Down nostalgia lane

A meet up with a friend and colleague from twenty years back.

When Aditi called and said "Hey, I've just landed in Hyd, I have one evening free, can we catch up?". While I had visitors at home, and a whole bunch of things lined up, I heard myself saying "yes, we definitely could".

And we did....... and what's more, at one of my favouritest places.....JNIDB

It was a journey down nostalgia lane, in more ways than one. One was recalling some amazing stories from working together as a team, one that broke records at work, all of twenty years back. It's rarely that you'll get paired with someone who will match you wavelength by wavelength, be it in thought, energy, innovation, process, commitment.....and we just had all of that going for us. 

I remember being called the 'live wire team'. While I moved out of IDBI a long while back, she's stayed and grown, rung by rung, and is now Chief General Manager. It made me just so proud to see her there, rubbing shoulders with the EDs and CGMs. So so deserved. 

While our six years together was in Bangalore, another connect we discovered we both had is with JNIDB itself.  She was involved with it's creation on paper at Head Office, while I was involved with it's creation and and starting process here in Hyderabad. And we both have an equally strong attachment with it . 

It could be that which inspired us to walk around the campus, in the quiet of the evening, catching up with so many stories. And her saying "if ever IDBI sells JNIDB, I will resign". That's a whole different level of identification...such an emotionally intense statement, that it endeared me to her enough to create a forever moment.

Apart from the work angle, I have another nice story. Inspired by the architecture (it's a Charles Correa creation), and the widespread grounds, I'd told the then CGM that it would be lovely to have geese walking around the campus, and he'd said " if you can bring them, I'll keep them".

A casual thought that got fulfilled. One Sunday, I went to Charminar, bought six geese and drove them in the back seat of my car all the way to JNIDB. It's so deeply touching to see that they still have geese, though the ED now was quick to tell me "these are new, they may not be the ones you bought" :)

The driveway in

We did a lot of walking around, and came in for some chai and pakodas in between

A quadrangle within, where we've spent many a night singing and talking into early hours of the morning

In the room, Aditi was sweet enough to pose for me

Another picture

The geese pen

This was an absolute coup. I googled JNIDB to see if I'd get some other pictures of it's architecture, and was so blown to find this picture, one of the very few group pictures there........one from 1991, and with me in it (third from left)

@Aditi, is that you in green, not sure as this would be years before I'd known you....but if yes, this would be a mind blowing coincidence

Aditi, it was so wonderful meeting and catching up, and to your caption in the picture you sent saying "thanks for coming, I will treasure these moments", an absolute ditto ......so glad I came, and will treasure those moments as much, and more.