It was just the other day Shreyoshi – we called her “Munu” – was this young little girl dancing on the Durga Puja stage with other youngsters – including our own daughters – in Dallas. And her little brother would cling on to her mom – Anindita all the time crying – while Anindita taught all these young girls how to dance on the stage.

And that Shreyoshi has grown up so much today. She was in Atlanta for a BCG project. And we were able to meet her before she headed out to the airport.

It was incredibly heartening to see how mature she has become. Very well articulated and very thoughtful in her answers. And her humility was striking.

Came back home and dug up some of the pictures I had of her from yesteryears!

Hope to see this young lady on the road more number of times and learn new things about how the next generation thinks.

… two had to be better.

I took leave from the very reluctant Gangulis and headed to the hotel. And then I remembered that it was somebody else’s birthday – Deval’s mom’s!

In the morning I had asked her to make sure she wished her mom on my behalf. And asked what were the celebration plans. She told me that they were going to Big Bowl.

So, there I was at Big Bowl, hoping to spot some Gujarati ladies. In about a minute I was right there at the table with Deval, her sister Krupal, her daughter Jessie and her mom (Shaku). I needed to at least say Thank you to her for unfailingly supplying me with Gujarati snacks and savories even now when I go to office. And of course, there are those LP records of her late husband!

I could not spend more than 5 minutes but it was thrilling to spring that surprise on her!!!