Got to know Chad due to professional reasons – back in October 2021. I don’t think I got to meet him for another 6 months. Was great to catch up with him in San Diego over a drink and dinner.

Interestingly, found out that one of my penpals live close to them in Melbourne!!!

by the Chalupa group

Rajat-da and I went to IIT together. He was two years senior to me and my student counsellor. We spent a lot of time together in the soccer fields. In fact, we both played for our college in the inter-IIT meet in Kharagpur in 1986. He was a wizard in table tennis (ping pong) and still is. And still as crazy as ever when it comes to soccer (especially the Euro leagues).

After not having seen him since 1987, I got a chance to meet him in Bay Area a little over six years back. It was a hurried meet (I had just flown in from DC and he had to drive from San Jose to meet near SFO).

And then today, we had a very relaxing meet! I got to meet his family – Anindita-di, Rohit and Ankit. We had a long brunch and caught up on a lot of stuff – past and present. Not least of which was the staple diet of dad jokes! (or as we called in IIT – “PJ”s !!)

Some of the original leaders based out of Chicago when Riverside Insights was formed. We missed Celeste and Dan who has moved out of Chicago, Deval who was enjoying herself in Jamaica and Doug who is unfortunately down with Covid.

Well, if you insist on counting, Rajshekhar and Viji have been Dallas friends, Atlanta friends and Mumbai friends!

Most of the year I do a lot of math. And then once a year I go to Trinity School for their art show to get a bit of culture injected into me. Actually, it is more the free wine than any culture.

It was delightful to see our Midwick neighbors – Andrea, Diane, Heida and Gail show up there. And then my good friend of nearly 15 years – Hunt and his wife Mary-Elizabeth!!

Check out my name tag!!

That was a nice evening with Vijay celebrating his professional successes!!