"Jimishbhai, the food here is amazing. The mushrooms are mind-blowing,"

"Jimishbhai, the food here is amazing. The mushrooms are mind-blowing," said Rahul, wearing stylish glasses and flashing the charming grin that had melted many hearts.

It was April of 2008. I was a summer intern at eClerx—a lucky one at that. During my two-month internship, the HR team had planned two big parties. This happened at the first of the two. The venue was Fuel in Powai, which I later learned was the favorite hangout spot for Rahul and his gang. Rahul was an associate in the Admin team back then and was responsible for planning events too.

We had reserved the innermost section of Fuel for the party. While most of the attendees were dancing to some good house music, I was sitting in a corner. That’s when Rahul walked up to me and said what I quoted above. From that moment on, I kept observing him. Although he loved dancing, he would frequently step off the dance floor to check on everyone. He’d ask if the food was okay, if anyone wanted to order something different, and, of course, use his charm to coax people onto the dance floor.

He stood out at every party and event. He loved compering, had a gracious stage presence, and a way with words. Above all, he always came across as a calm and happy person. eClerx, being a KPO, had a very young employee base with 24x7 operations. The admin team often faced tricky situations and escalations, but Rahul always stayed calm and delivered with a smile. We often saw angry employees or managers march into the HR Admin bay, but as soon as they started talking, Rahul would start smiling. It wasn't an irritated or helpless smile, but a "I understand your plight, buddy; I've got this" smile.

A calm soul, a kind soul, a happy soul—a friend to everyone and a dependable team member. There is definitely some truth to the saying "The good ones go early," but this one went way too early. Unfortunately, I learned over the weekend that he has followed one of his best pals and manager, Arif, who left for his untimely heavenly abode just a couple of years ago.

All the apsaras in heaven better watch out—there’s a kind and dashing angel coming your way. Rest in peace, Rahul.

(Picture of Rahul is from an office outing in July 2009)