Today, I have lost a great boss, colleague, mentor, counsellor and superior. Rahul Roy was all of that to me. But above all, he was a great friend. Tomorrow’s newspapers will most likely carry memoirs about Rahul, the professional accountant. But this is about Rahul the person.
In the last couple of years that I’ve worked and interacted closely with him, I’ve come to learn a lot, not just about work and technical aspects, but what it means to be “well read”. His interests varied from accounting and auditing, to science fiction; from contemporary thriller fiction to poetry of the English Romantics; from debating to the latest Bollywood blockbuster movies; from linguistics and literature to diverse culinary and epicurean experiences. And any conversation with this great man meant that one would hear no less than three of these topics mentioned.
A self-confessed slave to perfection, Rahul would never employ short-cuts; yet, he was the kind of man who used to write instant SMS poetry on his way to office. His laconic, pithy one-line emails, almost always cynical yet comic, always stood out amidst the plethora of verbal diarrhoea one got to read otherwise.
In the last few months, he realised that he was behind in the digital age, and so activated a Facebook profile and two blogs – one professional (www.proandanti.blogspot.com) and one personal, which he meant to use as a forum to express his tangential streak but sadly, never ever got down to doing so. As his “Boswell”, it wasn’t uncommon for me to receive requests to update his professional blog at strange times of the day.
In many ways, Rahul was an anachronism. The right man caught in a wrong age. If his thoughts and words seemed esoteric, it was only because the rest of the world was still too young to understand. It was a privilege to learn just about anything from Rahul, that tremendous storehouse and font of all relevant and sometimes obscure knowledge!
I’m told that many years back, in response to a question on why he wanted to become President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, he is said to have remarked in his typical fashion, “As the youngest president, the law of nature decrees that I would be the longest surviving past president”. That, in a line, was Rahul Roy.
If only he could have read this tribute, I know exactly what he would have said: “We are not amused”. Majestic plural in true Queen Victoria style!
R.I.P, Rahul.
And does his remark on being the longest surviving past president hold true anymore? Just goes to show how unexpected and how unfair his demise is....
ReplyDeleteYou realise the greatness of a man...when an unknown stranger bows down in respect to such a man...even if he has never met him in his life.Rahul was one such man
ReplyDeleteIts a distressing moment and he's left us all feeling a deep sense of loss....very aptly said .....a man of myriad tastes....impeccable sense of timing.......will be remembered by all whose life he touched during his life which was cut short by his untimely demise. It was previlege to have had the opportunity to observe and learn from him. One of the greatest "leader" of men that I have come across. He will always remain in our hearts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteI had the honor and the pleasure to know and work with Mr Roy when I started my career as an intern at Ernst & Young. He was a man I have immense respect for. Even at the most stressful times, he always had a smile on his face and was never short of encouraging words. He was one man I could count on upon times of need. May his soul rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteLike all people connected with him I too shared an excellent relationship with him and sitting just 10 feet away from the place where he sat. Mr. Roy and I like so many others were great fans of Shakespeare particularly Julies Caesar and at times our conversation were just couplets from Shakespeare. I will never forget the time when he and I in the same breadth read out the famous speech of - Friends Roman countryrmen.
ReplyDeleteContinuing this association with him I will end by quoting again from Julius Caesar
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mix'd in him
that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world
'This was a man!'
I hope he is there somewhere and my voice reaching him to say Sir our association continues.
RIP, RR
ReplyDelete