IR GTG 2024-04-29 @ Mani Square Mall - Abhijit Chatterjee

It was an impromptu Indian Roadie GTG after I got a call from Abhijit Chatterjee at around 7.30 pm on 2024-04-29. He told me that he will be picking me up from the service road opposite the main gate of Salt Lake Stadium within the next 15 minutes. 

There was no way that I could have said a no to him because he was driving all the way from Howrah (across the Hooghly River) along with wife Pallabi and his pretty Indian Roadie Junior chatterbox Brishti, aka Abhishikta Chatterjee. 

We drove to Mani Square Mall for refreshing filter coffee to discuss last minute plans about Abhijit's proposed drive starting within the next 28 hours on the intervening night of 30th April and 1st May 2024 , viz. Kolkata - Lucknow - NCR - Jammu - Srinagar - Sonamarg - Leh - Ladakh - Manali - Kolkata - Bangalore. 

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Indian Roadie GTG (at Mani Square Mall on 2024-04-29 evening) 

GTG of St Xavier's College Kolkata (SXC) batch buddies comprising of Joydeep Chattopadhayay, Aniruddha Dattagupta, Deep Banerjee) at Joydeep's place (off. Southern Avenue)in Kolkata on Friday 2024-05-03 evening. 

Great 'adda' and superb food spread organized by Sudipta Chatterjee and Sharmistha Biswas. 

Good to meet Susmita Dattagupta and Aniruddha who were here in Kolkata from Bangalore for a short vacation after a long gap. 

P.S: We missed the presence of Bijit Ghosh Dastidar and his wife who were far away from Kolkata in Humnabad.

IR GTG 2024-04-20 @ IA265 - Satyam Mukherjee

It was a long awaited meeting (Indian Roadie GTG) with Indian Roadie Satyam Mukherjee (Workplace: Bangalore. Presently working from home in Arambagh) which finally happened on Saturday 2024-04-20 evening at the Indian Roadie Adda Joint at Mio Amore, IA265, Salt Lake, Kolkata. 

He is a regular on the Bangalore to Kolkata and Kolkata to Bangalore route, so regular that the car has already clocked about 62,000 kms in the past 18 odd months since he bought it in 2022. 

Thank you Satyam for driving your Hyundai Creta SX a whopping 83 kms each way (Arambagh to Kolkata) with a sole objective of meeting me. 

Awwww ..... I am truly honoured 🙏

Happened to spot a highly affable and handsome Husky baby ROMEO strolling outside my garage on Monday 2024-03-11 afternoon along with his keeper. 

I have never seen him earlier in my neighborhood. His keeper said that 5 months young Romeo is my neighbour although I couldn't exactly figure out which house he is a resident of. 

How could I not click photographs of the baby with such expressive eyes 😘. Muuuuah 😘😘😘. 

Looking forward to meeting Romeo again.

Good habits die hard. I will thank my regimented upbringing and schooling (viz. St Patrick's HS School, Asansol) for that. 

Covid has gone. However, the habit of thoroughly washing every piece of fruit and vegetable with Scotch Brite soaked in diluted detergent solution followed by rinsing each piece under ample flowing water and drying them before tucking them into the refrigerator ever since March 2020 has remained intact even today in March 2024. 

I am happy with my 'jugaad' to stay safe. 

Photos dated: 2024-03-16, 11 pm. 

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* All My Years

IR GTG 2024-02-08 @ Motisil Street - Snigdhajyoti Satpathy

The long awaited Indian Roadie GTG with Indian Roadie Snigdhajyoti Satpathy of Baripada (OD) became a reality on 2024-02-08 evening. Ever since we got to know each other, we bonded well and we could only converse via WhatsApp voice calls and video calls and of course via my social media initiatives because he was stationed in Europe pursuing his higher studies. 

Now in 2024 that he is back to his hometown in Baripada, OD, about 250 kms from Kolkata, Snigdhajyoti dropped  in to my city for some professional assignment and more importantly, to meet me in person. 
The roadside GTG was for a little over 90 minutes from 7 pm onwards at Motisil Street in the Esplanade area. We had a filling egg-chicken roll (viz. wrap, as it's called elsewhere in India) each and discussed numerous topics pertaining to Indian Roadie and more. 
Finding a parking slot in the CBD of Kolkata is almost an impossible task. Hence, Snigdhajyoti got a chance to have a glimpse of my 32 years young antique on 2 wheels 😊. 
Now it's my turn to drive down to Baripada, Mayurbhanj district to devour the natural beauty of Odisha. For the records, about 3 decades ago, during my days with Castrol I used to pay a visit to Baripada every 3 - 4 months.

Rohan Basak (Sujoy Guha's nephew) and Aishwariya's wedding reception on 2024-01-27

It was my school classmate Sujoy Guha's nephew (sister's son's) marriage reception at Tulip Banquet, PC Chandra Garden, Kolkata on Saturday 2024-01-27 evening. I was present with my wife and daughter. 

Dr. Rohan (son of Dr Sujata Guha and Dr Arnab Basak) wed Dr. Aishwarya. 

The arrangements, hospitality and delectable food spread by Arnab and Sujata were too good. 

Meeting Sujoy's son Indranil Guha (a fellow Indian Roadie) after 10 long years and daughter-in-law Sanjukta for the first time ever was a great pleasure. Meeting Sujoy's daughter Tanushree and wife Jhuma Guha was fun, too.