A tribute to my grandfather Late Pulin Das Kakati

A loyal son to the country, an ever responsible brother, a supportive husband, a diligent father and the most loving grandfather. Pulin Das Kakati was a man who donned many roles and performed each of them with the utmost care and affection. He breathed his last on May 18, doing what we enjoyed the most, being surrounded by the whole family at his home at Rehabari. He is survived by his wife, Bharoti Kakati, who sat tending to him till the very last moment, his three daughters and son-in-laws, five grand-children and the family dog. Moments with the family made him the happiest and during his last few days, he surely left a content man.

To me, Pulin Das Kakati was my dear Koka. As Koka makes his journey to find a better place, free from all the sufferings he has endured, he has enriched each one of us with endless joyous memories and countless ways in which he has touched our hearts and cared for us. I still remember him driving his fiat and coming to pick me up every weekend morning. He would clean the vegetables and then proceed to make his special chicken soup. As I grew older, Koka became an integral part of my studies. He would sit by his window and wait for my Hindi tutor to come, call him the moment he was later than 5 mins. So when my class 10th results came out, Koka was the happiest, because he has seen me struggle through it all. That night, he ordered a full bottle of wine, poured me a glass and raised a toast. He was proud of me, and that moment motivated me to do better in life each time so that I could come back home to him raising a toast for me. During my 11th and 12th, he would make sure I reached my coaching classes, I was picked up on time, and once I got up on the bus, he would call me and tell me to eat the tiffin he had sent. Every single evening, he would look out for me from afar. When I got my admit for my undergraduate studies, he drove his little Nano and came with a cake. Koka was my cheerleader, at each step of my life. In recent years, Koka started to lose his ability to recognize me, talk to me, however every vacation when I used to go meet him, he would give me a Namaskar and ask aitama to give me tea. Every time I came back from Delft, I would bring stroopwafels for him, which he ate with such joy. Two years, that's the only connection we shared. Koka loved travelling. He would get excited to hear papa's many travel stories. I wish he would have been able to hear my travel stories to. Hear about all the flowers I get to see. I hope, now, he has the wings to travel through the world and see all the places he always wanted to. Rest in Peace, My cheerleader. I will always love you, and miss you!

— Ruchi