Note for a Friend on her Retirement

Dr. Krishnaja A.P. 8th March 2014

Note for a Friend on her Retirement.

Yesterday evening Bina phoned to ask me whether I could attend her Farewell function. I would have loved to. But pressing circumstances decided otherwise. It was then I decided I could still be a part of my dear friends important milestone in life by penning down a few of my thoughts. Bina and I met almost thirty years ago at my uncles place in Ghatkopar in 1983. In fact she was just married. Dilip and she came unannounced on a late evening. Those days I was working at BARC Biomedical Group as a CSIR Pool Officer. It was Prof. M.S. Rege who had told her to meet me. She was planning to join BARC as a UGC Research Associate. She also had an offer to join SIES for teaching. She wanted to know more about BARC as a work place as well as discuss the pros and corns of the two different streams, teaching vs research. I must say I took an instant liking to her. What struck me was that she was simple, straightforward without any pretensions and very much interested in research. Once she joined BARC we became more close, got to know each other better and found we had much in common. We became close friends and continued to share the ups and downs in each others lives. Bina did not continue in BARC, went back to teaching. Perhaps destiny had other plans for her as an institution builder, a task she seems to have accomplished with great flair, in spite of intermittent personal and professional bottlenecks. Her hard work, dedication, patience and persistence have finally paid off. Today GNCASC speaks for itself. It can also be felt from the reluctance of management to relieve her. They couldn't have picked a better person! I am sure she was indeed the guiding force, an invaluable asset to the team, qualified, reliable, trustful, understanding, and a committed motivator. Her friendliness, open-hearted personality and good nature must have helped to tide over many difficult situations during this difficult growth period. No doubt Bina, you had touched many lives and had a very positive influence on the careers of many students. But I am most happy that like many women in science, somehow amid the hubbub of family life, you found a way to balance the often-competing demands of work and home. I thought I should also mention a trait of Binas which I am sure must have put her in tight corners and might have been a cause of misunderstandings. Bina can be quite forgetful at times. I remember an incident wherein she had asked Dilip to meet her at BARC Hospital bus stop, but she went ahead and got down at Dadar stop. The funniest part was she remembered it much much later. The ending Dilip only can tell

Certainly this is a turning point in your life. I know you are looking forward to it, eagerly waiting to explore more horizons. Dear Bina, I treasure your friendship and thank you for inviting me. I take this memorable opportunity to wish you the very best in all your future endeavors. I hope you now find time to pursue what you desire and what you hold close to your heart. As Betty Sullivan said, There is a whole new kind of life ahead, full of experiences just waiting to happen. Some call it "retirement." I call it bliss. (This note was for Dr. Bina, Principal of a Mumbai college, on her retirement and the farewell function held on 1-3-14.)