The Life Coach
NCJPS Diaries, Chapter-5
A tribute.
As soon as he opened his lunchbox aromatic whiff of the delicacy prepared by his mother filled the air. In front laid two pranthas and delicious paneer ki sabzi - the perfect mix of spices, cottage cheese and tomatoes. The tempting dish was exclusively shared by two of us and later became synonym to my then benchmate - Pushp Lamba. We not only sat on the same desk and shared food but had lots of gupp-shupp in 6th class. I was a meticulous student but he was brilliant. All my books and copies were kept spick and span - not even an extra dot could be found on the notebooks. This practice was constant irritant for him and he used to persuade me- “Singh Sahab, thodi si copy gandi karo!” in his words. Yes, he was that mature at the tender age of 11 that sometimes he affectionately addressed me as Singh Sahab - a habit he followed throughout. Emulating him, he was Lamba Sahab or Lamba ji for me.
One fine day, at home, while doing homework I opened the last page of my copy. To my horror, there were leaves, flowers drawn all over with a note underneath- ‘thodi si copy gandi karo’. Before I could mitigate the damage, it caught the eye of my father. Tight slap was given first and opportunity to explain untidiness thereafter. I narrated that it was Pushp and not me and thus was let off after a little admonishment. Next day I countered him in school and sought an answer to mischief. With a smile he said - “Chalta hai Singh Sahab, thoda enjoy kiya karo”. Needless to say, such things are infectious and soon I too started making funny designs on the last pages of my notebook. It gave me a sense of freedom, a taste of happiness while moving away from the prescribed rules. After few more slapgates, my father also took the new found habit in his stride. The little boy taught me about a life beyond societal norms and showed that occasional venturing beyond them can be fun. That act of ‘thodi si copy gandi karo’ actually made me relax and realize that few dirty pages won’t break the hell loose - something which helped me to unwind in my later strict disciplined professional life.
On another day, while filling water bottles in water room, I spotted that zip of his trousers was open. I immediately pointed it out. Nonchalantly he stated that zipper was not coming up. Worried that how can our friend be left in such an embarrassing situation, I took him to the nearest toilet to check the fault. To my utter astonishment, the zipper was perfectly alright but the pull tab got tightly locked at bottom stop position which he was unable to resolve. I explained it to him and he happily pulled it up, thereby salvaging the day for him.
After that year, we parted ways. I went towards more outgoing, mischievous side and he towards studious, docile side. Still we kept exchanging notebooks for many classes to come. We physically met for the last time after 12th, outside SGTB Khalsa college in North campus, having a brief chat on Board results. His much better marks left me dejected. Sensing it, his parting advice was - “koi baat nahi Singh Sahab, life mein aage aur bahut mauke aayenge”. We lost touch thereafter.
21 years later… 08 Dec 2016
While sitting at a Godforsaken place in Pulwama I got a Whatsapp notification. It read ‘Sumit Phatela added you’ to Bachpan ke Dost group. Komal, our classmate had created a group and one by one we lost characters got connected again. Pushp was among them. Over a period of next 4 years we shared a lot - experiences, stories, reviews, books, feedback, advises, memories and what not. In his words - “I am a sucker for nostalgia” and our bond became stronger by the day. I discovered that not only he is still same happy go lucky guy but also genuinely a good, gentle human being. Respecting the privacy of his personal life, I won’t divulge any further details but will leave it with one comment- he was a wonderful father, a caring husband and an excellent son.
In pursuit of happiness and his endeavor to share it with others, he left the lectureship job at a college and pursued the desire to become a life coach. He completed his PhD in 2018 and thereafter became India’s first ICF Certified life coach in 2019. With this his dream to become a full time mentor came true as it was his passion to shape lives by guiding people towards right path. Without asking, he used to offer his services to anyone in need and organised regular webinars or ‘happinars’ as he loved to call them. I particularly attended almost all of them. Within one year, he created his own Website, App, You Tube channel and founded ‘One Percent Happy Within Community’. He was on the path of crowning glory and success when destiny halted his furtherance.
We lost him on 24 May 2021.
A fortnight before he breathed his last, we came to know about his Covid positive status. The group was filled with wishes for his speedy recovery. While recuperating too, he remained active and his last message in the group dated 12 May 2021 was to me, urging to continue with a game I was organizing - “Arre Singh Sahab, you HAVE to continue. Abhi down and out hai, but still following your interesting quizzes. Maza aata hai. And koi bhi jawaab de, its fun to read and participate.” He went off the radar thereafter. 2 days later and after numerous attempts to contact him, he responded on my personal window - “Not well, can’t talk”. Well I heaved a sigh of relief on receiving the reply, as my intuitions were making me restless. The very next day there was an intimation about him been shifted to ICU and put on oxygen support. Sudden development mystified many, not me. For, my uncanny feelings were giving ominous signals. Unable to reject the signs, I got on to the job of finding his whereabouts and well being. All possible leads were explored - from Virginia to Vimhans, from L-81 Kirti Nagar to the treating doctors. Without hassling the family, I made it a point to check on his vitals every single day and used to share and discuss them with our another classmate Dr Ankur Mittal. I obtained his blood reports of 22 May 2021 and showed them to Ankur. His vitals and blood reports seemed encouraging. On 23 May 2021, the long pending messages of the group were checked from Pushp’s mobile and I cheered up with the perspective of his come back. Little did I knew that this optimism will be short lived. Next day as a daily routine, I was about to check his vital parameters and was hopeful that the doctor will rattle out these positive words- ‘he has been shifted out of ICU’. My inclination was not entirely wrong- he indeed got shifted out of ICU at 0230pm on 24 May 2021. Life coach became lifeless. His soul met its creator.
The pain is overwhelming. Bloody chap, you could not even close the zipper of trousers and you silently took this big decision to move out forever. You should have told the angels of Heaven to go back. Or else could have sent me a telepathic signal and I would have fought and forced them to return with a warning - come some other day, my friend deserves to live and see his 5 year old daughter grow into a beautiful bride. I wish I could salvage the day one more time for you my friend. Keep spreading happiness wherever you are. I am sure Heaven has got enriched with your presence and there too you will be a mentor to many souls.
To my friends - “This story does not end with Pushp. Checking on well being of his family is our responsibility now. This is the least we can do for him.”
To Gods - “He loves butter chicken. I hope you will be kind enough to treat him with it once in a while.”
And to you Dr Pushp Lamba - “I am very annoyed with you for having left so early. Are you listening Lamba Sahab?”
