Anuradha Bezbaruah

23rd

Below is a note in Memorium of Anuradha Bezbaruah, sent to her family today.

About Anuradha Bezbaruah "I was introduced to Anuradha Bezbaruah by her husband, Madan Bezbaruah after they got married. I was the first to be introduced to her after the completion of the marriage ceremony. I was struck by her grace and simplicity. Madan and I came to know each other at Mussoorie during the Foundation course of 1964 batch. We shared the same room. Later we were allotted to the same cadre. We also got posted in the District of Goalpara as Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of police. We worked together for about 3 years. This brought our families also together. And thereafter, we have been good friends. Anuradha and my wife Venita were in close touch with each other. Our children too have been in touch with each other. I remember a couple of episodes which throw light on the persona of Anuradha. During the marriage of her elder daughter, I happened to call on her. She told me to come the next day and join in one of the ceremonies. I did not join her as my wife Venita was out of station. Few days later when I met her along with my wife during her daughter’s marriage ceremony, she asked me angrily as to why I did not come as requested by her the other day. She was not happy with the answer given by me. She said I should have come. The affectionate chiding left an indelible impression in me. For the first time I felt that she had so much affection for us and treated us as members of her family. Another episode relates to lunch hosted by her to Venita when she visited her. I could not go with Venita as I was preoccupied otherwise. After a couple of months when I happened to meet her, she asked me as to why I did not join lunch. She did not accept my plea of preoccupation. She said that I could have attended it had  I wanted. There was so much emotion in her complaint that I had no alternative but to apologize. When I was posted at Guwahati and our children were in the hostel at Shillong, she visited them occasionally. Very often she took them home. Our children were of age 7 to 10 years at that time. They remember her affectionately. In fact when my eldest son, who is settled in London, came to know of her death, he said that he had lost his second mother. On the day of cremation when I saw her, I could not believe she was no more.  I felt as if she was about to talk to me and tell why I came alone and did not bring Venita along with me."