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)