The Government’s subsidy to catalyse the shift to electric vehicles will actually ossify the car companies before they are in a position to transition from internal combustion engines to electric mobility. The loss of sale of fossil fuel-based vehicles to electric vehicles will actually erode the balance sheets of those companies who, as yet, do not have an electric vehicle in their portfolio. It is a double whammy coming on top of business downturn brought on by the cataclysmic effect of Covid-19. This is another example of what is good for nature is not necessarily good for business and the economy. Actually, we have to find a pragmatic balance between the seemingly inversely proportional nature of this problem.

 

The new body accessory is the mask, an accoutrement le plus essential.  It has triggered a fashion revolution with haute couture brands like Gucci and Valentino, amongst others, pitching for eyeballs. Closer home, many cottage industries have cropped up and are making the most of this craze for standout designs. Amongst them are those featuring Madhubani paintings and some carrying the photo of the features of the face that the mask obscures, for easy identification of the person. With increasing risks of zoonotic diseases sparked off by the demand for the meat of exotic animals, the peril to humans, even after the Covid-19 pandemic retreats, will not end. Hence, the mask may become an essential part of our attire forever. Ramani’s wife Geetha (C-001) is also getting attractive masks made by needy women and marketing it. You may get in touch with her at 9899205174 for your needs.

 

The XIIth Class CBSE Board results are out and as is the norm, Yamuna students have done exceedingly well. I have the permission to reveal the marks of Tanvi Savarkar and Aryan Ramabadhran. Tanvi, a Humanities student with Maths and Computer Science secured 96.75% marks and Aryan, a Science student scored 92.25% marks in best-of-four subjects. Tanvi has secured admission in Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia, USA for a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics. She would have to cool her heels in Delhi, taking admission in some course as a stopgap measure until colleges reopen in the US. President Trump has torpedoed any plans of overseas students going to the country until colleges resume classroom teaching. Aryan plans to do engineering and is appearing for entrance exams. In the Class X Boards, Kiana Abraham scored 94% marks and Sahana Savarkar secured 92.6% marks. Sahana has asked for two of her papers to be re-evaluated. The great thing about their performance is that they do equally well in sports, fine and performing arts!

 

The lockdown blues is making people yearn for the resumption of some kind of social interaction, albeit virtual. Deepak Varma pulled in present and ex-Yamuna residents for an evening soiree of retro music on Zoom on Saturday, 18^th July 2020. Wow! Was it not nostalgic? I was invited to this hangout although my singing is limited to the confines of the bathroom, or when I wish to inflict punishment on my children! The singers from Yamuna were Bhavani, Seema, and Sreekumar Nair (Madhu) and ex-Yamuna residents included Deepak Varma, Abhilash Varma, and Deepa Anand. Deepak’s brother Vinod and friends Narsi and Vinay were the other crooners. Their melodious singing shows the incredible talent that Yamuna has produced.

 

What do you do when elected representatives blatantly violate building norms and illegally occupy government land? This elected representative was recently elevated as a Deputy Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation. Unless we put a stop to this carcinogenic usurpation of power, we will make our already congested cities more unlivable. Judicial interventions are lengthy, expensive and very time- consuming. The honest truth is that once we exclude the rarefied field of petitions, the only modality of protest that is politically effective is the one that has the imprimatur of community mobilisation. Unfortunately, most of us in Yamuna do not wish to tangle with the powers-that-be and are indifferent to the goings-on around us. If we remain mute spectators, such shenanigans will continue. How do these elected representatives hope to gain the respect of the governed, to be re-elected, when probity in public life becomes a casualty?

 

Residents of E&F blocks are miffed that several inhabitants of these two blocks are parking their two-wheelers between the blocks, thereby hampering free movement and proving a great obstacle for the Society staff to clean the area. Their pleas to the concerned residents to park their two-wheelers in the H-Block basement have fallen on deaf ears. The former co-operative store in F Block is also being made available for parking of two-wheelers from 1^st August 2020 to counter this menace of surface parking.

 

The new licence holder of the canteen, Rangarajan Venkataraman (Rangu), commenced operations from the canteen on 20^th July, 2020 with a menu of snacks that is served all day on all days of the week. Because of Covid-19 threat, he is not hiring people for home-delivery just yet. Those who are loath to cook and need a quick snack can dart to the canteen for a rejuvenating repast.

 

After a five-month hiatus due to the threat of coronavirus, we are planning to resume some cultural activities where social distancing norms can be maintained. The Independence Day flag hoisting ceremony will herald the partial and baby-step initiative towards normalcy. A flattening of the Covid-19 curve in Delhi is the trigger to return to civilisation! Please come in large numbers wearing a mask that bears at least one colour of the national flag.

 

OBITUARY

Mr. K. A. Nair, former resident of H-208, passed away on 23^rd July, 2020 in Kozhikode, Kerala. He was President of the Society for a massive four years in 1983-84, 1986-87, 1989-90 and 1992-93 before he moved to Kerala and settled down there. One has to have a high level of tolerance to be President four times! He was a long time Tata employee and was known as TELCO Nair. His son, Sudhir, used to play cricket with us. Yamuna residents convey their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

 

SNIPPETS

Janaki (C-005), wife of Rangarajan or Rangu, as he is popularly known, delivered a baby girl on 8^th July, 2020. This bundle of joy has been named Krishnavi. Both mother and daughter are fine. Children are the ones who make the colony lively and we look forward to Krishnavi growing up and regaling us in the near future.

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Shobana (A-102), wife of Tarun Balakrishnan, delivered a baby girl at Fortis on 22^nd July, 2020. This tot is bound to go places as she did not have the patience to wait another two weeks, when she was due, to open her eyes to the world. Both the baby and Shobana are doing fine. Looking forward to seeing this cutie-pie when Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

		CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR AUGUST, 2020
DATE	TIME		VENUE
15.8.2020	9.00 AM	INDEPENDENCE DAY FLAG HOISTING,	BADMINTON COURT
		SINGING OF PATRIOTIC SONGS, DISTRIBUTION OF SWEETS

Issue No. 226 I June 2020

 

                                                                 EDITORIAL

 

With the passing of the summer solstice on 21^st June 2020, the days henceforth will progressively get shorter and cooler. Having said that, it has not been a bad summer at all, by a long shot. But the lower temperature will not mean greater comfort as the high humidity that the monsoon brings makes it very muggy and enervating. I prefer the dry heat any day. 21^st June was also the day when we had the solar eclipse. This year’s solar eclipse has been complete. I believe that it is after 100 years that the moon’s shadow completely blanketed the sun. Some soothsayers have predicted that with the solar eclipse, the reign of the coronavirus will come to an end. Many such favourable predictions by astrologers have come and gone but we have not rid ourselves of the bug. So much for clairvoyance!

 

Sikhism is a very enlightened faith. Wherever in the world there is distress, Sikhs are among the first to volunteer by setting up free food camps, providing shelter and succour. They are omnipresent and their benevolent role during the Covid-19 crisis cannot be overstated. They follow the tenets of their great spiritual leaders, Guru Nanakji and Guru Gobind Singhji, of practicing universal brotherhood, irrespective of caste, creed, or religion. Even if we don’t don the cultural markers of their faith like turbans or sport beards, we should emulate them. What is the point of going to temples, mosques, churches, and other religious places if we cannot treat all people equally and help them in distress?

 

In the early days of the fight against Covid-19, when the lockdown was imposed and the number of cases was few and far between, the streets wore a deserted look; shops and businesses were shuttered and there was not a soul on the streets. It had a salutary effect on nature with clear blue skies, clean water bodies, an unobscured vista of snow-peaked mountains, and the presence of exotic birds and animals in unfamiliar surroundings. It took just one month for nature to regain its equipoise. How long will it take us?

 

Ironically, as the number of cases started proliferating, the Government, smarting under the burden of huge deficits, groaning unemployment, loss of revenue etc. was constrained to loosen the restrictions. At first, factories and shops opened and then malls and restaurants. Initially, the footfalls in the malls were light but lack of social interaction over extended periods of time was so exasperating for some that soon footfalls began to swell. It just goes to show that incarceration has its limits. When social distancing norms were most needed because the cases began to spike, people started to party and throw caution to the winds. This makes for an interesting case study as this pattern is playing out all over the world.

 

The cultural invasion of implements like chopsticks in our midst has raised my hackles and compromised my ability to enjoy Oriental cuisine. It is not that my dexterity with the digits is wanting. It is just that I am not a practiced handler of the chopsticks. It is an art that has to honed from childhood. It is not that I have not tried to use the infernal sticks. I just find it a bit unwieldy. On one occasion, while dining at a fancy restaurant, I picked up a juicy morsel and was about to launch it into my mouth when it slipped from the grasp and went looping across the table to land on the seemingly expensive dress of a matronly lady sitting at the adjoining table. She walked off in a huff to the washroom. Suitably chastised, I settled for the fork and knife. The waiter gave me those looks and roll of the eyes as though I was a”‘dehathi”. My children, of course, use the sticks like Samurai warriors. They denigratingly call me, “desi”, but I am proud of the moniker.

 

The suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput brought to the fore, the insidious and secretive ways of the Bollywood cabal. The multi-talented and gifted Sushant Singh was a Physics Olympiad winner who had rejected a scholarship to study at Stanford. He was also an accomplished dancer, a budding astronomer, a collector of rare old manuscripts and artefacts and a talented actor. When Sachin Tendulkar saw him hitting big sixes in a stadium, he enquired from Kiran More who this lad was who could easily walk into a first-class team. At that time, he was essaying the role of M. S. Dhoni in a movie. He was equally good at playing tennis. It is extremely rare for a person to straddle the world of sports, art, and science with panache. The cerebral Rajput could have very well excelled in any other occupation. Yet, the arc lights were his calling. It is a very unforgiving world. Many other talented individuals, who do not attain the fame of Sushant Singh, fall over the edge due to the immense pressure brought upon them to excel in an environment which is not conducive. Even the highly successful Deepika Padukone once confessed that she has bouts of depression and suicidal tendencies. It just goes to show that success, money, and fame are no yardsticks for happiness. There is a dire need for empathy and support. We all should all do our bit to help those who we believe are going through depression and provide a life raft.

 

The idle time that lockdown provided stirred a frenzy of home-baking options. Youngsters these days seem to abhor traditional cuisine and love to experiment with a variety of food options. More than the actual joy of eating, they like to post pictures of their creations on social media sites and yearn for the ‘likes’ that these elicit. Since baking is the new fad, oven-friendly recipes are in vogue. The run-of-the-mill muffins, chocolate chip cookies, walnut brownies, banana bread, and apple pie are all passé. The new kid on the block is ‘sourdough leavened bread’. Traditionally, the only way bread was made was to use natural yeast for the dough to rise. The resultant leavened bread was crusty on the outside but soft inside, with a nutty flavour. This bread has now become artisanal. When one goes to a fine-dining Continental restaurant, the waiters normally bring a complimentary basket of sourdough leavened bread and sundry breadsticks to be had with country butter, olive oil, or other dips, before the main meal. Thus, this peasant food has now undergone a social transformation to the high table!

 

The Chinese aggression in the Galwan valley is another indication that this northern neighbour’s top dog is a megalomaniac in the mould of Hitler. China’s insatiable appetite for usurping the territory of other countries in the Himalayas or the South China sea shows the hegemonic mind-set of Xi Jinping who has anointed himself the President-for-life through a calibrated and planned manoeuvre. This need for self-preservation actually stems from a deep-seated complex of inadequacy.  The bloody response of the Indian soldiers has not gone down well with the establishment in Beijing. They expected the Indian side to cave in, but in Modi, they found an adversary who is made of sterner stuff. Their ego has been hurt and they have begun amassing troops and equipment for bigger and probably bolder actions. No doubt China has a bigger army and economy fueled by the relentless growth witnessed in the last 20 years, but India has the more spirited forces and the right of cleaner conscience on its side. Instead of using power and pelf to further its cause around the world to subjugate others, if China had used its rich cultural history and incorporated democratic values, it could have earned a name for itself in the comity of nations instead of the arrogant outsider that it is viewed as now.

 

The Congress party’s poster boy, Rahul Gandhi, has managed to booby trap his own party while brandishing his cheap-shot worry beads in public with shrill opposition to the Government’s handling of the Chinese aggression. As was expected, Congress is the only opposition party which is not standing united with the government in this time of national crisis. The already comatose Congress party is riven with internal bickering and the Gandhi scion is being resented by some of his own partymen for his incompetence, in hush-hush tones. Sanjay Jha, the erstwhile Congress spokesperson who had the nerve to spill the beans, was promptly sidelined by the party. So much for internal democracy in the party!

 

It just boggles the mind as to why there is a need to put up unmanned barricades in most of the arterial roads of colonies. These barricades can stop only vehicles and not pedestrians. If the idea is to contain the people in the containment zones it will obviously not be successful. The other day, I had to go to Kalkaji. After navigating through several U-turns and dead-ends, I finally reached the destination in 45  minutes – a distance that should not have taken more than 15 minutes in these days of light traffic. I was therefore astounded to learn that the GK-2 RWA is planning to install gates in most of the arterial roads of the colony. This will just lead to more traffic snarls and pollution. Protests from various sections of society are afoot. We hope the decision is reversed.

 

I was talking to Manoj Subramanian of H-005 who is now working as the Executive Vice-President of a watch retail company, ETHOS Luxury Boutiques. I remarked that it must be a bad time to be in this business, where one sells items of discretionary purchase. He told me that it wasn’t the case and that he had just sold a watch for Rs. 86 lakhs online, to a buyer who had deposited an advance of Rs. 20 lakhs. I just couldn’t fathom the mindset of the person who would acquire such an expensive watch, and that too, at a time when you don’t know whether the virus will get the better of you. Surely, India is a strange country with stranger people.

 

In May, we had stopped one of the safai karamcharis from entering the colony as she had reported ill. One day, she arrived at the gate stating that she had recovered. We asked her to get a doctor’s certificate confirming her fitness. The next day she brought the certificate. When the guard came looking for me with the certificate, I was chatting in the park with Kunal and Siby (while maintaining social distancing norms, lest you think otherwise!).  None of us could decipher what the doctor had written. Griffonage of doctors is legendary, although I would not like to paint all doctors with the same brush. In fact, doctors should be the last persons to scribble a prescription, as a wrong interpretation by the chemist could cost a life. This is why in the US, doctors are required to type a prescription out.

 

In the Chronicle’s May issue, I wrote about a car windshield ostensibly cracking from an errant football kick by a group playing in the badminton court. In a letter to the Managing Committee, the car owner stated that the least he expected from the children was an apology. It was only after the Chronicle was published that I was given to understand that the children had indeed apologized and the matter amicably settled, although there was no tangible evidence that the football had broken the glass. My writing of it, I understand, hurt the children’s feelings, although no names had been mentioned. I wish to state here that there was no intention to cause hurt or besmirch their reputation. 

 

The Premier League silverware finally went to Liverpool with seven games to spare when Chelsea beat City 2-1 on 25^th June 2020. It will be a record that will stand for a long time in the annals of the sport.  Last year they were bridesmaid to City although they lost only one game in the whole season. The victory for the Reds came after 30 years. I was a Liverpool supporter until Sir Alex started managing the other Reds, Manchester United. So, it was mixed feelings for me. It has not been great news for the majority of United fans in the colony. After a lacklustre start to the season, despite a rear-guard revival under coach Solskjaer, they are unlikely to make the Champions League spot, as Leicester and Chelsea in second and third positions don’t look like they would drop points. I have a grudging respect for Leicester who neither boast of large purse strings or a star cast, barring Jamie Vardie. Yet, they won the Premier League four years ago under little known Ranieri and were title contenders this season. Frank Lampard, after having hung up his boots as a star Chelsea player, is leading them admirably. The next season promises to be a mouthwatering affair with Liverpool, City, United, Leicester, and Chelsea all in good form. Spurs could also mount a challenge next year as all their key players, Harry Kane, Son, Dele Alli and Eric Dier are fit and Mourinho always excels in the second season. The Gunners too cannot be written off as Mikel Arteta is a manager who has five titles under his belt.

 

Rangamma, one of the maids working in Yamuna, was bereaved when her husband Selvaraj succumbed to Covid-19 in Max Hospital. She had spent about Rs. 6.5 lakhs for his treatment by borrowing from family and friends. Sapan Shah of A-204, in whose flat she was also working, played the good Samaritan and started a crowdfunding initiative through the Ketto website, whereby the money raised would get directly credited to the bank account of her daughter, Divya. At the time of writing this issue, almost all the entire money had been recouped. We would like to place on record, our appreciation for Sapan’s noble gesture.

 

SNIPPETS

 

Vinod Asthana and his wife Leena of G-302 left Yamuna for their own flat in Noida, after a stay of 12 years. It is one of the longest stays by a tenant. Vinod was a gregarious person who made friends easily. Yamuna will be at a loss with his leaving. We wish them the very best in their new environment.

 

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Karthik Jayaraman, Kirti, Krishna, and Ira have moved to E-301 from Noida. They had left Yamuna briefly last year but preferred to return as the presence of Kirti’s parents here will be a big support for the children, when in need.

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Manoj Subramanian, Prema, and Saishaa have returned to Yamuna after living in Mumbai for a few years. They are moved into H-005. Manoj is working as Executive Vice-President at ETHOS Luxury Boutiques. Prema is a Montessori teacher. Their daughter, Saishaa, is in Class X and has secured admission in DPS International, Saket. This fun-loving family will bring lot of joy to Yamuna.

 

Letter to the Editor from Mr. Vinod Asthana

Hi Yamunaites,

 

I came to Yamuna in 2008 with the help of Mr. Muralikrishnan, my colleague and best friend. Today, while leaving Yamuna, my heart cried. 

 

It's been 12 years now and our family cannot count how the time has passed. People are so nice here, mingling closely in a way that's unmatched. I also reciprocated and my circle grew from big to bigger, from playing badminton and more. We really enjoyed the atmosphere. 

 

While leaving, I do not have words to convey my feelings, but I urge Yamunaites, "Jaise ho, waise hi rehna". I express my thanks to all, from the gatekeepers to the Society Office and friends.

 

Lastly, pardon me if I have unintentionally wronged any of you. Kabhi alvida na kehna!

 

You rock, Yamuna!