This photo was taken 16 years ago at our residence in Anandanagar, Hebbal. It turned to be a memorable day for our family, never to be forgotten.
My husband, C R Sathya, worked for ISRO at Thiruvananthapuram for nearly a quarter of a century with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. He was in contact with Dr Kalam even while working for Tata Advanced Materials Limited in Bengaluru till Dr Kalam’s demise.
Once travelling from Delhi to Bengaluru, he met Dr Kalam on the same flight and got in to a conversation with him.
“You always eat food prepared in official meetings and guest houses. Why don’t you join us today for a home lunch?” asked Sathya. Dr Kalam readily accepted the invitation.
“I will be at National Aeronautical Laboratory(NAL) in their research council meeting. You pick me up there at 1 pm,” Dr Kalam said. My husband went there on time. The meeting had just ended when Dr T S Prahlad, director, NAL, came out with his colleagues, along with Dr Kalam and was surprised to see Sathya who also was his old friend. “So, you are the culprit who pulled Dr Kalam out of our official lunch? He was rushing through the agenda saying he has an important appointment!” Dr Prahlad jokingly told Sathya.
Sathya brought Dr Kalam home where my son Sriharsha, my daughter Sowmya and I were eagerly awaiting his arrival.
He came, enjoyed the lunch and stayed for nearly three hours before he left. Sathya had just one film frame to expose in his camera and he took this shot before Dr Kalam left.
The lunch episode did not end there. In 2006, we visited Dr Kalam who had then become the President and spent some time with him at Rashtrapathi Bhavan.
It turned out to be another unforgettable meeting. After greeting us, the first thing he said to me was, “You know, I still remember your home made Vadu Manga (mango pickles)!”. He enquired about all of us, blessed my grandson, who was with us, and sent us off after a pleasant stroll in Mughal Gardens, where he proudly showed us some varieties of flowers and fruit trees he had planted and nurtured. From one orange tree, he picked one ripe miniature orange and urged me to eat right there!
Through Sathya, our family interaction continued. When our son got married in Bengaluru, the first visitor to attend the marriage reception in the evening was a senior official from Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru, who personally conveyed Dr Kalam’s greetings to the young couple with an invitation to visit Delhi!
We miss him now very badly indeed. My husband, who joined Dr Kalam as his deputy way back in 1965, spent many years with him and, as a bachelor, even shared the same bachelor’s lodge at Thiruvnanthapuram with Dr Kalam. He is yet to overcome his grief on the passing away of this noble soul two years ago.
Shyamala Sathya
(The author can be contacted at crssathya@yahoo.com)