Travesty of Life: When Youth Died Young and Unsung

Good Bye Suresh,


Suresh is no more. He died in prime of his youth- both young and unsung. He remains in my heart. Suresh left for heavenly abode five days back but I came to knew only an hour back and yet to recover. In shock is the right expression. Death of Suresh was not worthy of front page, Page 3 or inner page of any local news paper, not even vernacular Marathi one, he was a native of Konkan village.
This obituary is to lessen my grief and guilt. I am not sure what killed Suresh. Doctors say it was brain tumor. Alas! He was here taking care of me and taking care of his family. I wonder did abject poverty killed him or lack of Medicare facility for the poor. He was to be here in Mumbai this week for treatment, which any case he or his family could not afford.

Suresh was unemployed for few months. And I feel guilt for that. He was not able to manage his family with his meager salary in any case and had not got customary wage increase last year. His health was deteriorating and stress level at work was increasing. He needed another helping hand in guest house, we were not able to provide, because we were on genuine serious cost optimization spree.

Due to double whammy of uncertainty of election last year and looming depression, all of us had gone for a salary freeze. Suresh too also was in the same boat except that his basic needs were more than his meager means. I carry the guilt- had promised to put forward his case for raise but in between he fell sick and went home. My last remembrance of him was crying with pain, in the guest house, he did not know his ailment then.

Suresh leaves behind in this world an ailing physically dependent mother who is very old, a young illiterate wife with no earning capacity and a four year old son. The bereaving family does not even know how to express its grief.

My bonding with Suresh was without bound- he was not the caretaker of our Mumbai guest house. For me he was my carer, it was his responsibility that I got my psychiatric medicines for Bipolar disorder in time, he knew my medicines and its exact dosage. When I would lie low (Mumbai had that effect on me) in frequent visits to Mumbai he would provide me relaxation by massaging. His countless cups of tea. His attuning his sleep to my erratic bipolar sleep deprivation, they r all missed. We will miss him as a family too, when we came for few days for a family wedding in 2008, Suresh became a part of family.
Before we started our guest house few years back Suresh was an office boy in our Mumbai office. The occasion I remember most  is when he worked by my side for 100 hours without break on a very important assignment that was the level of his devotion.
Suresh was loving and caring beyond his normal call of duty. He was a true service professional par excellence in a service company which prides on excellence> Suresh was a true Feedbacker. For me he was many things, am not finding words to express.

U will be missed Suresh for ever. But also will be in the heart. May God give Rest to the noble soul.


Love , peace and Amen