I wanted to share a fascinating story of my recent experience and how far Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar reaches in our society.
As you are aware, I write the odd articles for Asian Voice, which often get translated in Gujarati for Gujarat Samachar. I claim no credit for the translations!
A few days ago, I had a call from Pujya Parvatiben Patel from Worthing. She is 94 and originally from Jinja, Uganda. I have never met her. At least I thought I had not met her. She called a day before and arranged with my wife, Rekha for her to call again to speak to me.
She complimented me on my articles that appear in the publications. She said she reads them all and was devout reader of Gujarat Samachar.
Here is the astonishing part.
She said she saw my photos and my name in these articles. From this, she worked out that my face resembled that of my late father, Vithaldas Popatbhai Thakrar. She deduced that I was the son of my father Vithaldas and my mother late Lalitaben who she had known some 60 years ago during her days in Jinja Uganda. She then went through the trouble of finding a Chotai family to trace me and locate my number.
When I spoke to Pujya Parvatiben, she said she was my late parents’ neighbour in Jinja, Uganda and she used to play with me when I was a toddler. So, I have sat on her lap when I was small!
Isn’t it amazing for a 94-year-old tracing me down to tell me the above? After all, I have met her! I am quite impressed with Pujya Parvatiben’s tenacity to read, investigate, follow-up with family contacts and then speak with me. And what a remarkable memory!
It truly made my day!
When I spoke to Parvatiben’s daughter, Illa, I learnt that Pujya Parvatiben has a great memory of the past and so much zeal for the wonders of life even at this mature age. I feel I have found a connection with my second mother. She lives in Worthing amongst 4 children, 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
What a remarkable reach of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar!
