Tribute to my friend Kamlesh Joshi, IAS, DC Tirap

What I say here is only an inadequate expression of what I carry in my heart. Words pale in the shadow of grief; they seem insufficient even to measure the loss of my dear friend Mr. Kamlesh Joshi, IAS, DC of Tirap, Arunachal Pradesh who left this world in a recent chopper crash on Aug 04, 2015.

Joshi was my classmate and a very close friend during my schooling in Dholpur Military School from 1994 to 1999. It is still hard to believe that I lost my friend with whom I spent five years together in the same school, same house and the same room with his bed mostly beside me or immediately opposite to me. Like everyone, I was also waiting for his miraculous escape till the last moment.

A brief summary of his life in the school and his achievements in the school & post school is already posted in the Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/georgians.abbcd/permalink/993659100654389/) & Georgians Alumni Magazine page (https://georgians.in/?p=941) by Ajit Bhaisaab. Everyone in the school knew JOSHI for his academic excellence, for his great oratory skills, for his great storytelling skills, for his great sense of humour and above all for his lively & always helping nature.

Today my heart feels heavy and my eyes fill with tears when I remember those old days. I always tried to compete with him in the academics. I always tried to be like him in the school. We were not great in sports but we participated together in most. We represented our house and our school together many times in Debate & Declamation competitions. And Joshi was always winner whenever he participated in any such competitions. I remember how we used to rehearse in Fresh Room area watching & helping each other practice for all such competitions.

It was always surprising for all our batch-mates that inspite of spending very less time in the class text books he used to score always high. I must say I used to feel jealous sometimes when I used to watch him studying and making notes for the higher classes. His shelf used to be full of Albert Einstein & Stephen Hawkings novels, World War Encyclopedias, other general Encyclopedias on various categories like History, Geography, Animals etc. He was someone who could speak on any topic on the earth. It was absolutely amazing how Joshi was able to do all.

Sometimes we are happy and content when we are assured that our loved & closed ones are happy & safe wherever they are. We did not meet again in person after school. We interacted few times on Orkut, Facebook and on phone sometimes. And I was always happy to know of Joshi’s achievements post school from my other batch-mates and through social media. And now I would always regret of not meeting him in person after school. I remember your words when we spoke to each other over phone six months back talking about married life, work and other funny things.

Attending to your last rites and meeting your family in Delhi was heart rendering my dear friend. And today I miss you alot. Because I have never come across any personality like you in person so far in my life. Because now I will never be able to meet the person who used to tell me the stories about Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawkings, Anne Frank, Hitler, World War and various other things. Because I read “Mein Kampf” and “Diaries of Anne Frank” because you told me about it at that time. Because I got to know about “Black Holes” because you told me about it. Because the memories of all those adventurous trips and school trips which we did together don’t fade away. Because I do not forget those moments when we used to run away from the school late night with some other friends, climbing on running trucks uphill to watch movie in Dholpur without school permission and come back walking for 10kms in moonlight. Because we shared the pain of House & School Ragda along with other batch mates. Because your acts and humours in class and dormitory are simply unforgettable. Because you always helped everyone whenever anyone came to you at any point of time, even an hour before examination when impulse used to be very high. Because I cannot forget whenever your father used to visit the house and used to tell “Tere ko khub mehnat karni hai. Tere ko khub bada aadmi banna hai”. You did it all my friend.

Loss of Kamlesh Joshi is not only the loss to his family members and his friends but the loss to the entire nation. Death of Kamlesh Joshi has for sure taught me one thing that life is just unpredictable and short. We get only one life. No matter whether it is short or long. We must do immediately what we want to do in life like our friend Joshi did. He made his choice inspite of multiple options available to him. Joshi would remain an inspiration for all our Georgians. We must do something good for which we should be remembered forever. Joshi was exceptional. He could have done a lot but destiny had some other plans for him. May his soul rest in peace. I pay my tribute to him.

From

SAMIR KUMAR (1813)

[https://www.facebook.com/samir.kumar.372661?fref=nf]

Kamlesh Joshi’s Friend, Classmate, Roomate
Dholpur Military School (1994-1999)