He has always been the most precious one in our family, maybe because he is the youngest.
The youngest have this unique disposition of being the mother's favourite child and so automatically becomes the envy of the older siblings, and children can be really mean. They will get even by bullying, teasing and threatening the youngest one. Did we do all that? We, the older siblings? Of course we did, it is only normal to do so. The youngest one was always told, " there was a beggar on the streets of Nagpur who was saying, Is bacche ko koi le lo, and our parents took pity on you and brought you home."
So this youngest one was a book addict even before he knew his alphabets. Once when he may have been around three years old, he fell ill and was admitted to the Nursing Home at Ranchi. As he was recovering and was sitting up he would ask for the Punch & Judy book and turn the pages looking at the pictures. The Doctor had named him Pandit. His love for books remains to this day and I for one have never seen him without a book in his hand.
My mother pampered him so much that even as an eight year old he had a formal woolen suit stitched, which he wore in winter. The Doctor had advised that he should be protected in the winters from the chill, so till the age of twenty one it was made sure that he was warm and comfy, for which he was teased every year religiously by the two of us elder ones who were allowed to live free.
When we had gone to Khetri Copper mines, the family was going down a tunnel. Ujjwal allowed our father, Sunil and me to go down, but caught hold of the arm of our mother and said, "No mummy, you don't go, let all the others go." I don't think he saw an end to that teasing also. How we would tease a terrified possessive child!
His inquisitive nature made him want to become an inventor. He wanted to invent a remedy for getting rid of the horrible cockroaches. He would in all seriousness gather Vim, detergent, antiseptic medicine, phenyl and any thing else that he could think of, prepare a decoction and then try to kill the insect. I guess this project must have died a natural death, otherwise we sure had an inventor amidst us.
He has always been an extremely bright student. I remember we had gone to attend the Prize Distribution function of St. Xavier's School, Doranda, Ranchi. We were sitting in the hall, when Ujjwal's name was called for Best Student Award, before going up to the podium he thanked me. I was overwhelmed and bursting with pride. He said you taught me. He was hardly nine years old then. I am so so proud of this youngest brother of mine who has always been an exceptionally brilliant scholar. He has always raised the bar a notch higher for himself, St. Stephen's College Economics Honours, MBA from I. I. M. Ahmedabad, RBI Grade B, and then straight into the IAS. It is a well deserved achievement always. Our dad would have been an extremely proud father seeing him reach the heights that he has in his service.
I do not have to spell out that whatever department he worked in he has left a mark of excellence. He turned around loss making corporates into profit making ones. He is a wizard with the latest technology and keeps himself abreast of everything that happens in his organisations.
He is an extremely positive person who has a theory of positivity which he is spreading with his talks, speeches, classes and writing. He writes beautifully, his thought for the day is always brilliant.
Ujjwal has always been a devoted son. A loving and caring brother and pride of the whole family.
He is extremely sharp and quick in his observation, analysis and has clear thinking. He is an out and out family person who wants to fulfil the desire of every person in his family. He observes, thinks and acts without making it obvious and lo and behold your wish is fulfilled.
I wish every happiness to Ujjwal, Archana his very understanding and steadfast rock, his lovely three children Shayari, Prioska and Aadarsh.
On your birthday dear Utur Minar of our family I wish that all your wishes come true. May happiness always dwell with you. May all your desires be fulfilled.
