I met Dilip aka Dr.Veeraraghavan about 7 odd years ago, when I was still in school. He passed away this morning. He was a friend of dad's. Dad apparently used to read to him from libraries and home in Delhi during his PhD, almost everyday. They lost touch after dad went abroad for a few years. One day, I tagged along with dad to IITM, utilizing his invite to the book launch of Nature's Spokesman: M. Krishnan and Wildlife organized by the Bombay Natural History Society (dad's a life member of BNHS) and Prakriti (IITM's nature club). One of the organizers was standing outside the CLT complex. Dad walked upto him and touched his hand, and he immediately said "Thyagu, eppadi da irrukae?" (translated from tamil - Thyagu, how are you?) - they were meeting after almost a decade. In such a span, faces are generally forgotten - Dilip otoh recognized dad from one touch! To the uninitiated, Dilip had lost vision in both eyes as a youngster. After reestablishing contact, dad used to visit or call him when possible. I too visited him a few times after that, while visiting IITM. I don't know if he could remember me offhand, but in any case I always used to introduce myself as "Thyagu's daughter" and talk for a while, generally acting messenger between dad and him, transfering books. I always used to nag dad into taking me along whenever he went visiting on Dilip. And I will always regret that I could have spoken more with him.

This year my visits to IITM increased, due to various reasons. On one such occasion, dad asked me to try meeting Dilip or at least meet Murali (Dr.Muraleedharan) and enquire about him. Dad had tried reaching Dilip at his office a number of times, of no avail. One of their mutual friends had told dad that Dilip has been "unwell" for a while. On this visit, one of the students mentioned the same thing. I got his contact number from the department office. I met Prof. Murali who was mighty busy that day and chased me out of his office. Dad promptly made a few calls and I came to know only that day, Dilip hadn't been in office for a while now and had another ailment to cope with - cancer. The last time I had met him was in Shaastra 2008 - he was out on a jaunt checking Shaastra out, with Murali explaining the going-ons. I ran over, introduced myself yet again and had a short yack before getting back to my events. I wish I'd had longer, deeper conversations with him. I wish I could have heard atleast one of his talks. And I wish I had found the time to visit him atleast once in his last months.

Dad is out of town and will be returning in a coupla days and he was upset he could not come down before noon today, to see him one last time. Dilip is one of the few people I held/hold in awe, who inspire, who defined to me the meaning of the word "awe-inspiring"- for no matter what his pains, no matter what his problems, I have never seen him without a smile playing on his lips or without atleast a few students or professors around him, deep in discussion...

I feel guilty, staying in bed for a viral infection.

Kadambari Devarajan
http://kadambarid.livejournal.com/71576.html