Gobind clings to my chest even after two decades

Gobind in jovial mood in the recent wedding of Jason and Sharini.

My dear, sweet, and incredibly handsome grandson—Gobind—may have outgrown my lap with his broad shoulders and growing independence, but he will always remain close to my heart.

Shivs family snapped during the wedding

Another glamorous pic at the wedding.

Recently, we attended a family wedding of Jason and Sharini away from home. Since all the ceremonies and functions were happening at the same venue, we decided it was more convenient to stay on the premises. To make things simple, we divided the rooms—boys in one, girls in others. It so happened that Gobind and I ended up sharing a twin bed for the two nights we were there.

Three musketeers - Gobind, me and Shiv

I usually retire early, as is the case with people my age, while Gobind was still busy with his college project. He still has to clear his finals, and he was diligently working late into the night. We discussed a few parts of his project before I dozed off. I was touched by his dedication—seeing him quietly working while I rested reminded me of how time has flown. He’s growing into a responsible young man, yet still that same little boy to me.

As we bring Gobind from Greenwich Hospital, Ct, I am enjoying the best moment of my life by feeding him in our basement of Stanford house.

During the night, as is natural for someone my age, I woke up a couple of times to use the bathroom. Each time, I was careful to stay tucked into my own corner of the bed, not wanting to disturb him. I noticed that Gobind, too, was hugging the other edge of the bed—so much so that once, he was nearly on the verge of falling off! He had even placed a pillow between us, perhaps instinctively creating his own little space.

Not the clearest but undoubtedly priceless moment captured in pitch dark.

Seeing him like that, my heart melted. I gently removed the pillow, tossed it toward the foot of the bed, and nudged him just a little closer to me, not wanting him to fall. And then, sometime later in the night, our son Shiv on the adjacent queen-bed happened to wake up and saw Gobind resting on my chest. He quickly took a photo of the moment—not the clearest picture, but to me, it captured something priceless.

I wish him all the best after he double graduates in Math and Computer Science from University of California at Davis on June 13, 2025

In the morning, having come to know Gobind joked and said, “was I really sleeping on your tummy, like always?” That simple comment took me back twenty years—to when he was just a toddler. Back then, he would often fall asleep nestled between his grandmother and me, his tiny body curled up in safety and love. And here we were again—two decades later—sharing the same quiet comfort.

I have the honor to bless my grandkids.

Moments like these remind me of the invisible threads that tie generations together. No matter how tall he grows or how far life takes him, the bond we share will never waver. Relationships like these, I truly believe, are crafted by God Himself—unchanged by time, untouched by distance.

Thank you for letting me relive this tender memory. It will stay in my heart forever.

Scintillating performance by Kapoors Duo

Jania and Geet at their best

Jania and Geet performing ‘Ghummar’ move.

What a performance by the Kapoor sisters today at the ‘Sangeet’ceremony on the wedding of our dear Jason & Sharini at beautiful Hayes mansion! 

Punjabi ‘Boolean’ was a part of mix composition.

I was absolutely blown away by the scintillating performance from Jania and little Geet. It was especially heartwarming—and honestly quite surprising—to see Geet, who hasn’t even turned 11 yet, matching move for move with her older sister. She kept up with every step, every beat, and every rhythm of the wonderfully mixed Punjabi songs—songs curated and mixed by Jania and proud mom Shilpy.

Huge crowd enjoying the performance.

Sisters with their husbands ready to mingle on the occasion.


Harvinder with glamorous host Pammy Bhabhi

Jessica Kapoor anchors and speaks about her family

Family enjoying the the show.

Jania and Geet performing ‘Keeklee’ dance move and synchronize to the thunderous applause of crowd.

Watching them dance together with such grace and confidence, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with pride. They performed like seasoned professionals, and the packed auditorium—easily six to seven  hundred people—was absolutely electric with excitement and applause. 

Main show revolved around Guru Randhawa who absolutely enthralled the crowd with his energy and charisma.

Guru Randhawa making the crowd crazy! Courtesy: Jasprit Sandhu.

Gobind, Gurpal and Tarunpal along with Shiv join the band-wagon of celebrations on Guru Randhawa’s tunes. 

Bride Sharina and Groom Jason leading the Spell-bound audience found enjoying with Sharini’s Sri Lankan family.

In my eyes, their performance was one of the highlights of the entire evening. I’m just so incredibly proud of my granddaughters.

Hard Covid times, Geet helpless

Geet poses with me

It was during the quiet, uncertain days of the COVID lockdown. My daughter-in-law Shilpy was working from home, behind a closed door, deep in meetings and responsibilities. Meanwhile, little Geet — my granddaughter — was full of energy, imagination, and longing for attention.

The sketch Geet slipped under the door

One rainy afternoon, instead of knocking or calling out, Geet picked up a marker and drew a simple but beautiful note. In big letters, she wrote:

“Hi Mom Can I pllay in the rean.”

She added a joyful sketch of herself, smiling wide, arms open, surrounded by falling rain — a little girl ready for her adventure.

Then, with quiet hope, she slipped it under the door.

Geet gestures VI on her birthday 

That small moment — that note — said so much. It was innocent, creative, and full of love. A little girl asking for permission, yes, but also asking to be seen, to be heard… and maybe, to be missed a little in return.

Dr Neki’s Tribute Translation on Mothers Day

No One Else Like You

Happy Mother's Day to All

(A tribute to mothers and motherhood – an eternal and divine form)

There’s no one else like you,  
None in this world compares.  
Even God bows before you,  
He comes to Earth in your form.  

All sages and saints took birth  
From the shelter of your womb.  
Even heaven feels proud  
To have a place in your feet’s dust.  

God Himself can't fully repay  
The debt He owes to you.  
He gave you the power to create,  
But didn’t keep it Himself.  

So gentle, so patient you are,  
Full of pure compassion.  
The one who nurtures humanity  
In this hard-hearted world.  

You sacrificed your own joys,  
To give us the essence of life.  
From your love and pain,  
We were sculpted into being.  

You protected us night and day,  
Always blessing us quietly.  
You raised us with faith,  
Wishing only for our well-being.  

In your arms lies that heaven  
For which all yearn.  
The world may not offer much,  
But a mother’s love never fades.  

No poet has written such depth,  
No sage described your grace.  
None can measure your kindness,  
Your love knows no limits.  

The peace and trust you give  
Cannot be found elsewhere.  
No heaven matches your lap,  
No god equals your Care.

 Inspired by -— Dr Jaswant Singh Neki’s Punjabi poem ‘Tera Jed na Koi Duja’

Mothers Day 2025

My Mom Sardarni Savitri Devi and Dari’s Mom Sardarni Pritam Kaur with 3 months Shiv in her lap

Today is Mother’s Day, and as I was going through my collection of old photographs, I found myself searching for something very special — a picture of my mother Sardarni Savitri Devi and Dari’s mother Sardarni Pritam Kaur. The memory tied to that photo is one I hold close to my heart. It was taken on June 5th, 1975 — a truly historic moment for our family.

I am hauling Dari’s Mom wheel chair in a party.

We had just completed an incredible journey after completing my assignment at Trishuli Hyder Project, Nepal: we flew through a Domestic Airlines from Kathmandu to Jitpur Simara a small airport about 15 Km from Raxoul, then took a bus to Muzaffarpur, followed by another to Samastipur, and finally caught a train to New Delhi. When we arrived at New Delhi Paharganj Station, there they were — both our families, united in that moment, full of joy and reunion. That one photo taken at the station captured not only the moment but also the deep bond between our two mothers — two incredible women whose love, strength, and wisdom continue to shape our lives.

Dari and my Mom on way to celebrate ‘Karva Chouth’.

On this Mother’s Day, I want to honor both of them — my mother and  Dari’s Mom — for the immense love they gave us, the sacrifices they made, and the blessings they continue to shower on our family from above. Their spirits live on in us, and I carry their love with me every day. Happy Mother’s Day to both of them — with all my heart and everlasting gratitude.

Another Genious Colleague MGK passes away

 MGK Pillai, 3 years back- pic courtesy by SRN

Sh MGK Pillai formerly MS NREB and later Director General CPRI and Kerala Electricity Regulatory Commission Chairman expired May5, 2025 at 10.00 PM at Kollam, Kerala.

He lived and died gracefully.

Umpteen times, the three of us—Rama ji, MGK, and I—would sit together for a cup of tea outside Sewa Bhawan Jhuggies. He used to tease me, saying I was his lucky charm.

I had very much wanted to see him during my last visit to Kerala when I met Sh SR Nair and his respected wife in their house as well. He had just recovered from his bypass surgery. But due to a tight schedule and the group I was traveling with, I couldn’t fulfill that wish.

I recall a couple of instances when I met him in his room while he was serving as a Director. We were just chatting and preparing to step out for tea when he suddenly got a call from the Chairman’s office with some instructions. Without missing a beat, he jotted down the facts quickly. Then, politely excusing himself, he said, “Let me just finish this—I’ll forget it later.” He immediately called his junior officers and passed on the instructions. Within minutes, he was back, ready to talk again. We then carefully slipped out for our tea. He told me, “Before I forget, I like to attend to my seniors’ tasks immediately.” That moment left a strong impression on me—it was a valuable lesson in work ethic and respect for hierarchy.

Another time, while he was in charge of power system planning for the Northern Region, I had requested him to include the name of my village, Badbar, in the upcoming Five-Year Plan. He took the request seriously. When the report from the Punjab Electricity Board was presented by its Chief Engineer, he casually asked whether Badbar  was included as a substation. The Chief Engineer was taken aback—he hadn’t even heard of Badbar. After some inquiry and surprise, they worked to include it. When the final report was submitted a month later, he ensured that Badbar was listed, and a 66 kV substation was planned for it. That act of consideration meant a lot to me—and to my village.

Once, he had also asked me to arrange $1000 for his elder son’s admission to a Hotel Management course in Australia. I managed the amount through my father-in-law, who happened to be visiting us in Delhi. He later gave me Rs. 9000 in exchange.

I remember being invited for coffee at his home. I truly enjoyed the snacks and his quiet hospitality.

He was a man of few words, but his writing was powerful. He could draft meaningful, clear notes straight from the heart—without referring to any documents or old files. He was truly a genius.

I will miss him deeply.

I feel consoled that he passed away peacefully. He will always remain in my thoughts and prayers.

May the Almighty grant peace to Sh MGK Pillai’s departed soul.

Dotty ran away!

Dotty

Today, May 5, 2013—Shilpy’s birthday—we welcomed a tiny new member into our home: a ladybug fondly named Dotty Kapoor by Gobind and Jania (G&J). With her seven little dots, Dotty instantly became the center of their world. G&J were bursting with excitement, dreaming up ways to take her along on their upcoming trip to New Delhi—only to realize she had no passport or visa! The past 24 hours were filled with laughter, imagination, and pure childhood joy.

But by morning, Dotty was gone. She had quietly flown away, leaving G&J heartbroken and searching every corner for her. Though their faces fell, we reminded them that maybe Dotty was off on her own adventure. Even in her short visit, she gave us lasting memories and a whole lot of love.