TRIBUTES TO SAMIR BANGARA(1974-2020) FROM RANVEER ALLAHBADIA AND DOLLY RATESHWAR

  

It is four years ago that you left us. Each passing year I write my blog, thinking or perhaps wishing that I do not have to write another. That, as you well know is not in our hands. I cannot but recall the confidence you displayed on the rare occasion that I tried to dissuade you from pursuing your passion for biking. You had a ready response on how steadfastly you learnt to pursue your passion, much like those who refuse to give up theirs in the Military. It was to honour your dedication that I put out a message on the social media to say that your weekly ride out of Mumbai on 14 June 2020, turned out to be the last one and that you departed  “with your boots on.”  

                                        Samir at the Buddh International Circuit circa 2019

Some of my Navy colleagues found that to be a Military response. Indeed, it was a response triggered by a loss that we are trained to live with. Every shipmate is a family member. And yet, as I have discovered the pain of losing you does not go away.

 Yes, your company continues to function with a replacement duly approved by the board. But the founder who was willing to plunge into untested domains of digital technology which had five verticals is not replaceable in the true sense. The digital world was an area where you were well ahead of your time. You had rightly predicted the impending irrelevance of newspapers, the impact of smartphones, and access to instant data. Content creation and management was your dream. You would have reveled at supply chain management and the many out-of-the-box solutions that came naturally to you. You defined leadership imaginatively. You anticipated the churn in digitization, animation, and gaming from wireless to digital media. When most talented young people needed mentorship, you were liberal with your time, even if it meant returning home in the wee hours of dawn.

Many would continue to hold you in high esteem and adore you for the generous way you allotted your time and often your own resources for their well-being. Their voices are getting weaker with time. That, my son, is how the world is and should be.

You know how I adored Adm Pereira, one of our former naval chiefs. Even 25 years after he passed on, a young Naval officer who had never met him or seen him, burnt his precious midnight oil to put together a biography on the Admiral. It was you who helped me to put his last speech on YouTube. The navy very proudly celebrated his centennial year with a yearlong programme. This centennial celebration, in a way, challenged the myth that true leaders fade away.

And so, this time around, knowing fully well that it is not just I, who thinks of you as a remarkable leader, I picked two of your associates who deeply acknowledge your contribution to their lives. Listen to them......

Dolly Rateshwar

Dolly Rateshwar - Co-Founder The Dharavi Dream Project

Allow me to start with Dolly. She continues to do wonders at Dharavi, your dream project to raise aspirations and provide skills to the downtrodden youth. But here is the unknown part. Every year she conducts a pooja in your memory on the Ganges at Haridwar. She live-streams it for the benefit of family and close friends. Listen to what she said.

As I reflect on this day, the fourth anniversary of the passing away of just your physical body, my heart does feel heavy but heavy with an abundance of Gratitude Love & respect for you.

You were a Mentor and Leader to me but NOW You are my GUIDING LIGHT transforming my life beautifully both personally and professionally.

The impact you have left on my life with each passing day and on the lives of countless others at the Dharavi Dream Project, the Qyuki team, and on each soul whom you have touched in this life, is immeasurable.

Your legacy Samir lives on in the work we do, the dreams we chase, and the lives we touch only through your guidance.

It's natural to miss your laughter and your physical presence but I carry your Spirit of never giving up and to believe in the Power of UNIVERSE. 

Your kindness and unwavering belief in me have instilled confidence that has carried me through many challenges and tough situations. The lessons you imparted have shaped my journey both personally and professionally.

You have taught me to Dream big, take risks, embrace failures, work hard, always Do the RIGHT Thing and most importantly, to believe in myself. 

For Me, I am walking the Path with you each day and you never stop to amaze me to feel that connection so lively even today and I know this is going to be forever. Keep the blessings coming in✨

Aum Gurubhyo Namah!

 

Ranveer Allahbadia

Ranveer Allahbadia - @BeerBiceps

Ranveer now has a massive following as a leading Podcaster. He has this to say about you:

Samir Bangara was someone I admired greatly.

I met him for the first time for a "fireside chat" at a media conference in Delhi. This video is still available on YouTube.

It was touted as a chat between two "rival" founders. Our organisations "Qyuki" & "Monk-E" were supposedly at war. Or so the two of us were told...

But the truth about a human connection is this: Only the two humans that constitute it, know the true essence of the connection.

We hit it off right from the time we first met. I had the misfortune of only knowing him for about a year. But that one year was made up of mentoring sessions & deep conversations about life.

While the world would consider us to be rivals of sorts, neither of us ever even gave that thought any thought.

Samir sir was always the most polite, most giving, and yet the most ambitious guy in the room. I always noticed the intensity in his eyes. There was intensity for the sake of growing his team's careers. Intensity for helping self-made people further their journey. And above all, intensity for the sake of absorbing knowledge from life!

He was someone I learnt from, both from the perspective of being a professional as well as the perspective of being a well-rounded family man.

God bless his soul and God bless his family. We lost a gem on 14th June 2020. But his legacy lives on in many media professionals' hearts. Many high-flying professionals in the media industry owe an aspect of their growth to Samir Bangara sir.

His legacy not only exists in the form of his organisation Qyuki, but also in the form of widespread respect for his character.

 

Sandipan Mondal

Sandipan Mondal - Founder Plato Project - An Educational AI startup /

Prev. Co-Founder & CEO Zapr Media Labs (acquired by Samsung)

Here is Sandip’s outpouring on X (previously Twitter) shortly after that fateful day, Sunday 14th June 2020:

1/ For @samirbangara (a thread)

Since yesterday I’ve been in shock, trying to process the news of Samir’s accident. While I’ve been struggling to find words to express my anguish, random memories keep coming to mind, and I thought of sharing some of them - a vignette.

2/ Through this thread, and the outpouring of love and grief on Twitter, I hope that even those who didn’t know Samir, get a glimpse of what an incredible person he was and what an impact he made on all of us who were fortunate to have spent time with him, over the past years.

3/ It's hard to put into words the impact that Samir had on my life. On paper he was our angel investor, but in reality, he was so much more. Mentor, coach, friend – Samir was family – an older brother who would always look out for you. Someone you could blindly follow and trust.

4/ Sometime late 2012, @deebaid, @sajomathews

 and I were pitching at the GSF IC. We were maybe 20 mins into our pitch and had just about described our vision and the tech. @rajeshsawhney, @alokebajpai, @sidtalwar were shooting tough questions about Zapr’s business and tech.

 5/ Samir, also in the IC, intuitively understood us and sort of just took over. For the rest of the IC he kept excitedly answering questions on our behalf, while we looked on quietly, bemused. It was surreal. It was the first time we met @samirbangara.

6/ This was the first, of countless times, Samir would take over as chief evangelist and pitch our startup to everyone he would meet. I never asked him why he took such an interest in me – in us, in @zaprindia. Why he believed in us? I always thought there was time.

7/ To his friends he was Sam. But to me, he was always Samir - who would always pick up your calls, listen, give advice, support, counsel, meet, take time out for, pull you up when you’re depressed, inspire, take you out for a drink, make you feel like you mattered – Samir.

8/ I remember meeting Samir at his in-laws’ apartment behind Ambience Mall, Gurgaon - paperwork signed, now officially on our cap table. The start of a relationship, that I didn’t know then, would abruptly come to an end, 8 years later.

9/ In the years since, for every deck, negotiation, pivot, partnership, fund-raise – I would call and run the details past him. His approval was critical. He would always answer the phone. He always made time. I’m not sure I ever thanked him enough. Always thought there was time.

10/ He taught me to celebrate small wins. That no matter how much uncertainty and anxiety tomorrow would bring, I should celebrate success – big or small – with my team. Can’t remember celebrating enough with him. Always thought there was time.

11/ He introduced us to everyone as the Hustler/Hipster/Hacker combo. I was the hustler, @deebaid the hipster and @sajomathews the hacker. It was corny, but endearing at the same time. He believed in us, even during times when we didn’t think there was much to believe in.

12/ When we were running out of money, he doubled down and invested more in us. Even coaxed and bullied his friends into bridging us a round. We survived and carried on, ONLY because of him. Not sure if I ever expressed my gratitude enough. Always thought there was time.

13/ At the airport check-in at Boston, during the @GSFIndia trip, American Airlines was charging for my bag. I was pulling out my credit card when suddenly Samir appeared out of thin air and paid. No reason. Wouldn’t listen to my protests. It’s just what he did. Who he was.

14/ Samir believed in us, in our vision – at times, even more than we believed ourselves. When we were mired in self-doubt he would pull us up. He was a rock that we leaned on, year after year. I never did thank him enough for his conviction in us. Always thought there was time.

15/ When we pivoted business models, I called him at midnight to excitedly share our epiphany. He heard me out, despite the time, and listed out all the OEMs he knew, that he would connect us to. He made the introductions that night itself. He got us our first major partnership.

16/ He introduced us to his friend @wasimbasir at Coca Cola. He not just made the introduction, but flew down from Bombay, accompanied us for the meeting AND did most of the pitching himself. This was classic Samir and his boundless generosity.

17/ I remember trudging up three flights of stairs, in the @MyQyuki building. Sitting in the open office, waiting for Samir to get free. He’d always free up his calendar and we’d chat – 20% Qyuki updates and 80% me venting, ranting, sharing, and seeking advice.

18/ Samir would call in @SagarGokhaleQ and others from his team, and I would share with them updates about Zapr’s tech and product portfolio. Together we’d brainstorm ways Qyuki and Zapr could someday collaborate and build cool tech together. I always thought there was time.

19/ I remember being in Cannes for MIDEM event in June 2019, when it occurred to me that this would be a great place for Qyuki. Called up Samir and told him that I wished he were here. We spoke about the conference and said we’d attend in 2020. I always thought there was time.

20/ Samir’s emails to me were one-liners, all written in the subject heading. The email body was usually empty. He was also the only person I knew who actively used the voice messaging feature on WhatsApp. Words of encouragement, support, or just looking to catch up.

21/ He would meet investors to pitch Qyuki for a fund-raise, and at the end of the meetings, he would also do a small pitch for Zapr. He made countless introductions, all of whom agreed to meet with me. Because that’s the impression he made, even on ppl he just met!

22/ I’d accompany him to conferences and events and it blew my mind that not only did everyone know him, but more importantly, everyone loved him. I could never understand that magic. I jokingly even begged him to teach me his networking secret. He would just smile.

23/ Samir introduced me to people from veteran media CEOs to engineering college interns. And what was common across everyone, was the sheer admiration and fondness they all had for him. You couldn’t not like Samir. His charisma came from the genuine goodwill he felt for others.

24/ His casual and amiable demeanor was effortless – just talking to him and spending time with him, made you feel better. Calmer. He was like a gentle breeze that would just blow your worries away. I have never known anyone more generous, kind, honest, caring, or genuine.

25/ Just last week, one night plagued with anxiety I messaged him around 1 AM. He called me back 15 minutes later and spoke with me for over an hour, counseling me on how to deal with the crisis, giving me strength, and inspiring me. He was always … just there.

26/ Six years ago, Samir sent me an early draft of his blog post titled – ‘The 3 Things Motorcycles Teaches You About Starting Up’. It started with the line – “Riding keeps me sane”.

27/ There are no words to express the grief that everyone is feeling. His family will be in the thoughts and prayers of hundreds of people, including the Zapr team and everyone else that was fortunate to know Samir and will miss him always.

28/ I wish I had told him how truly grateful I am and how indebted I am for everything he had ever done for me and for Zapr. I always thought there was time … now I can only hope that he knew. Knew what he meant to me. Knew what he meant to all of us. 

 So son, the family resolutely works together to ensure that they achieve their targets in education and to further their collective interests. Au Revoir Samir.

 A LONG-AWAITED SOJOURN TO THE LAKE-FILLED MOUNTAINS OF UTTARAKHAND

My life has been a roller coaster for the past six years. The loss of my wife, son, and sister in quick succession was a test I was not prepared for. In the event, I was faced with challenges to contribute as much as I could to the society at large. On the upward journey, there were moments of joy from time to time. That, we too can offer comfort to terminally ill patients, by utilizing experience gained in matters of “tender love and care”; came as a pleasant surprise.

My voluntary work with the Naik Foundation at Pune has been a source of inspiration for discoveries of nutraceuticals and Naturopathy for cancer patients. Ancient Indian medical documents if studied and correctly interpreted contain alternative therapies for lifestyle-related diseases of today. Cancer, the dreaded C, is treated as a cell disorder. Tata Memorial in Mumbai has been researching alternative therapies, and in particular, plant-based solutions bereft of chemicals and consequently free of side effects. Finally, naturopathy is on the threshold of being accepted as a possible and affordable cure for all segments of society.

However, amidst activities to reset and reprogram my life, the urge to return to the mountains remained strong. This was further reinforced when I visited the glaciers of British Columbia, in Canada last autumn. The hills appeared to be beckoning me.

Dehradun after Delhi

Dehradun, now connected by direct flights from Pune became a destination for a colleague’s family wedding. Given the spectacular progress made in the highway projects in India, it is easier to transit from New Delhi to Doon in about six hours, thence to my favourite Mountain peaks interspersed with lakes in the Nainital -Kumaon belt. The idea of trekking was irresistible. More of it later.

The only reason I opted not to fly into Dehradun from Pune was my desire to see the changes on the highway connecting Delhi to Doon. Vande Bharat is decidedly the best option by rail. Having traveled widely by Vande Bharat and having experienced the joy of traveling in a modern state-of-the-art Indian-built train; it was time to observe rural India, its changing skyline, and the ever-increasing motor vehicles including tractors and three-wheelers. The new green field expressway which is nearly complete is expected to reduce the traveling time to 2 hours and thirty minutes as compared to the five hours presently. However, there is no gain without pain hence one has to endure the messy part of this connectivity at the entrance to Doon. Work in progress.

 The guns vs butter debate of the yore has now been overtaken by development vs environment and climate change. The informal sector, entrepreneurial challenges, and SME/MSME segments have begun to leave an indelible mark even as one crisscrosses interlinked highways. Just observe the change in dress of the poorer segments in small rural towns.

I have vivid memories of abject poverty when I traveled through villages and small towns in the early 1950s/60s. One often saw villagers attired in worn-out clothes. That has now changed to jeans and t-shirts, reflective of income growth. Only rapid GDP growth would result in per capita GDP growth. If we remain on track and become the third largest economy, our per capita income should be closer to USD10000.  Hopefully, instead of American food chains and attires, large outlets led by our own billionaires with affordable brands would meet the aspirational needs of our youth.

And now the wedding. Nearly two decades ago, the skipper of the only tall ship we possessed {since retired much after I did}- INS Tarangini, celebrated his son’s wedding. Having received an invite with memories of professional bonding well over eight months in advance, it was an unmissable event of much rejoicing and camaraderie. The occasion also facilitated a long overdue reunion with a senior veteran who mentored me in the early days of my career.

                       

                         

The Nainital Range

For the first time, I realized that all the major Lakes,i.e. Sattal, Bhimtal, and Naukuchiatal are at a height of 4200 feet. Considering that there are peaks and troughs all around, I am sure there must be a logical construct to this nature’s mystery.

My old shipmate and colleague, Sunil David, planned the trek with great care while anchoring the trip at his lovely cottage at Sattal. The vertical climbs were negotiable but the steep slopes downhill took a toll on my knees and ankles. I did manage to meet my targets, even if it meant that to avoid a fall due to the dry leaves of oak trees, I needed to sit on my posterior and slide when required. The speed of the slide had to be controlled to protect the family jewels from being crushed en route!

This sojourn also allowed me to recall decades of associations based on camaraderie and professional bonding.  spanning three generations of Officers. My mentor on the threshold of 90, me at 78, and the others a decade and a half behind me.

The return to Delhi airport in about six and a half hours and a flight back to Pune ended the well-coordinated visit to the Uttarakhand hills.

To sum up, it was exhilarating, eventful, at times galvanizing, humbling, and edifying – in the presence of mountains and lakes and most of all the stupendously colorful sunrises and sunsets and moonset too.

                         

                      

                          

                            

                               

                          

                         

 Thank you, Sunil, for meticulously planning my trek at your favourite home away from home. Au revoir.

 

ASVINI CALLING

 MY BOND WITH ASVINI - AN UNTOLD CHAPTER

 

 

It was Feb1989. I was in command of Taragiri for well over 18 months. The President’s review of the fleet was around the corner and so was an intra-command Cricket championship - very intensely contested. I was the opening batsman for the Western Fleet and the opening bowler for COMCOS was then Cdr Srikant (later Vice Admiral - sadly a victim of Covid).

 

We decided to complete our last match on a Sunday, a few days before the PR. He was a well-known fast bowler and I had to live with the fact that Syed Kirmani was my wicketkeeper during my college days in Bengaluru. Much was expected, based on the whispering campaign, every time I carried my bat.

 

Srikant came thundering in and delivered his first few deliveries which I managed to place unintentionally between gaps for a few runs. And then it happened! I ran a cheeky single and Sri and I collided. My bat was entangled with some part of his tall torso and I went up in the air and dropped to the ground after a somersault. There was a thud and a crack near my right elbow. Breaking a finger or two during my cricketing days was par for the course. This was a bit more. Captains do not scream in pain. They scream at others. And so, I endured the journey to INHS Asvini in a rickety old jeep which magnified my pain due to the jolt caused by the worn-out suspension. I was looking forward to some solace on arrival at the ward.

 

Being a Sunday, only the duty MO was available. The ortho was summoned. He arrived with a grumpy face - he was otherwise known to be grumpy at best of times.  His reputation had traveled far and wide. I almost winced when I saw him. I had never been admitted to any hospital. As predicted, the ortho began by saying which Capt in his right mind would play cricket, and that too while in Command. I was moved to surgery and my elbow was fixed and my right hand duly put in a cast. I was to stay in the hospital for a couple of days and proceed on sick leave. The process is clearly laid down. After three weeks I was to report back for removal of the cast and a medical board would assess whether I could run up and down ladders of my ship.

 

Now comes the first part of hospital admission. My ship was to anchor at the assigned berth for the review. I had already conveyed to the Fleet Commander that my ship could operate without me. The crew had been trained. But anchoring at a review berth was not entirely what we had done earlier. Here is how we solved the problem of anchoring. The review berth as it happened was directly in the line of sight of the officer’s ward in Asvini. With a radio in hand and call sign      Eagle assigned by myself, I ran a virtual bridge with reports coming to me, and guess what my navigator and 00W needed no suggestions from me. Taragiri anchored in copybook style. My crew had proved they were as good as any. I was plotting my course of action for the following week. No standby Capt was appointed till then.

 

I was fit to walk and run except the cast was difficult to hide. How in God’s name would I sit around doing nothing till I was sent away on sick leave. I cast my eyes on the other patients in the ward. One was a unique character who was highly diabetic but was running the Command mess. Yet another was recovering from an accident and he needed physiotherapy on a regular basis whilst confined to a wheelchair. The third was a Harrier pilot who had a heart condition and the fourth was a service brat who had broken his leg in an accident.

 

Promptly, I volunteered to push wheelchairs and take them for their physiotherapy. They had not had homemade food for ages. So, we conspired to “jump jail” after rounds at night and with the mess sec who had access to a 3-tonner, we sneaked out of Asvini and had home food at my residence at Gemini. We repeated the exercise the following day while I wheeled the young patient to the US Club. What fun we thought. But “picture abhi baaki hai”.

 

The first challenge was a display at sea after the review. The Fleet Cdr nominated CO INS Ganga as a safety number on my bridge during my absence. That went well with the   CO complimenting my bridge crew for their professionalism.

 

Now came the sick leave when I twiddled my thumb at home. Restless as I was, I took a calculated risk. I tore the sleeve of my uniform and with the cast on, embarked my ship to the great joy of my officers. No one including the medical officer asked me how I could function on board during sick leave. “Don’t ask don’t tell”  was the adopted route. I had just returned after 3 full years at the Embassy of India at Islamabad.    There was an artificial halo around my head.

 

Next came the change of Command of the Western Fleet. There I was in NO2s and sword in my left hand and a torn right sleeve to accommodate the cast - on the flight deck of INS Virat. As the new Fleet Cdr was introduced to the Commanding officers, he approached me and since I could no longer salute, I thumped the sword on the deck with my left hand and called out the name of my ship in a gunnery voice. I was fully aware that he could have asked me how I was on parade. Perplexed as he was, he stared at me with some empathy and said, “What happened?” Greatly relieved that he asked me the “wrong question”; without hesitation and with joy, I replied, “Cricket, Sir”. And he walked past me with a nod. I survived another day, right under the nose of the Fleet Medical Officer. Thankfully, he had donned a white uniform just for this promotion. He was olive green in all his thoughts and actions. The ship’s canteen with all its goodies was the only aspect that he liked. “These crazy men in white”, he often mumbled.

 

The evening function in 6Bs was equally enjoyable. Here is a picture of that event.

 

 

Now came the terminal phase of my torture. Removal of the cast and a medical board to certify my fitness. Having spent all my sick leave on board the ship, I meekly admitted myself to the final phase.

 

Off came the cast; but what I had not factored in my plans came to the fore. My right hand had frozen such that I could not even salute. All my efforts would come to zero if I could not even salute, let alone climb ladders on the ship. The specialist advised me to return after 10 days of physiotherapy for recategorization. My pea brain just would not accept it.

 

I found the nearest gym which happened to be in Asvini. I took the heaviest portable weight and tried to straighten my frozen elbow. It was nothing less than Chinese torture. A combination of sweat and tears of pain had to be endured with a handkerchief stuffed in my mouth to drown the noise of a scream. Voila, by the second day, I could with difficulty raise my right hand to salute. Impressed by my efforts, the board cleared me to report back to my ship.

 

So ended my only tryst with a naval hospital in four decades. In conclusion, a statement made by the Harrier Pilot based on his experience during training in the UK is worthy of consideration by the present medical and executive policymakers.  It was about a Harrier pilot of the Royal Navy who jammed his fingers of his right hand while shutting his car door just prior to the sortie. One finger was damaged needing a special soft cast. The duty medical officer patched it up and told him to fly the Harrier as it was more important not to miss sorties if he could use his hand with ease.

 

Imposing old formats of compulsive medical leave and recategorization was found to be counterproductive in terms of time and costs if the individual could perform his duties. This eliminates shammers too!

 

It may be good to look at outdated medical diktats when reforms are the flavour of the day.

A MOMENTOUS RENDEZVOUS IN CANADA

Call it serendipity or just fortuitous, my plans to visit the more scenic parts of Canada, i.e., Alberta and British Colombia, took shape in May this year. It was partially based on my late wife Gita’s desire to meet up with Sukhi who was a part of a close-knit team that tirelessly and with joy, worked for the welfare of our families. What appeared to be a short visit on paper turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It panned out in such a way that I derived satisfaction and a great sense of pride as an Indian in what I saw. Professionally, I was overjoyed to see my old colleague assuming a leadership role in running a complex training and operational setup that very few could have imagined in 2004, almost two decades ago. Here we are, teaching the first world a few nuances of handling front line technology as experienced by us in the first decade of this millennium. Not through academic tutorship in Western universities but purely on Indian skills and entrepreneurship along with innovation. Heartwarming -to say the least.

That my visit coincided with the Justin Trudeau (JT) episode was the icing on the cake. I was able to get a real time, ground level feedback with interactions with the Indian Diaspora including an evening with the senior citizens of North Calgary.  Since this can be better captured with episodic narratives, let me dwell on this before describing the stunning and scenic beauty of the Rocky Mountain glaciers.

It is not uncommon, particularly in the Armed forces in India, to have mixed marriages and live in total harmony with freedom to practise his/her beliefs. I was such a product but from a civilian background. My late wife Gita’s mother was a  Sikhni and Father a Maratha. My two children have Bengali and Sanskrit/ Arabic names.  The next generation has done better. And so is my former naval colleague in Canada, a Bengali married to a Sikhni. So Sukhi announced a Ganesh Puja soon after my arrival in Calgary. It was no less in devotion and intensity than in Mumbai. But the participants were Sikhs with a handful of Hindus from all parts of India. The bhajans were sung with such fervour and they were not Faujis-if you thought so. This was the first introduction to ground level realities. Paradoxically, I was receiving messages from well-wishers in India to exercise caution on the streets of Canada. The power of 24/7 news channels that create anxiety and fear where none is needed, was once again on display. 

Ganesh Pooja not forgetting Gita

The ratings of JT in Canada were declining rather precipitously despite his Govt’s reported hold over mainstream media. The Canadian Army Deputy Chief Gen Peter Scott on a visit to Delhi to interact with the Indian army captured the essence of the reality. When confronted by an overzealous reporter in Delhi, he emphatically underlined the need to improve the army-to-army relations while the politicians on both sides deal with issues.

Episodic Narratives  

I was introduced to a navy veteran from India who left the navy decades ago and was presently settled in Calgary after stints in the merchant marine and industries abroad. Within minutes we realised that he was a senior sailor from the afloat support team that took care of my SAM system in the 1980’s. In turn, I was able to connect him with his old boss. Despite his success in technology-based industry, he remained rooted to the navy as we all ought to.  Grewal, spoke with so much love and respect that we shared our thoughts over delightful evenings and a long drive to see the mountains. A tradition that pleasantly surprised me, is the spontaneous effort of the young members to touch the feet of the older ones to seek their blessings. The parents have managed to encourage and sustain old customs and traditions that are on their way out in India.

Navy Veterans at Lake Louise

The second episode is about Indian senior citizens who migrated to Canada in the 1970’s. In Calgary, they meet once or twice a month before the dreaded winter sets in. Over 60 % of them are from Punjab. Much like the freedom to speak one’s mind in Hyde Park in London, they congregate at a park where after an update of news regarding developments relevant to them, anyone can narrate a joke or sing a song even if it sounds hilariously out of tune.  They all receive the same applause. A recognition of sorts which brings much joy and laughter. Loneliness and “depression” appear to be the underlying cause.

Sr. Citizens Meeting at Edworthy Park

The Indian or Asian diaspora have ghettoed themselves in clusters where the white citizens are conspicuous by their absence. There are very few pockets where migrants share residential clusters with the whites. The Asian/Indian clusters create an ecosystem filled with Indian stores and markets of all products. While it is unlikely to promote integration with the Canadians, there is definitely a sense of lack of security and comfort that needs to be addressed. The aboriginal Canadians have been pushed to far away settlements much like the American Indians, the original inhabitants.

Some of you may be aware that Indian students aspiring to study abroad may choose Canada for several reasons. It is now an industry worth Billions of Dollars. What surprised me was that there are colleges that host a majority from the state of Punjab alone. The faculty consists of some local citizens and Indians. But as compared to the locals, the students have not come here in large numbers to be professionally competent and are quite satisfied to pass with minimum grades. Since the foreign students have to pay three times the fee, their attention is not on studies but to sustain themselves by illegally working beyond the permissible weekly limits. Work permits and obtaining status of permanent residents are the highest priority.  Given the number of immigrants entering Canada, despite the recent curtailment, it is likely to fill up low grade jobs that pay by the hour. Hence dependence as hitherto on easy means of employment for the students to sustain their education needs closer scrutiny. Spiralling cost of air travel is a major factor while balancing their fee structure with need to visit the family every year.

These valuable insights were deduced from long discussions with Sukhi’s family consisting of Sonu, and three nieces pursuing different academic paths. Japsovin, a young lad who would have made a fine soldier in our army, is now seeking greener pastures due to an accidental leg injury. Together they made good sparring partners while discussing issues on higher education in India.

Family Dinner

University of Calgary has boarding facilities and insists on in-class presence as opposed to online teaching which has assumed permanency even after COVID. That is a loophole used to advantage by those that entered the portals of Canadian institutions only to meet their ulterior goals. Professional institutions of repute that cater to Management, Finance, technology, however, are known to maintain high standards of pedagogy and attendance.

Finally, the only missing link while interacting with the Indian diaspora was their ignorance of the details of infrastructure development and scores of other technological achievements in India.  That gap needs to be filled through a well-designed digital and social media thrust that captures their attention. Punjabi is the preferred language of communication, since they form the largest segment of the Indian diaspora. FM radio channels could be so targeted not as propaganda but as valuable inputs for travel to India.

The scenic splendour

The drive leading to the Rocky Mountains is peppered by barren fields and yet segments of multi-coloured trees indicating autumn or fall stun you before you reach the most pristine lakes and glaciers at about 2300 M. There are wide choices such as lake cruise, gondola rides (cable cars), Colombia ice field adventure and sky walk and many quaint villages such as Whistler in BC enroute to Vancouver for exiting Canada, are priceless sights to see.

Alberta

Drumheller, Alberta

Drumheller, Midland Provincial Park (Dinosaur country)

Banff National Park

Peyto Lake, Banff National Park

Next to Lake Peyto with glaciers in the background

Chateau Lake Louise, Banff National Park

Lake Louise, Banff National Park

Bow Lake, Banff National Park

Hike to Troll Falls, Kananaskis

Columbia Icefield Adventure

The Ice Explorer (used to travel to the Athabasca glacier)

On the Athabasca glacier at 2300m

British Columbia

Whistler National Park, BC

Drive to Rocky Mountains

Peak to Peak Gondola at Whistler, BC

In the gondola with Japsovin

Whistler glacier seen from the gondola

But for the efforts made by Kishore and Sukhi I could not have covered so much in 10 days. The only tip I can give is to choose the time of the year such that summer vacation is avoided due to tourists and limited parking facilities. Fall or autumn would be ideal.

Nature in all its splendour is best experienced in Alberta and British Columbia.