YOUNUS BHOY-THE HUMANITARIAN

My first post for the fiscal year 2012-13 and my 100th post in my blog attracted various comments, some of them with dire criticism and some of them with overwelming enthusiasm.In fact after quite a few months this post has evoked quite a lot of response .And i must first of all thank all those who commented whether in agreement or in disagreement as i have always believed that there are always two sides to a coin and individual perspectives differ. This post, as a sequel to the same has arisen because of the call which i had from one of my role models,a senior citizen from Hongkong, and more importantly a balanced man in his approach to issues and on his comments on various aspects of life.Sri Younus Bhoy!It started with his appreciation of the finer aspects of my post on City of Joy, the pains that he took to convince those who had a different opinion on my post and his own experiences about the city of joy all formed part of his interesting conversation. Despite the limitation of his age and the distance that seperates us he has invariably made a point to call me when ever there is an occasion that calls for warmth and understanding, there by reestablishing his contacts, in his own inimitable style of chaste tamil which comes to him so naturally that it is a pleasure talking to him for hours to gether. My first association with Younus Bhoy was in 1998-99 when i was first introduced to him by Sri MRS.The acquiantance established then moved from strength to strenghth, when he chaired a number of tamil debates organised by the HK cultural association, in which i took active part either as an orgnaiser or as a speaker and later in the meetings and picnics organised in which Sri Nirmal (Exnora)Sri YG Mahendra and Crazy troupe and a lot of HK FRINDS which created opportunities to become closer to him. IN FACT ONE OF THE debates wherein i took the stand that a community need not be blamed in a blind manner for the atrocities perpetrated by a mindless few , in which Sri Ramanathan , heavily thrashed my comments for a six, paved the way to understand the brilliance and balance of this great man Younus bhoy.Later Mr Ramanathan himself penned the book on behalf of Younus Bhoy stand testimony to his winning charms over rhe rest by his approach. His insatiable appetite for Tamil language , his down to earth converastion with warmth and affection with any one and every one (despite the fact that he would have met them only for the first time)his recollection of his days in Burma (the heights and fall which he witnessed )the tenacity and iron will with which he moved to HK wherein he established his roots again, and his hospitality whenever any one visits him at his palce in HK are all qualities that every individual who would like to make life meaningful and peaceful should emulate from him. Though we were seperated by thousands of miles , the first call invaribly will always be from him,to greet me/comfort me whether it be my promotions up the ladder , whether it be my retirement, whether it be my daughter's marriage or whether it be my son's attainments in the field of linquistics and phonetics.This morning the call coincided with his greeting me on my daughter's becoming a gifted mother (and the day happens to be the mothers day-by his choice) and the feeling that it gave me could not be described in words.the fact that it also coincided with my completion of 32 years of married life yesterday, gave more meaning to such blessed talks.Unlike many who just makes it a formality to wish , Younus bhoy, has taken pains to search for my residential number from quite a few of HK friends (including Ram, another post in the offing later on the thoughts shared by them abt my post on City of Joy) and chosen the day when routine will not be a pressure (either to the called one or the caller) and takes his time off to concentrate only on the called person at the other end.Thoughts that he shares,the memory lane that he walks down, the quotable quotes that emerge in the process and warmth and affection that oozes out ofr each such conversation, so naturally are some things to be experienced and can not be explained. His book on Memoirs of Burma (Authored by Ramnathan ) indicates many facets of his personility.But his personality as a caring human being and above all a warm friend and a guide, comes out in such conversations. Salutations unto SRI YOUNUS BHOY, FOR HIS EVER LASTING AFFECTION, AND GRATITUTE UNTO THEE for having blessed me with such unfogettable VALUABLE relationships. sampath kumar