Bidding adieu to 2011
It was in December 1987 that we moved to Kochi from Trivandrum. I was then a dashing young blade and the branch manager of a nationalized bank in Ernakulum. I was also the father of a baby girl, who graduated in Architecture with honours from the University of Nottingham a fortnight ago. Along with Madhu, my bosom friend of 4 decades, we went to Taj Malabar hotel in Wellington Island to welcome the New Year. Those days, Indian Rupee was still strong, and was trading at Rs 14.80 per US Dollar. Good salaries were only in four digits and hence the New Year dinner at Taj was only Rs 250 per head. I remember that south Indian film star Kamal Hasan was there to welcome the New Year. English writer Jayasree Mishra (Remember, Ancient Promises ) known to us as Rani was there in resplendent dress and I remember that she won a prize for that on that night. Since then, much water has flowed under the bridges all over the country and the world. Ever...