...Possibly 102/120marks in Medical Dental Admission Test of 1984, Gautam was tied with me holding a rank of 36 & I the 38th, this was enough in 1984 for a smooth sail into the Coveted haloed Patna Medical College & thus began our long journey of friendship .He was the first batch of Bihar Inter Council of 1983 & I the last Isc. batch of Patna university of 1982; one year junior to me in Science College Patna , he drew level at the entrance , with a deft rightfooter , the striker that he was in football...he was good at it , represented our Class & a sprightly , active , much in contrast to his Chubby persona ....fondly 'Baba' to us as he donned the fmly title of Pandey ...Rd no.13 D , Rajendra nagar, Patna and subsequently 40 F Saidpur medical hostel were our common address at least for a couple of years where a quartet of frnds that of Anindya, Pankaj , Gautam and myself shared a tiny accomodation ...we studied on our respective beds as there was shortage of space , as proper hostel allotment was still not obtained...as we grappled with Gray's Anatomy , Baba would discuss animatedly and at the opportune moment could be seen napping behind a heap of books and Cadaver bones which were strewn over our beds for academics , a half cut skull serving as the ash tray ....we all used to huff and puff our way to the college a full 3 km away ....We had our bicycles ....these bicycles took us to movie theatres of Patna , with host many class mates of difft floors in the sprawling Medical hostel, we wud return at midnite post a nite show on these " Shaan ki Sawari ", Baba was ever enthusistic for such a trip ....in as much we made it to Rajgir, on these, 102 km frm Patna on a blood donation awareness campaign of the Mountaineering & Allied activities society Of PMCH ....thus generating a bond, for the gruelling years of studentship & training to come .
That Baba had a loving family , we experienced first hand on a trip to Dhanbad his hometown where he took us as invitees to his Sister's marriage ...His father was a Sr. Permanent way engineer in E . Rly ,& his Mamajees were very well to do, as Contractors in the Coal belt with varied business interest,and he being the " Ankhon ka Tara Bhanja " , pampered to the tee.. in that we were accorded a lavish accomodation for our stay there , participating in the marriage and getting acquainted to his fmly...It was a memorable event as GORA (his pet name)pulled all stops to ensure that we had maximum fun ....!!!!...Cherished is that Memory ...!!!
...thus began a long association of camaraderie in many acts of Omissions & Commissions , in that we organised surreptitiously an exclusive trip to Kakolat Waterfalls with a section of our female class mates...& with a far reaching consequences of an upheaval later on in the 125 strong class, when it was discovered...that is another story ...Baba was a part and parcel of what I did and a few of our illustrious partners , all hand in Glove ....whom I so fondly remember now ....Anindya Gupta , Pankaj Jha , Soubhik Roy , Kunal Hazari , Sanjay Kumar ,Nawneet Sinha , Anupam lal, Nirmal sultania , Anand Makharia our Guru , and a host many of us....
Baba parted company for a Boys Old hostel seat in the campus only to reunite later in The newly Built hostel for final prof stds & later on to Doctor's hostel 7 & 2 all in the campus where we relocated .
Umpteenth time we wud visit the Chaiwali at our hostel doorsteps sipping tea ...
Always presenting a bored expression of a Non Existing Fatigue, followed by peels of laughter whn we struck the right cord , never in want was our company ...
As He finally bid adieu last week , I remembered having chatted with him recently on my Madhupur trips , wherein he wud express a desire to meet , even a programme by rd frm Dhanbad was on the anvil only to be scuttled for the heat wave thn prevailing ....That Madhupur trip never materialised , and that will never now , now that he is not around ...The CMS of Loyabad , BCCL , my close associate is no more...a Void Unfathomable, a Loss Irreparable ...!!!!...Rest in peace, Baba , my dear friend Gautam ...
