Tribute

For our family, Ruby buaji was a woman of strength, love and an epitome of will power. I vividly remember her visits to our house in Delhi and how we would wait by the window for her car to arrive.

How excited we used to be and how mama would make Kadhi Chawal on Ruby buaji's request. There was so much to talk about and so much love.

I remember our visits to Siddhartha Extention and New Friend's colony on weekend family gatherings and how I admired ruby buaji's style, her independence and all that she believed in.

She was suffering from leukemia and could anyone tell? NEVER. She was a strong willed woman, who never let her illness take over her. She always wore her bright and beautiful smile and her strength and will power kept her going.

Today, as we remember her on her birthday, I wanted to share the impact that she has left behind, not only on her family but also her friends around the globe.

I came across this writeup on one of Ruby Buaji's friend's (Priya Jain) FB page. It showed up on my newsfeed as Raj uncle was tagged and it got my attention as I saw Seema Singh mentioned. I was touched beyond words and so proud. Now is fitting moment to share it with you all.

I am glad to read that bone marrow registeries are being set up and being thought about. But a lot of work still needs to be done to create awareness.

About 12 - 13 years ago we lost a dear friend Seema Singh Chauhan because there was no registry in India. No family member was a match for her. Although many friends came forward to be tested, it was refused by the hospitals because this was then against the law. Seema was a very talented trainer who had worked on adolescent health and the girl child, as a member of Prerana, an organisation that was the first to take up this issue. Her work on a manual on adolescent health was used in many countries. A great loss to her many friends and colleagues...

On a personal note. I joined Prerana in 1987 just months after she had. As we became friends i discovered she had cancer and she got to hear about my epilepsy. We had not disclosed these facts to our colleagues in Prerana but soon we felt we should. Even as we feared how they might respond. But we were struggling with our health issues and it did not seem fair to conceal these. The support we got from everyone in Prerana was amazing. They became more than friends, and more like a family.

Seema is the one who pushed me to speak up in public about issues for people with epilepsy at a conference in 1989. She helped me think through and write the project proposal that took me to work in Belfast. She was a great friend, always cheerful and looking at the positive. We miss her.

This was the article that was shared: http://scroll.in/article/741410/treating-cancer-why-is-it-difficult-to-find-donors-for-bone-marrow-transplants-in-india

Buaji, you live long in our hearts and in the hearts of all your friends whose lives you have touched across the world. We love you and admire you for all that you have done.

Happy Birthday. We miss you dearly.

Warm Hug.

Happy Birthday, Papa ji!

Dear papa ji, happy birthday! Remembering you today and walking down the memory lane.

Often times, Sumit and I talk and share with each other how fortunate we have been to have you and mama as our grandparents. We consider ourselves really blessed.

The love, affection and the values you taught us are our inheritance and we hope we can preserve them and do a good job of passing them along.

I remember how you used to say that I had holes in my hands as I would drop things so often and I would smile. Also, remembering how you used to call me "Gudiya" and the way you said it, instantly told me that you needed water and I would ask, "papa ji, paani?"

Remembering, the pink ink, felt pen, I once gifted you on your birthday and the jokes you wrote with it from Reader's Digest. The image of the large collection of diaries written by you, lined on our dining table, is right in front of my eyes.

When Billy Joel played the mouth organ, when I was at his concert, two night back, I recalled, the mouth organ, you got for us (Sumit and me) and how you would play it for us sometimes too. How you wanted to learn a musical instrument; the Violin, and you went looking for one in the musical instruments shop at Ghanta Ghar.

The shadow hand puppets you made for us when the power was out.

Remembering it all and tearing up as I write this today.

Papa ji, I love you and miss you so much. I hope you are happy and are blessing us from above.

Tight Hug,
Gudiya