He left too soon, but what did he gain for himself? That’s a question I can’t seem to answer.
Lanka Naga Anil (a.k.a. Anil) and I have been together since the 4th standard at Nalanda High School, KPHB Colony.
On the morning of February 18, 2025, at around 8:50 AM, I received a message from Subbu on WhatsApp. All I could gather from it was that Anil had passed away earlier that morning at Yashoda Hospital, with reasons unknown. She got the update from our school WhatsApp group, where Ramchandra (Ram) had shared the news. Since I wasn’t part of that group, I immediately reached out to Ram for more details. He explained that Anil had been suffering from prolonged diabetes, which had recently led to traces of water in his lungs. Since Ram was out of town, he shared Ram Prasad’s contact, a close friend of Anil’s who was at the hospital handling formalities to bring Anil’s lifeless body home.
Upon speaking with Ram Prasad, I learned that Anil had succumbed to a heart attack. They expected to reach his home by 11:00 AM. I shared this with Sirisha, who was already in touch with me, as she and Roopa planned to visit Anil’s place.
I reached Anil’s home by 11:30 AM and saw him for the last time. Many of his friends had gathered there, including Ranjith and Kodi from Kukatpally. Sirisha and Roopa arrived around 12:30 PM. We spent time together, reminiscing about Anil, and I left for home by 3:00 PM.
Anil was a rare kind of friend, someone who made it a point to call me at least once every quarter, just to check in. He never missed wishing me on my birthday, and I heard similar stories from nearly everyone I met that day at his home.
After reaching home, one question kept haunting me: What did he gain for himself?
Anil and I had similar childhood backgrounds, but the one major difference was that he never married. Instead, he dedicated his entire life to the well-being of his sister and brother, shouldering additional financial responsibilities for his family. He had been running a photo studio for over 18 years, but with the rapid shift from physical to digital photography, his business saw a steep decline. Lately, he had been exploring drone photography in hopes of reviving his career, yet despite his financial struggles, he never thought about himself. His only focus was providing a better life for his sister, brother, and mother.
That lingering question “What did he gain for himself?” remained etched in my mind as I went to bed that night. A selfless man had lost his life, consumed by his dedication to his loved ones.
Truly,
MVN Shastry
#MVNS #MVNShastry #Shastry
