Upendra – A Towering Personality

                          By . Prof. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra

    Upendra, a reliable all-weather friend, that is well realized by all of us, MKCG 1970 batch. The fact was evident from our online discussion on 23rd evening, when over 20 to 25 of our friends expressed their feelings, emotion and conceded opinion about “Upendra”. Baring a patch from 1976 till 1984 or so I was in constant touch with him, may be one of the friend who visited DII- 29 quarter at East Kidwai, Nagar, Half way between AIIMS and INA market. Most of the time me and my wife walked in evening to INA market and dropped in Upendra’s house. He also used to come to our house be it D2, CII or CI where I spent over 25 years. Whenever he came to AIIMS main campus, he used to park his car in from of my house of garage and finish his work and drop in my house. My wife was very much free with him. 

     His laughing face, simplicity and honesty in expressing his views had impressed us, and what was most remarkable his stable, balanced mind, which never expressed his distress and tension to anyone. That is how he could, manage Jaggan and yet could do best for him taking him too many countries when he visited. 

     I learned many things from him. His management skill, his planning and dealing with human being be friend, Junior or Senior, was unparallel. It is sad that he is taken always from all of us, more sadly, death of Jaggan. It looks they were father and son, they were like two sides of a coin; one survival was impossible without another, the souls speak to each other and wanted to depart together to heavenly abode. I sincerely believe he will be with us forever