Memories of a budding and an accomplished golfer, but with a heavy heart.

Adarsh is no more. A terrible car accident took him away from us. He was barely 21 years old.

I remember him as Neil and from a very young age. His parents, Prabir and Mondira were our neighbors at Rishi Court in Bangkok. I would invariably see Neil at evenings on holidays playing all the sports which Kids play; cricket, soccer and so on depending on the season. He was a natural, his stance in cricket was very correct even at that young age and so it was with any game he played.

He was a friendly kid and quick to smile. I would get reports about him even after the family moved from Rishi Court. Mondira and Tara were colleagues at NIST from its inception in 1992. I would often hear from Tara that Neil excelled in any sport he took up and was very popular in school.

Later he started playing golf, probably because Prabir played golf. I clearly remember the time when Mondira told me with pride that Neil's handicap was a low single digit and that he was participating and doing well in junior amateur tournaments both in Thailand and in India.

I recall the first time I played with Col. Ramesh in Bangalore, as soon as he heard that I lived in Bangkok, he asked me if I knew one Mukherjee and added 'His son plays very good golf'! I said yes! It was indeed a small world. More important, both Mondira and Prabir were remembered as parents of a budding golfer!

Once after I started playing golf, I met Neil at his school NIST and I expressed my wish: 'Hope we can play a round of golf together.' He said 'Sure uncle.' and wanted to know whether I used a driver and how far I hit. Those were the days when I would just manage to cross hundred yards with my seven iron and embarrassingly the same with longer clubs and was very wayward with my woods. So I told him 'May be we could play later when I am a bit better!'

I feel terrible that this will never happen now. I am sure it would have been a great outing and a wonderful experience!

I am at a loss of words to express our anguish. We all have seen how strong and humane both Mondira and Prabir were as people and active as members of the community, school and elsewhere. We can only pray that God gives them and his sister Amrita and the family the strength to bear this indescribable loss.



These pictures are courtesy Webster University, Hua Hin, Thailand

Probably the last mention of Neil as a golfer.
http://www.phtnews.com/sport/golf/298-rotary-club-of-royal-hua-hin-charity-golf-tournament-a-success


Tributes from his close friends, borrowed from Face Book.
Akashay Agarwal God, I don't know why you do what you do. But when you do, you prove how small and powerless we humans are...Rest In Peace Adarsh, a friend, a fellow cricket player and a good human being!

My Indian brother

by Maximiliano Velasco Baratawidjaja on Friday, February 18, 2011 at 8:13am

Adarsh, my Indian brother, my friend, my companion, my family. I still find it hard to swallow the idea that you've gone from this world. I still wish to believe that you're there somewhere ready to pop up with that cheerful smile of yours and that joyful laugh.

But I know that is not the case. And I hate myself for knowing that.

You were our first friend my brother and I had there in Thailand, the first one to take us in, laugh with us, fight with us, and cry with us. You were truly a remarkable guy who simply loved life, you just loved it. Each day was a new adventure for you, each day a new challenge, each day an exploration. To you, there was no tomorrow or yesterday, it was now, how we were living now and sharing now.

Our lives, Diehan, Gerardo Alonso, you and me, were intertwined not just by city, not just by school, but by the bonds we chose to develop. By the trust we each put in each other, by the memories we created together, by the experiences we shared together, and by the way we chose to see the world together.

The days seem blank to me now, water is like sand. Just a month ago you took me in your house after 5 long years that we haven't met. What 5 years? To you it was just a mere 5 day interruption in our lives. You were that lively person that I knew back then, generous as we all can know, and caring beyond what many of us would be able to aspire to be. And now you have gone, to a better place I know, but those words are easier said than swallowed.

Adarsh, Neil, my Indian brother, I wish I could really express what I feel, but words fail me now. My mind is both blank and chaotic whenever I try to remember all that we've been through. I don't know whether to laugh and smile at all our memories or slump and cry knowing that none more can be made. I do know however, that you are a person who touched our lives, who touched my life. And I hope that one day I'll understand why you had to leave, because right now, I can't.

We love you man, and we will never forget you.

Your brother,

Maximiliano V.

Anuraag Agarwal Man this hurts me a lot!

Yesterday at 5:52pm

15 march 2011

I saw these two memorable clips on FB about Neil.
and have borrowed it for my blog. They are just wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVOn4uRyHx8

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=10150098170568683&comments