I am aware of
my limitations in penning a few words about Guru because whatever one writes
about him will be minuscule to what the human being was. With my heart full and
my eyes brimming with tears, I have nevertheless decided to take the plunge in
penning about Guru, my very dear friend.
I first met Gurudas Kamat in the year 1976 when we were students at the Government Law College. I took an instant liking to him because of his easy approach-ability and his strong magnetic personality. Guru approached me when he stood for elections as
the Class Representative. He addressed the class
requesting for votes and his gift of the gab left all of us speechless. Instantaneously,
I had decided to support him and the election results were a no brainer. Guru emerged victorious and from then on our friendship bloomed. We took to each
other instantly and there was never a day we were spotted without each
other at the college. The daily routine of going to college was that Guru would
come to my house, picked me up and both us travelled together. Most of the days
he had lunch at my home and my parents liked him so much that he was served all
the South Indian delicacies which he relished to his heart’s content. Thus
began the friendship which lasted for forty two years when the Gods chose to
take away Guru to their Heavenly Abode on 22nd August, 2018. The
news of his premature untimely death was too shocking and I literally slumped
to my couch not believing what I had just heard.
The flame called Guru had extinguished. This flame which had
lit many peoples’ lives and touched, moved and inspired a million lives had
been suddenly snatched away from everyone’s midst. Crestfallen and heartbroken,
I informed our friends’ circle who were too shocked for words. Such was Guru’s
impact on people. It’s just sad and brutal that I will never see him again.
Guru was a born leader and when joining Government Law
College itself was an active member of the National Students Union of India.
Born to middle class cultured parents, Guru acquired leadership capabilities
right from his school and college days. Guru had so many admirable qualities, a
few of which I would love to mention:
·
He was a charmer with an infectious smile and
had a charisma that was unparalleled.
·
Endowed with the gift of the gab, he had
excellent persuasion and influencing skills
·
His attention to details was frightening but he
could perceive things beyond the ordinary
·
Had a delightfully impish sense of humour and wit
·
He showed immense courage and fortitude in
whatever challenges were thrown at him, and always had his friends and
opponents guessing about his next moves
·
For him, ‘what is right’ was more important than
‘who is right’. Hence, had his convictions and beliefs too strong for anyone to
dare.
·
Extremely quick on his feet, he could come up
with strategies instantly
·
Highly devoted son to his parents, an extremely
loving husband to his wife Maharookh whom he often referred as his ‘Everything’,
and Sunil, his son was the apple of his eyes
Stepping into our college days, we had real fun. In the
three years we spent together at law college, I have been to every ‘who’s who
politician in the country’ along with Guru. It was a great learning to see him
meticulously prepare write ups, press releases, points for discussions with
leaders and would want me to go through them and give suggestions as a third
person would see it. We would spent hours in the law canteen and discuss
everything under the sun consuming copious cups of chai --- calling it chai pe
charcha. He would always have an opinion of his own on most of the subjects since
he read voraciously and interests spanned from politics to movies to music to
sports and you name it. The most intriguing part was that at all times he
needed someone to accompany him. He would never ever go anywhere alone …. He loved
company. And he had me to tag along and I learnt a lot being with him.
I
remember an incident when we hopped into a cab and realized that the cabbie did
not know the address where we wanted to go. In his inimitable style, Guru asked
another cabbie for the address who knew the same. Not wanting to disappoint the
cabbie in whose cab we had already sat, he asked the other fellow to lead us
and told him we would follow him. Till this day this arouses laughter imagining
the scene where there was an empty cab ahead of us which we were following and
both of us sitting in the cab behind. This also brings out another trait in
Guru that he would ensure he does not leave anything to chance. Every evening
after college Guru and I would go to his wife, Maharookh’s office, and then
travel by train to our respective homes. Those were the times my friend Guru
was dating ‘his to be beautiful wife’. For Guru, his wife Maharookh was (is)
his Universe. I remember the Pani Puri, Bhelpuri, and Lassi the three of us had most of the evenings. Ice creams would be additional if the wallets were heavier.
Amongst our circle of friends, Guru was very much loved. When
he was in our midst, he was the connoisseur of all eyes (women included but
Maharookh kept them at bay). He had a lot of personal and
political anecdotes to share and it was fun to hear him. He was our direct
passage to both National and International news, and he was adept and astute in
understanding the nitty gritty. I can hardly remember paying any restaurant
bill when Guru was around. Guru was a foodie and loved to eat different
cuisines and each time try a new eating place. I have to confess that all the
best restaurants and hotels that I had been was courtesy Guru. Quite a lot of weight
that I carry around, I owe to Guru and his fondness to satiate the appetite of
his friends. Of course, all of us will miss his enormous enthusiasm and energy,
his greater than life stature and his immense love and affection.
Guru was brilliant in academics and he topped the LLB exams
of the Bombay University. Soon thereafter, he joined Phiroze Vakil to practice law. But it was short lived since his calling in life was Politics. He grew
from strength to strength in Politics from a young leader leading the Youth
Congress in the country to Member of Parliament in Mumbai for five terms to
becoming the Minister of State at the Centre. It was through sheer hard work
and dedication that he scaled great heights hitching his wagon to a star. I can
recall that in one of the elections he was contesting, the application form of
the opponent candidate had a technical fault. The opponent candidate called
Guru and confessed there was indeed a technical fault that could debar him from
the elections. Guru assured him that he will not complain and that he
contest without fear. This was the magnanimity and largess of my Guru.
The
amount of affection and love he had generated during his life was seen to be
believed. Thousands of people had lined up to pay their last respects and
homage to Guru with several of them in uncontrollable tears. Many of them were
poor people whose hearts Guru had touched by his untiring efforts, hard work and
dedication. Befitting his stature and the great human being he was, he was
draped in the National Tricolor Flag, and State Honors were offered through gun
salute and sound of the bugle.
Left to me, I will go on and on. Truly, a piece of my heart
is forever broken with Guru moving on. His time had come and he was dear to the
Gods. What else to say but “That Death
lays its icy hands on Kings too”.
I miss you Guru .... too much.
