Malik Sir

It's hard for me to come down to it and write - I've been trying for sometime now but somehow have been evading it. Don't know where to start and where to end but I guess the best way is to just go about it.

I met Mr. Sanjiv Malik (Malik sir) in year 2007 regarding his requirement of air-conditioners in his upcoming house in Sector 27 Chandigarh. For a twenty six year old me, Malik sir was true as a senior and in course of time we became friends.

A pass out from IIT Delhi and Stanford University, Malik sir was extremely well read and upto date on happenings around - for me he was a sea of knowledge and wisdom from which he never hesitated to share. I needed a guide, a mentor in my life and life gifted me Malik sir. Seventeen years of life we shared among ourselves and it's hard to comprehend the journey it has been - from where I was when I met him and where I am today. There is not one close associate of mine who has not heard of his name from my mouth - for invariably some topic would come, where the fundamental of it all I would have discussed with him. His doors were always open for me - I’ll just call and go with no defined timeline of length of meet.

I cannot believe that I would be writing what I am writing - he’s gone. A man who left indelible print on my personality - a man who guided me just right - a man who taught me what intelligence is - a man who was my quasi father.

Excited like a youngster he would get on hearing my travel tales and would keenly inquire on route details and the know how. He travelled Leh/Spiti in bus when people did not even have a notion of these places as ones to visit. Then his gypsy travels through the region and his vivid memory of the taste of mutton cooked for hours in that guest house - oh that smile on his face. Always encouraging me to be me and not give two hoots to the noise, I could share and I could learn from him.

Seventeen years is just too long and I don't think I can do justice with words. Despite your raging battle with cancer for 5 years, I never saw you down and defeated - I saw Chardi Kla right there sitting in front of me. You would say you would go down fighting (and you remained true to your word), live everyday to the full and end it by saying BAAKI DEKHI JAEGI..

Thank you for sharing time with me Malik sir - fare well, for I know you are in a happy place.