Lalitha Vaidyanathan: The Many Facets of Annapoorna

Shifting to a new city brings it\’s own set of challenges. But when you are young and single living out of a suitcase is easy. A child\’s play if you continue to manage this with wife, kids the works. When Ranvijay Yadav and I were transferred from Delhi to Mumbai, I had no clue it eventually would become my karmabhoomi.

Soon after landing it was Hiral Vora\’s mother who treated us to awesome breakfast at her place. Hiral’s mother passed away recently and I will always have fond memory of her treating us to lip smacking Gujarati food.

The PTI guesthouse in Chembur was a two bedroom setup. With neither Ranvijay nor me remotely interested in cooking the kitchen was of no use. Or so we thought till we met our colleague Lalitha Vaidyanathan who had other plans.

She gave us her utensils and electric rice cooker to atleast cook something in case of emergency. We used them for couple of years when Samod Sarngan, Rahul Tawade and gang arrived. I will save the kitchen tales for some other day.

A science reporter of repute, Lalitha would always always have something to eat for the team members. The fluffy idlis won hands down. I don\’t remember how many times we had her tiffin while she ate something else.

When my younger sister Yashasvita was diagnosed with cancer in 2007, I had just started my second stint with PTI and I asked her for help. Lalitha not only ensured that no one less than the then Tata Memorial Hospital director Dr Dinshaw examined my sister but she also chased them for the report as it was a complicated case with my sister in advanced stage of pregnancy. So much so that when we visited hospital again the doctors requested to please ask Lalitha not to call the director for reports.

Though I am much junior to her, over the years we have become friends and we start from where we left last time. Lalitha would be after my life to write stories and I would promise but forget about it the moment she left.

Today as she celebrates her birthday, I thought what better way to wish her other than writing about her. She has so many inspiring stories to share and she still continues to be keen learner.

Many happy returns of the day doc.