Chetan Patel, a dynamic, hardworking young guy in his late 20s, on the fast track to corporate success and greatly looking forward to his upcoming wedding in December, passed away today morning.
Who was Chetan Patel? Chetan was a part of ICICI Bank at the Nariman Point branch. Those of you who ever came across him would remember him as a vibrant, full-of-life guy who looked after his private banking customers with a devotion that made you want to rob the bank, steal Rs. 5,00,000 and put it in your account just to have him as your relationship manager. And he went out of his way to help anyone he could. His last promotion, which put him in the top leagues, came just a couple of months ago. This, combined with his upcoming wedding had him ecstatic and seemed the perfect validation that good guys do get everything they desire! So popular was he that his promotion had all the corporate big guns calling to congratulate him – not as part of their PR exercise, but just because he had that kind of impact on people where you wanted to wish him well!
I also did not know Chetan all that well - he was my father's relationship manager, but as I said, so infectious was his personality that you could not help but be drawn into his sphere! Even though I was not his customer, he always went out of his way to help me.
All this was till today morning, when Chetan became just another statistic in Bombay’s long monsoon drama. The sequence of events is unclear, but it seems that he was a casualty of the Bombay rains. He became part of the horror that descended upon thousands in the city….exposure to the elements, leading to what seemed to be a combination of malaria and influenza, and which later turned out to be dengue and then having to live through all the sickness without electricity and water. But there was never any indication that things would take this turn. In fact, just day before, he was telling my dad about all the piled up work he would have to tackle in office on Monday, when he would rejoin!
Never thought I would say this, but at this moment I hate the rains. They have wasted too many lives at one stroke. I cant stop thinking of his young fiance, whose world must be shattered. And his parents...when one person dies, so many others are ruined in his wake.
Dear Chetan, I know you will never read these words, but I still wanted to say this...you touched many, many lives and will always live on through them always! May your family have the courage to see them through this difficult time. I know they will never get over it, but maybe in time the pain shall become a little more bearable and they shall be able to look back on the good days and be thankful that they had you in their midst, even if for a few short years.
May your sould rest in peace.
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