Representative image indicating friendship
Credit: iStock Photo
Throughout our lives, we encounter numerous people, from childhood onwards. They may be neighbours or classmates. My own experiences with friends have been varied. Although I studied in the same school, my classmates were merely acquaintances, not close friends.
In the area where I resided, I had a good group of peers, with only minor age differences. We would often play tennis ball cricket and were avid followers of cricket worldwide, listening to radio commentaries from India, England via the BBC, or Australia through Radio Australia. Madhava Rao, Seetharam, Rafeek, and others would join me in evening pursuits like trekking to nearby places.
As we pursued our respective careers, our paths diverged, we lost touch, and I was unable to reconnect with them.
In college, too, I had a close-knit group of friends, divided into two circles. One group consisted of Chandramouli, Gundurao, and Harish, while the other included Seshachala and Badrinath. Unfortunately, I lost contact with most of them over the years, except Seshachala. However, fate intervened, and I reconnected with Chandramouli after decades. This reunion was a cherished memory, albeit short-lived, as I eventually lost touch with him again.
Another remarkable event occurred about a year ago, courtesy of Facebook. I stumbled upon Ramarao Kagalkar's name, which sparked a memory from my school days. This led me to a group of around 40 classmates from National High School's 1966 SSLC batch. I was back with my schoolmates who had formed a group, complete with our section and attendance register numbers.
This chance discovery had a lightening impact on me as only friends lost and found can have, rekindling friendships that had lain dormant for six decades. I now interact with many of them, including Nagananda, Umashankar, and Balasubramanya, through occasional personal meetings and regular online interactions, facilitated by WhatsApp and Facebook. Every interaction takes us back to our primary and high school years reminiscing about everything that happened back then.
I must also mention K V Ghanashyam, or KVG sir, my chemistry teacher from the early 1970s. After four decades, I reconnected with him in 2017 through a programme on All India Radio. KVG sir is a literary giant in our mother tongue, Kannada.
I am proud to say that my teacher, too, was a lost friend rediscovered. My experiences with friends have been a rich tapestry of varied personalities, lifestyles, and interests. Through these encounters, I have learned the value of nurturing friendships and engaging in a positive, healthy lifestyle.