Testimonial from Kamakshi (English Teacher)

Dear Class of '99 and my beloved HL class in that Class, parents of Neeraj, Nicola:

Neeraj smiled. He never stopped smiling. That's what first comes to mind when I think of Neeraj.

I remember him in his yellow costume, prancing on the stage in his Junior year class production of The Scarlet Pimpernel. He could be goofy, couldn't he? He made everyone laugh and he knew to take a joke.

He loved a poem by William Blake. He loved to talk about "Tyger, tyger, burning bright..." He read all sorts of things. He enjoyed humor. He was one of the first to use ICQ to stay in touch with me, a mere teacher, after he graduated from KIS and went off to college in the US. What's more, Neeraj always found a way to talk to me on the phone whenever I visited the USA... and we had planned to meet the next time I was going to visit.

Neeraj was a regular visitor to my little cottage at Kodai. He got to know my mother quite well and called her Nani (grandma). Once he dropped by to chomp through a stick of sugarcane and stood in awed wonder that Nani had strong enough teeth to chew sugarcane in his company. You can imagine the look on his face, I am sure. He was so expressive and so spontaneous that he just easily became a part of your life.

Neeraj wanted to succeed. He worked to earn everything he got. He had energy. He had brains. He had friends. He had family.

Neeraj was dear to me. I have great difficulty absorbing the fact that Neeraj is no more.

Neeraj, I will forever carry in my heart the brightness you brought into my life. Thank you for having been my friend.

Kamakshi (Teacher and friend of Neeraj)

Testimonial from Ajay Ahuja (Friend)

I would like to add few words for that bubbly character called Neeraj. I met Neeraj only for few hours at your engagement party in July. In the short time that I got to spend with him he established himself as the life of the party. We had some really good moments after the engagement party when we were trying to pull his leg and play pranks on him and he was very sporty about the whole thing. All I can say is he was a really a wacky and nice character. He will definitely be missed by all of us.

I hope he gets peace and solace in heaven and God give strength and courage to his family and friends to overcome this shocking news.

AJ

Testimonial from Seema (Mathur) Chandrasekaran (Kodai Class of 95)

The first memory I have of Neeraj is of this little stick of a boy, short, timid, shy walking along the corridors of KIS. I never thought then that I would get the chance to see him grow into the wonderful, sweet, and generous man he became. I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked with him over the years but the times when we did meet, always stand out in my memory. He was one person that always left his mark on the room, no matter where he went. Of Neeraj, I can only say this - there will never be another one like him. He was unique, and loving and genuine, in a world where duplicity and conformity rule.

He truly was a part of our family. Without him, Priya's engagement would not have been as successful as it was. The few days that he stayed over at my place are unforgettable. He made every moment extraordinary. From his bizarre comments to his comedic antics - running around the house half naked trying to tie his tie - he was invaluable to the occassion and especially to me. He was the brother that we never had.

Here's to you Neeraj .. wherever you are. Thank you for everything. And know this - you are very very loved...and you will be very very missed.

Seema Chandrasekaran.

Testimonial from Priya Mathur (Friend)

Neeraj and I were in Kodai together after which I followed him to Texas to cramp his style in a whole new way. After recommending I take Human Sexuality to cover my science credits, he went on to introduce me to Austin, Texas and the true meaning of "bleeding burnt orange" as only a true longhorn could! He then left me to fend for myself by moving to Charlotte - but never more than a blue-tooth headset enabled 3 hour conversation away. We'd talk for hours while he and I both drove from point A to point B but we always stayed in touch. Somewhere along the line of sharing bidis, to fixing my flat tire, to showing off with pictures of Nikola, he found a burrow in my heart and mind which will forever be his place. He signed and sealed a lifetime of memories with his unequivocally show-stopping presence at my engagement where he touched the lives of people he'd met albeit for 3 hours.

He made my engagement a success. He was without a shadow of a doubt - the life of the party. His random outbursts of impropriety made him the subject of discussion throughout the weekend and one and all left that weekend knowing who Neeraj was! He started with the unforgetable words, "turtle sodomy" and charged on with running around my sister's house shirt-less trying to tie a tie using www.tieatie. com! He regaled us with his views on "nipple leakage" and offered his hand up to kaushik and my family and friends as a fledgling "porn star". Suffice it to say everyone present was talking about him weeks after the event.

Now that's the Dose effect. I have loved him, will love him and will keep him with me as my silent (but oh so opinionated) partner in crime through many lifetimes to come.

To close - here's a few lines (though cheesy!) from a Bond movie song - that I am giving to Dose - "Nobody does it better, makes you feel sad for the rest. Nobody does it half as good as you... baby you're the best!" Love you always my friend, my mentor, my Dose.