Pall of Gloom

Madan Mohan Pushkarna is no more. A pall of gloom descended on the Club as Shekhawat broke the news this morning after the exercises. He had heard of it yesterday at a get-together of senior citizens in the adjacent Garden No 2. The cause of death is however, yet to be ascertained. But it is generally presumed that he had succumbed to age-related complications.
Better known as “Prabhu-ji”, Pushkarna was one of the founding fathers of the Club and had always been held in high regard, much as he stopped coming for the exercises for several years. Srichand Arora, Nahid Khan, Yusuf Rassiwala and other biggies who conduct the free-hand exercises are said be Pushkarna's proteges.
According to Shekhawat, the man was living by himself, almost as a recluse even when he was keeping indifferent health over the past few months. He resisted all help, however well-intended, from friends and well-wishers. But once in a while he used to drop by in the Garden for a stroll and to exchange pleasantries with old timers.
Monthi Serrao remembered him to be a headstrong person and a strict disciplinarian. Nahid Khan recalled that he was a hard task master, but meant well for everyone. Sitaram Hivarkar agreed with her, pointing out that he was much misunderstood – to the extent, he had become quite unpopular with some members.
Significantly, a majority of the current crop of members do not remember having ever seen or met him. But they all know that the exercise regimen we follow so religiously to this day was originally conceived by Prabhu-ji more than a decade ago. Nothing has changed since. And that is the lasting legacy he has left behind for Big Laaf. May his soul rest in peace.
Jagmohan Papneja:
I am sorry about the sad demise of Pushkarna-ji, the founder of our club. May his soul rest in eternal peace. For him one can say: "As a well-spent day of laughter brings happy sleep, so also a disciplined life brings a happy end"