Murali

Today is a somber day for all of us in our office. Our beloved colleague Murali passed on last Friday, and we all attended his funeral today and shared our grief with his family and close friends.

The last time I met him was in his office a couple of months ago. He was going through an aggressive treatment (chemo, radiation, and surgery) for his cancer then. As always, he welcomed me with a big smile and shiny eyes. When I inquired him about his health, in spite of all his complications, he explained to me about the panel of surgeons working on his case in New York, his recent trip there, and the anatomy of his ailment in a very casual tone and light spirit. He spoke about his body just the way he would talk about his car. Being a big time Football fan, he casually changed the topic to Virginia Tech Football team! His level of detachment and zest for life has been a true inspiration for us all. He sure "lived" his life.

I am very happy that his Kannada friends and our colleagues have provided Murali and his family excellent support after he was admitted into critical care about three weeks ago. Especially, Jim and Maureen visited him once or twice every day. Jim used to go directly to the hospital from the office, and read News Papers and Books for Murali, as he was heavily sedated. Murali's team gathered every day for a prayer for his well being. Murali's magnetism has moved our whole office. I think some people are born to make others happy and Murali is definitely one of them. I am very fortunate that I was associated with such a great person, even though it was for a short period of time. May peace be with Murali and his family.