MY FRIENDS
As I meandered along my road to date, I was fortunate enough to meet nice, warm persons who in course of time became my
friends. Over the years these relationships strengthened further and the bond today is thankfully unbreakable. I share a very special
relationship with all these guys and they have definitely played a vital part in shaping my life till date.
Anand Deshpande Ambrish Deshpande Dinesh and Darshan Gangurde
Guruprasad Shinde Paresh Risbood Umesh Gitay
Jitendra Kulkarni Sayed Shaqib Ali Sandeep Parkhi
Anand Deshpande: A Shining torch of inspiration and my best mate.........He's my elder brother and nothing short. I have the highest regard for him. A very considerate and caring friend, it is a privilege to have shared with him many wonderful moments. A Mechanical Engineer by profession, presently he is working for Caterpillar Inc., USA and lives in Peoria, Illinois.
Ambrish Deshpande: A very kind and warm-hearted person, he is the oldest of the lot. My arch-rival in our cricketing days in Queens Garden, he was always a never-say-die man and victory against him meant a lot to me. Presently he is based in Pune and is working as an Accounts Officer with a private company.
Darshan and Dinesh Gangurde: These two were always around me when I needed them and their mild and sweet nature makes them stand out from the rest. They are an integral part of our cricket team. Dinesh is a pro in computer hardware and the internet whereas Darshan is more into Interior Designing and Engineering. They are into business and presently own an Internet Cafe in Pune.
Guruprasad Shinde: This guy is also very close to me. I can always rely on him for whatever I need. He is most harassed by our lot and you should really see his face when someone pulls his leg. I still remember his voice when I hear the words-"Nahi Giryaaaa...........". He is just awesome. Someone I would never want to lose. Our strike pace bowler, he is presently into the business of Computer Hardware and Networking.
Paresh Risbood: A big fan of Amitabh Bachchan, he has this extraordinary talent of mimicking his voice, actions and dialogues. And believe me, he is indeed very good at it. A very jovial chap by nature, he is one of the oldest friends I have. I have learnt a lot from him and he is more like an elder brother to me. We used to stay together in New Bombay till the mid 90's. An Instrumentation Engineer by profession, he is presently working with Tata Honeywell, India. Presently on a one-year assignment for a project with Honeywell, USA, , he lives in Calgary, Canada.
Umesh Gitay: A very shy person by nature but a lion on the cricket field. My opening partner during our cricketing days, I cherish our batting together against bowlers of all kinds. Memories of our exploits together still make me get up and walk out to bat. A very helpful person by nature, he is intelligent and very hardworking. We were always together during our engineering days. A Mechanical Engineer by profession , he is presently based in Nasik and is working with Mahindra and Mahindra.
Jitendra Kulkarni: My closest buddy during my Diploma days. A gem of a person, he has played a very important part in my life. A very religious and warm person, he is the guy I would never do without. I share almost all my problems with him and his rational thinking and foresight impress me the most. A Civil Engineer by profession he is presently based in Pune.
Sayed Shaqib Ali: A very nice and kind person. A close friend during my Diploma days. Our discussions on India-Pak matches and Sekhar were real fun. We have spent wonderful moments together, moments I would never forget. Mimicking Sekhar, (a guy who used to work with him) always used to crop up in our discussions and then it was just laughter and fun. The biryanis I have had at his place were simply awesome. A Civil Engineer by profession he is presently based in Pune and is working for Bakeri Engineers Ltd.
Sandeep Parkhi: A well-mannered and decent person and one of the best friends I have had. Was always there when I needed him and his advice/suggestions on numerous occasions played a very important part in my life. An excellent cricketer, he was the "Sachin Tendulkar" of our college cricket team. I adoringly call him "Mastani" for his soft nature and mild manners. A Civil Engineer by profession he is presently based in Pune.
Abhijeet Jadhav: A very good friend during my engineering days, he is intelligent and very hardworking. Was also extremely good at sports and dramatics. His diligence and habits impress me the most. Was always available when I needed him and would go that extra mile in helping his friends out in whatever possible way. A decent and well-behaved individual, I consider myself fortunate to have him as my friend. A Civil Engineer by qualification, he is presently studying for his MBA at Boston College, USA.
