Surekha Panandiker: December 1936–October 2015: My Friend Surekha

surekha was everyone’s friend who kept enlarging the family of her friend’s circle with affection and assurance. Loving and caring came naturally to her as she did not believe in machinating faith. Even the slightest hint of hardship brought tears to her eyes just as she bore her pain with a smile. She charmed the Tsunami victims through her rapturous storytelling, reassurance, and suggestion of hope that the silent, dark-eyed little girl in the camp held her sari corner and asked her, “Can I call you Mother!” Dedication and vigor in each endeavor qualified her disposition.

From her youth, causes of social significance drew her into spirited action. She took up writing for children with the same outlook, promotion of reading, and reaching books to the underprivileged in remote areas became a mission of life. She managed the Children’s Libraries for the IndianBBY with the thrill of a new reader at the sight of a colorful book and showed deep concern to details of extending the reading habit. It gave meaning to her existence, a satisfaction of achieving her life’s dream.

Such was my friend, Surekha.

Surekha Panandiker performing at the Indian BBY conference on Literacy through Literature, February 2014