The news of Gem's death has shaken me a lot. When Elton keyed on the words "Gem drowned" on Google Talk on Monday morning, I thought that he'd probably been saved while drowning. Elton put it straight: drowned = died. I think that's the worst equation I've seen in my life. To be honest, it's not even an equation, for 'drowned' offers just a glimmer of hope that 'died' doesn't. Gem was my colleague and friend - actually more of a colleague and less of a friend.
Still, I had grown accustomed to seeing him in his chair and researching stuff on Wikipedia while others commented on pictures they'd posted on Facebook. Gem had joined when I was still with Downtown Plus. He'd been hired specifically for Mumbaimirror.com but he was keen that his byline should appear in print. "Nothing can beat a byline in a newspaper," he'd said. We were taken in by his enthusiasm, as much as we hated his arrogance and unwillingness to pay heed to advice. He would come up with the weirdest of story ideas, trying to look for news even among the most mundane, routine occurences. I remember once I'd ticked him off when he presented the idea of doing a survey of unusual trees in Mumbai. Later, when the story did get published, I found it lacked news but was packed with so much information that it would put a botanist to shame. Gem had managed to turn something so ordinary into a very interesting read.
What made him different from the rest was that he was always willing to push himself to do his best. He had the desire to look beyond what met his eye. Some called it raw guts, others labelled it as the foolishness of an arrogant reporter, but he never faltered in his belief. He essayed the various roles of a thinker, an explorer, a reporter, a colleague, a guide, a comedian and a friend, with ease and that made him very popular among those who knew him.
How Gem drowned and why didn't anyone save him are questions that will always play up in my mind. The fishermen in Kolad had told him not to go into the river, but he insisted he was a good swimmer. Gem always wanted to explore,to look for what he couldn't see, to reach out even if he couldn't grasp, even if was going to a dangerous. He'd done some remarkable stories that way... till he became one.
Still, I had grown accustomed to seeing him in his chair and researching stuff on Wikipedia while others commented on pictures they'd posted on Facebook. Gem had joined when I was still with Downtown Plus. He'd been hired specifically for Mumbaimirror.com but he was keen that his byline should appear in print. "Nothing can beat a byline in a newspaper," he'd said. We were taken in by his enthusiasm, as much as we hated his arrogance and unwillingness to pay heed to advice. He would come up with the weirdest of story ideas, trying to look for news even among the most mundane, routine occurences. I remember once I'd ticked him off when he presented the idea of doing a survey of unusual trees in Mumbai. Later, when the story did get published, I found it lacked news but was packed with so much information that it would put a botanist to shame. Gem had managed to turn something so ordinary into a very interesting read.
What made him different from the rest was that he was always willing to push himself to do his best. He had the desire to look beyond what met his eye. Some called it raw guts, others labelled it as the foolishness of an arrogant reporter, but he never faltered in his belief. He essayed the various roles of a thinker, an explorer, a reporter, a colleague, a guide, a comedian and a friend, with ease and that made him very popular among those who knew him.
How Gem drowned and why didn't anyone save him are questions that will always play up in my mind. The fishermen in Kolad had told him not to go into the river, but he insisted he was a good swimmer. Gem always wanted to explore,to look for what he couldn't see, to reach out even if he couldn't grasp, even if was going to a dangerous. He'd done some remarkable stories that way... till he became one.
3 comments:
Gem's memory will never die. The turnout to his funeral was a testimony of how much he was liked and respected by everyone who interacted and had the honour of knowing him. All of us will selfishly miss him
Gem was my classmate at St. Andrews and a very good friend. He shall always live with me in my memories. Genuinely miss him!
Came here .. Because I'll never forget him. RIP gem.
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