“Doctors treat the disease in the body. Nurses administer the treatment to the body and mind. But when nothing works, it is the Ayah that keeps body, mind and soul together.” As I walked in for my first day at medical college, I read this quote as I entered the premises. The grave of a … Read more
“Can you tell me what’s in this envelope?” Shashi Godbole asked Judith. Shashi had come straight from the airport to her office. She had returned from a business trip to China. “Open it and see, Shashi,” Judith said. She took the envelope from Shashi and tried to open it. “No..no..no – don’t open it. It’s … Read more
He had expected chants of “Rango, Rango,” reverberate the auditorium. Sarang Gore walked up to the dais to receive the distinguished alumnus award. But all he heard, instead, was pin-drop, eerie silence. Their reunion had less than ten people, all in their fifties, from the class of thirty. Sarang Gore was the most successful alumnus … Read more
At about 4 PM while sipping his tea, Appa More called his friend Bapu Nadkarni on his mobile, but he did not pick it up. Fifteen minutes later, Appa’s phone rang. It was Arnav, the grandson of his friend Bapu. “Hello Arnav, how are you? I was trying to reach your grandfather some time back,” … Read more
Memories don’t die. Her hands trembled when she got off the train at her hometown. It was four years since she had left her home wailing in the arms of her mother to start a new life. She had promised herself that she will never return. But her father’s sudden terminal illness had left her … Read more
It had been almost six months now that Kirthana had been bedridden. It had been six months since her husband Karthik had been her caregiver. “Another silent day, another silent night. What a useless life!” the thirty something Karthik said to himself. Kirthana tried to move her left hand and leg but her best efforts … Read more
In Varanasi, Pappu Pandey gazed at his dear friend Lalu Mishra’s dead body on the pyre. He stood next to Lalu’s son Pratap waiting for proceedings to begin. He was at a makeshift crematorium ghat next to the main one at Manikarnika. It was for people who had passed away due to the lethal pandemic … Read more
Pardy and Siddy stepped out of their classroom giving each other a thumbs up and a high five. The smiles on their faces were brighter than the warm afternoon sun. The spring in their step was proof of the glowing confidence that radiated that they had got all the answers right. This was their English … Read more
The Academy of the Heart and Mind first published this story “My Friend Vishal” in their issue in May 2021. This is a story narrated in first person of a man and his relationship with a close but not-so-close friend Vishal over the years. You can also read it at the website of the Magazine … Read more