RIP Major Vinod Gulati - My Friend, Philosopher & Guide

Just five years old or may be still younger, living next door to a little older and chubby boy, with whom I had a staring match for days. And then one day, he walked out of his house with a ball in his hands and we started playing together. That togetherness and friendship never went away until Amit (his son) sent me an SMS informing me that my friend was no more.

Vinod Gulati, my friend, my adviser, my admirer and the older brother I never had. There was nothing we didn’t know about each other, be it  personal or professional. It was just he and I, With the whole world on one side and we on the other.Pals forever,always together, whenever we could.

Vinod grew up ‘real good’ and joined the Indian Army. For our entire neighborhood, he was like  the Hrithik Roshan of the sixties- dashing, smart and good hearted , always cheerful and smiling. He was the reason I wanted to join the Armed forces, but unfortunately,was not allowed,as“I was the only son”.So I had to be content with as much time as possible with my Army Hero buddy. Some of the best times of my life were when he was in Delhi on leave. He took me to the best and most popular restaurants in CP. Our favorite menu for the evenings was always Cold Coffee with Ice cream, Paneer Pakoras and Vegetable Burgers. The conversations on our way back still haunt me,his smile full of confidence and his confidence in me,are the most memorable part of my growing up.

The wheel of life separated us from each other, he was posted in Pune and I went abroad for higher studies losing touch for several years. 7 years later when we met again he was married and proudly showed off his pretty wife Raj. We talked then forever; he told me that he wanted to leave the army, because he had been diagnosed with Diabetes.

Vinod will always remain a special part of my life. Our past, present and future was, is and will be inexplicably intertwined forever. He was and will be an important and a very dear friend, from the time that I was required to make a friend, till the day I breathe my last.

I still believe that God sent him as the older brother that I never had –he was always proud of me, always supportive, and always there as a guide. I was always a part of his good time agenda. My dear Vinod Gulati or Major, as I lovingly called him,had a great sense of humor, he was outspoken and some of his comments still echo loud and clear in my memory;

-        “ Oye Mummy-ke- Baboo” (The only person in the world who used to call me by my     nickname)

-        “Baboo yeh Ladki bahut achi hein, isko dhokha nahin dena” After meeting Pamposh for first time before our marriage.

-        A simple hearted man, he used to get very disturbed by the politics in the family and would always say,“let them have the money, I don’t care, I have Baboo.”

For Vinod I was simply a ‘buddhu’ because I couldn’t take care of my interests, and he felt so was his darling son, Amit, a sidha buddhu like me. From the day Amit and Arti started achieving success in their lives, I never saw him sad or depressed again, I guess with such unreliable Baboo he now had his children as his emotional support, God bless them both.

Vinod was everything I could ever ask for in a brother and friend.I Just can not figure out why life betrayed him so early, and why God calls good souls back to him sooner then the others. Maybe He wants all the great souls to merge within HIM.

These enigmas of life will never be answered. However the loss has left a void in me, which can never be filled, and life must go on as is. God bless you my dear Major, RIP My Friend, Philosopher, and Guide in this transitory world.

Mai Nahi Manta Ki Jane Se Pehle Tune Mujhe, Yaad Nahin Kiya - e - Mere Dost;
Kutch Mujhmein hi Kami Thi - ki -Teri - Awaaz - Nahin - Aayee!