Heartfelt Tribute To A Nonagenarian With A Centurion Heart!

HEARTFELT TRIBUTE AND SHRADHANJALI TO A NONAGENARIAN WITH A CENTURION HEART! YOU WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IMMORTAL IN OUR HEARTS!

(LEFT US ALL ALONE AND WENT TO HIS HEAVENLY ABODE 12TH AUGUST 2019 AT 11.34 AM)

It is rarely that I get emotional unless when cowed down heavily by situations or events that bring you down to a level where your senses no more support you, your body falls limp, and your mind goes on a roller coaster ride to those days when your childhood whizzes past in your mind and you feel those days were better! Yes today is possibly one of those days, but I am at loss for words and in uncontrollable tears and choking, yet so happy to bring back with pride memories and heartfelt regards and respects to the person who is the only pivotal constructor of my life and what I am today. I may have never expressed this earlier to anyone but my heart swells with pride to do so today. 

Dinkar Ramrao Katre (Dinkar Maam to many) or our dear Bappa as I fondly called him is to me what I would call an epitome of selfless love, compassion, sacrifice, and above all an example of what determination, grit and integrity can make a person an idol to many in life as he is to me. I am sure there will be many who will vouch for this with their life as I do, but there are no words to describe the wonderful times I spent in my life with this Gem of a person. I have no qualms in admitting that unfortunately though I did not have the privilege and luxury of partaking the love of my own father, Bappa more than compensated, in fact showered me with the fatherly love, affection, care and upbringing which maybe many a fathers of today are not capable of doing. That is my biggest gift and wealth in life. Today my heart goes out to him in reverence and love in saying that you may be far away from us in but you have always remained and will remain in our hearts and minds for ever!

A man of simple tastes, down to earth, a strict disciplinarian yet above all a loving "Father" as I have always been privileged and fortunate to be soaking and basking in his love and affection all through my childhood, and until I could stand on my own feet and even today. What makes me remember him today is the value of the upbringing that he gave me and all of us which not only makes me proud of him, and myself , but the culture and traits that he inculcated in us which have made us strong enough to face the onslaught of this ruthless world today. It is this same culture and upbringing that I have carried on to my child and daughter Mansi Kate​ who is equally in awe of this her loved Grandfather or "Billi Billi Ajju" (soft-cheeked ajju) as she used to fondly call him as she has fond memories of meeting him many years ago and she always loves to fondly pinch and cuddle up to the soft cheeks of grandparents.

I could go on for hours on end writing about him but suffice to say at this moment, without allowing myself to get emotional,  is to express our deepest love and gratitude to him for all that he has been in my life. He has always put being of service to others and happiness of others before self, and faced life always with a smile on his face irrespective of what he may have been going through! Regret to admit that maybe our new generation is not able to do even a mere percentage of what he did and we too can do. For me he has and will always remain my silent Idol in life. Strong, caring, powerful, and always omnipresent in our hearts. If today I am able to even express a hint of my love and gratitude for him albeit without any specific reason I will feel blessed that I have at the least if not more to say and express "Bappa we love you and always will love you" - Tum jiyoge hajaro saal.....

Here are a few images I managed to save which will revive those fond memories about what we all feel about him and respect him for!

In fact It hurts further to imagine and soak in the Truth that we lost two of these amazing siblings within a period of 3 days . While our dearest Shantakka (Asha) Mundkur left us on the 9th of August 2019 - Dear Dinkar Bappa followed on 12th August 2019 - ॐ शान्ति, शान्ति, शान्ति 

Thank you for being the most wonderful part of our life! You will always remain an inspiration for all of us!