In memory of Sachin Baishya , My friend who died so young!

 As I struggled to write this tribute, I am  flooded with memories going all the way to the month of July of 2009.We took a  road trip from Dallas to Colorado with my  Dad who was visiting us from Assam , my wife Anjana  and daughters Anvi and Riddhi It was a long and winding road, a road that led me to a new relationship with a old school  friend with whom I had lost touch till we met again .We were attending a community meet  at the Assam convention and when I reached after 16 hours long driving, I felt exhausted. But as soon as I met Sachin I was filled with joy – his calm, collected and caring nature dispelled my fatigues, he  made me feel  rejuvenated, ready for the meet  and celebration.  

Sachin became a good host  driving us to picnics, sightseeing and restaurants. He was soft spoken and as I got into conversation, I realized he was one year senior to me in high school. His brother Phanindra was my classmate and we three studied in Nagaon Government Boys High School. As Sachin drove me around the picturesque Pikes Peak Mountain, we took a walk down memory lane, reliving our teenage days and our memories of our hometown Nagaon. His relatively high-pitched ‘Hai ne ki?’ (Is it?) and accompanying grins when we discussed things of common interest, are forever imprinted in my mind. At the convention there was delightful performances – a duet of Dr. Bhupen Hazarik – ‘Kohuwa bon mur oxanto mon’ by fun-loving brother-sister duo Rohan and Reema ( Sachin’s children ) followed by Hindi Songs by Surekha Baishya ( his wife ) who mesmerized the audience with her enchanting voice.  Sachin was blessed with a loving and talented family.

We stayed in touch with each other and in the year 2016, we visited Sachin and his family in their Colorado home. After completing college, he was selected to National Institute of Technology Surat , one of the premier institutes in India. After graduating in Electronics Engineering he came to the United States and worked for companies like IBM, McKesson , EMC and finally settled down as a Senior Infrastructure Engineer at Bank of the West in Colorado. We had wonderful few days stay with them and fond memories linger to this day. Surekha is trained in Hindustani Classical Music, and she is an accomplished signer in bhajans, ghazals and Hindi film songs. She has a great career in the medical facility. Sachin supported her whole heartedly. He also was an active and enthusiastic organizer and participant in all of the local Indian community festivities and I was a witness to one such event where he went out of his way to help organize a cultural family event for an Indian friend. The visit and holiday memories at their house are so special that thinking about them brings a smile to my face.

 I’ve met many people before and since, but Sachin gave me a sense that he truly cared about the people he interacted with. He was someone special and I’m glad to have been one of his childhood friend. I remained in touch with him getting updates about Rohan – Rohan graduated in Engineering in Computer science in honors followed by master’s and that he has started working. In the month of July, I called him to know if he would attend the Assam convention held in Texas last summer. Unknown to me that he was unwell. He never disclosed to me anything and when I received the sudden news of his demise a few days back I was in shock and heartbroken.

 While nothing can replace the loss  a husband and a father I would like to offer my deepest condolence and my sincere  support to  Surekha, Rohan and Reema  if they need any kind of help   to get through this difficult  phase of their  life.

Sachin , I will always remember you as a genuine, honest and sincere friend. While you parted from us at such an early age, we will always remember your smile and your jest for life. In midst of pain and sorrow, you saw only the beauty of life. Your qualities as a wonderful human being will forever inspire us. May your soul rest in peace.

 

                                                          Ankur Bora , Dallas , Texas , USA