Today, when people laud me for being a wonderful human being with excellent virtues, I look teary-eyed at your smiling photograph on the wall. Whatever I am today is because of you. You identified my qualities when I could not see any. You saw my penchant for writing and prodded me to do what my heart guided me to do, way before anybody else could.

The world was blessed with your presence on this day in the year 1947. My grandparents named you “Swadesh” since you represented the initiation of a free country ready to grow and evolve. You faced challenges that anybody else would have shattered by. However, you were you. You took everything in your stride and came out stronger from every hiccup in life.

Absolutely true to your name, you continued to grow and develop into an exceptional human. Maybe I never told you when you were among us, but I am so proud to be born your daughter and pray to be brought into the world from you, for births to come.

Everything that I know today, I owe it to you. Willingly, you gave up on your dreams so that it does not compromise our upbringing. You smiled through your pains. You always gave the message of life, whatever phases of struggles you went through. I am a stronger, abler mother, all thanks to the infinite strength that you blessed me with.

Though you are not anymore amongst us, and we will miss you till the end of our life, the treasure of learning and advice that you left behind will suffice us for this lifetime. Adding your favorite Bollywood songs as a tribute to the most wonderful human being I was blessed to be around for so many years in my life. Stay happy in whichever form you are now.

Hari Hari Vasundhara

This song, from the movie “Boond jo ban gayi moti”, was sung by the legendary singer “Mukesh”. The song depicts the beauty of mother nature using the most captivating lyrics. The movie also gave a message that an exceptional teacher can make learning fun and meaningful as nobody else can, what you always did as the most doting Science teacher, through a significant part of your life. You made Science fun for thousands of your students. Enjoy this song wherever you are in this universe. I don’t mourn your death. I celebrate your life.