Umesh Umrani

I had a friend, while under training called Umrani... His unique feature was his almost omnipresent smile... it wasnt a half smile or partial smirk.... it was a happy full of joy 32 teeth smile ...... he always had the same joyful smiling disposition, whether he had just returned from a strenuous training session or was heading out for P.T. or was fighting to control the television remote....

He was a fantastic artist... I remember him coming to my room to see a pencil sketch of Marilyn Monroe done by my sweetheart.... He was sketching the same but in colour....

While training, we were almost 40 odd guys together, through thick and thin.. We came really diverse backgrounds and religions but were united by purpose and were a really happy band... One evening we came to know that there had been an accident and Umrani was involved.... The remaining 39 odd guys from couldnt have been more focussed in our prayers and united in our fears for the well being of our buddy....

By early morning our darkest fears had been confirmed... He was no more... The sketch he was doing wouldnt be completed by him.... it was for most of us the first brush with death, each of us dealing with the loss, alone in our cabins, in our own confused fashion, each one of us totally alone shattered, scared and traumatised, wondering if our life would ever be the same again... I know most of us went to the temple quietly in one and twos to say a fervent prayer for our friend.... we were however soon to realise that, however frequently one might encounter death, it still never seizes to shake the very foundation ones beliefs... All one learns is, to cover ones shock, camouflage one disbelief of how frail our existance really is.... Umrani was a real good guy.... May he RIP......

P.S. That sketch he had left partially completed was eventually finished by Upendra and gifted by us in memory of our buddy....