Ilina

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Written by vl

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Ilina the flower, is already 16…how time flies! She is tall, tootsie, spectacled and yet, has the best of both worlds in her. A perfect ensemble of 2. The charm of the mother, the swiftness of the dad, she smiles when it’s tough and fares well, when most others would shy away.

She was the darling of Papaji, for he had brought her home in his arms. And he was very fond of her. She grew up walking for the first time in front of him, all the way in Seattle-USA, when she would trot the carpeted floor. And soon enough, she was running all over the house!

I also recall times, when I was with Ford in Nasik (mid '98), I would come home and walk with her holding her both hands on the tiled floor. She would sleep watching / hearing music. And much enjoyed the breezy scooter rides, as much as the car drives in her car seat.

She was just in the arms, when we took her to the Nasik city center and got her ears pierced. She cried for a moment and then was all silent very soon. And as has ears healed, she adorned gold earrings.

As a kid, she was a happy child, amidst noise, dust and heat. Restless as can be, she put wings to our feet. We moved from Nasik to Chennai and then to US. As the youngest kid in the family, she must have flown the most for her age. For after her birth, she flew from Delhi to Bombay, still 40 odd days old. Then all the way to Delhi and west coast of the US. By the time she was nearly 4 years old, she had travelled 3 times around from US to Delhi, other than covering countries like Bhutan and Canada too!

As we settled back in Delhi, she would ask me to drive the office car and not the old NE, as it didn't have the AC! Smart as she was then, and true to her name's meaning 'possessing high intelligence', she has done well at school, in intercultural events, in Science Olympiads and is now editor at her School, actively taking part in various Inter-School Competitions.

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