Meeting East-West Gang

Got a wonderful opportunity to catch up with my school buddies, most of whom I last saw in 1992.

Arun Kandibilla organised a last-minute invite to the WhatsApp group asking everyone to come and review his new restaurant, the WOK-MONK about to open, in Jayanagar.

It was surreal seeing the guys all after over 27 years. Arun / Harsha / Pradeep are still in touch with each other for the longest time. Living and working close, and with each other as well.

I met with Nitin and Rohan, who looked like they hadn’t left school at all. Nitin runs an Agri-products manufacturing unit near Tumkur, while Rohan was back into his family business of Textiles and Silk in chickpet, after a stint in the USA for 11 years!

Arun, runs a hotel and is also a civil contractor work for the railways.

Harsha is a top-notch architect, and also heads “Pramukh” builders, amongst other businesses

Sumanth, is a doctor, coming up with an 85-bed hospital on KR road.

Ishwar Mannay, Is the DEAN of BNMIT Engineering college, and a superb wildlife photographer.

Atishri, a Principal at Mahila Seva Samaj in Basavanagudi. (She was the only one I didn’t remember. Turns out she joined in 9th and I left in 6th. Another coincidence .. She’s Zubin’s school friend from her days in Home-school!)

Radhika Goel had lost a ton of weight and is helping her family get through some troubling times. She was quite jovial and belied the tensions she was facing. Her strength was inspiring, and I do hope she will be able to utilise the collective power of this group if she needs it!

Pradeep, Another builder, and I had invited and met him to a visitors Day event at BNI.

Kunal B Patel. My Bench mate. He had put on as much weight as I had over the years, but the bond, that spark still remained. He is now based out of Chennai, running a Factory that makes Washing machine tubs, and engine Cases, and also manages another unit that makes fasteners.

Sachin Suresh, one of the few that I meet/ hear about quite regularly in round table events, and we usually end up having mutual friends. Serial Entrepreneur, a VC, a builder.

Gokul and Parvez Both work as HR heads / VPs at software orients companies.

Vinod is Stockbroker, working out of the Bangalore Stock Exchange.

Praveen used to run a car accessories place, but closed that to open 2 breweries.

Brewmeister in Jayanagar belongs to him.

Refreshing to be able to sit across the table and exchange views and talk openly amongst friends I grew up.

We talked about all the old things, most remembered Rajshree, my house that was at Southend Road. And the parties we did for my birthday. Brought back loads of good memories.

This blog is just so I don’t forget these faces again, and the photos are lost in eternity.