Happy Women's Day.. to all the special women in my life..

This year I want to celebrate Women's Day by honouring all the incredible women in my life who have inspired me.. taught me.. believed in me.. supported me.. and have been the most amazing role models! I am truly blessed to have so many of them in my life..

Let me begin with my mother.. Mummy (or Vasu as I affectionately called her) was the strongest and also the most strong headed woman I have ever known! Not always the most reasonable person.. but very gutsy! Can never forget how she drove two school friends and me to Shanmukhananda Hall in pouring rain in car where the headlights and horn weren't working and there were no wipers either! That was super brave!

And there are Jana Mahadevan Nalini Chugani and Nandita Jhaveri all of whom were my professors in teacher's training college! I was in a sense "the naughtiest girl in the class" but they chose to look beyond that.. see my potential and nurtured and encouraged me to achieve what I was capable of! Thank you so much for believing in me no matter what and never giving up on me though what was possibly the most exhausting year of my life until then!

Professionally.. every teacher I have worked with has inspired me in more ways than I can explain here.. my dear friend Dinaz Stafford who entrusted her precious street children and "Didis" at Salaam Baalak Trust to my tender care.. my social worker Sucheta Banerjee who taught me courage to handle irascible and unreasonable parents (even when I was confronted with a knife).. my largely Marathi speaking team who guided me gently through the unspoken pathways of how to deal with street children.. Rajeshree Didi who was always patient and gentle.. Rajni Didi who was always in a hurry.. Shubhangi Didi who had to be gently reminded that the toys in class were for the children to PLAY with and not just look at! Milind and Agnes who taught me it was possible to be firm and loving simultaneously..

Moving from professional to personal I have to mention Brinda Jhaveri.. the one person who always loved me unconditionally.. and was a soft "filter" between Mummy's anger and me on numerous occasions! She taught me resilience for sure..

Let’s talk about my friend-cum-mentor plus plus Roshan Billimoria.. she lives in Pune (my monthly trips are to meet her)! She is, in the truest sense.. my “soul sister” and there are just too many parallels in our lives for them to be mere coincidence! She sets an amazing table and runs a household that functions like well-oiled machinery and she makes it all seem effortless (where I know nothing could be further from the truth).. I have learned from her how gentlewomen speak softly and have impeccable manners and are the most gracious hostesses.. of course I am still a “work in progress” but my trying my best.. will never be at her level though..

There are my school friends.. Shriti Kapadia who is my voice of reason and good sense.. Niamat Cassum who has taught me to face life calmly no matter what.. Anu Kohli who spreads sunshine wherever she goes.. Manisha Desai who is so positive that I have never ever heard say anything remotely less than complimentary about anyone.. and Yukti Asher who is the most enthusiastic admin I have ever seen on any WhatsApp group.. always ready to make a plan and always making time for friends..

 My college friends are very special.. Parul Jhaveri who is the one who has taught me always “hosh mein josh mat kho baitho” and always encouraged me to follow my heart.. If I have changed from a tomboy to someone who is presentably dressed it is thanks to Lavina Roy who is the epitome of sartorial elegance.. she is the one who explained to me that when we dress up.. if our shoes are black our handbag must be black too.. if our shoes are beige.. our handbag must be beige too etc.. Smita Mankani.. what do I say about her? She is a living breathing piece of my heart outside my body! Nobody (and I mean nobody except my parents) could possibly love me more than she does and vice versa! She lives the phrase of “open house” and her generosity with hospitality.. food.. and time to “just sit and chat” is legendary! Of course she is also Oliver Twist and not matter how much time I spend with her.. it is never enough!

And then there are friends who are typical to Mumbai “building friends”.. there is Aarti Jhaveri who has demonstrated patience and jaw-dropping hospitality by always hosting me with practised ease and a unbelievable level of warmth! She embodies the essence of “Atithi Devo Bhava” to the ultimate level.. Varsha Chavan who has tried (without much success) to try and teach me to be dignified but also been my partner in crime all through our growing up years together.. we share a lot of secrets that are “TMBM” otherwise known as “Tere Mere Beech Mein”! My neighbour Rashmi Kharbanda.. undemonstrative except for the rare occasions when a spontaneous hug is forthcoming or a sentimental message suddenly pops up on my phone! She shows me how to do some “technical stuff” on the phone (e.g. uploading my boarding pass on Digi Yatra) and is forever telling me to “slow down”!

And last but definitely not the least.. there is Renu Haksar (or Renu Singh as I like to call her).. another one who I think of as “do jism ek jaan” and another part of my heart outside my body! We have taught together.. pretty much read each other’s minds.. give each other good advice and take care of each other no matter what! She is super meticulous and very organized.. am trying my best to be like that but not very successfully yet! We have to talk every night and 10 pm and refer to ourselves as each other’s “human sleeping pills”!

There have been and still are so many others that I could write about but some of them are too private and now I am too tired to type any more! Lastly there is GKG who is the embodiment of every virtue I strive to have as a human being.. genuine.. fearless.. strong and absolutely focused with total clarity of thought and speech! Am not naming her (because there will be hell to pay) but she is the reason I am the person I am today instead of the “lost soul” I was for so long!

 If you are reading this.. and if you receive my “Morning Magic” know that you are special important and a cherished person in my life! I feel incredibly to have met know.. to know you.. to love you.. to be loved by you.. to be inspired and motivated by you and to have you in my life! Thank you for believing in me (more than I believe in myself sometimes)! I am blessed to have all of you as a part of my “cheerleading squad” and promise to honour uphold and keep these relationships and bonds for always!

Thank you so much (as always) for reading and wishing you an exceptionally Happy Women’s Day!! Please do remember to add your name at the beginning or the end of your comment (should you choose to write one)!

 God bless and much love always to everyone reading!!