Mrinal (R) and Nawang together at Mrinal’s Graduation

 

He stood by me like a rock, solid as ever, through all the trials and tribulations of medical school life. At the time I joined the Grant Medical College and the Sir J J Group of Hospitals, my parents had to leave India as the company gave them a foreign assignment. I had to move into the boys’ hostel, which was famous for its intense sessions of ragging. I remember Nawang ensuring that he came to visit me every so often. He had a huge muscular and bulky frame and was intimidating, to say the least. He would walk with me as if to send a message to the seniors that this guy is not to be messed with.

He understood me extremely well and we had a great time enjoying common passions. To name a few the things that interested us the most, were the Indian army, cricket, philately, current affairs, field hockey, and food.

The Sir J.J Hospital is located very close to Mohamed Ali road, a culinary delight. Every single street and by-lane is studded with numerous small restaurants and sweet shops, each having its own identity and taste. This became our favorite pastime. Almost every evening he would drive down and we would go and try different Mughlai foods and of course the inflation, Nawang all-time favorite.

The strongest test of his commitment and determination came when it was time for him to get commissioned into the armed forces, through the Officer's training academy in Chennai. I remember him calling me from there telling me that in his medical check-up he was found to be nearly eleven kilos overweight. He had to lose this weight in less than a month’s time in order to join.

This event transformed this food lover overnight. Gone were all the ice creams and chicken biryanis. He would eat boiled vegetables and soup and run nearly five rounds of the race course (11 km total). He would even come home and wrap himself in blankets in an attempt to dehydrate him and possibly burn body fat. The tenacity, endurance, and deadly perseverance finally paid off. He shed all that weight and was accepted as a gentleman cadet into the hallowed portals of the Officers Training Academy at Saint Thomas’s Mount, Chennai.