Ganesan’s friends recall childhood years

Nirmal Park Society in Navghar Road area of Bhayander (east) has been in shock since the death of engineer Raghavendran Ganesan was confirmed. The Ganesan family has been staying in the society for the last 19 years, and every resident there was not only familiar with Raghavendran but were fans of his cricket skills. His friends recall him as a happy-go-lucky boy who had big dreams and achieved them at a young age.

Ganesan was killed while traveling in a coach of the Brussels metro in which one of the suicide bombers blew himself up on March 22. Raghavendran, 31, had become a father just a month ago. His wife is away in Chennai, said a neighbour who did not wished to be named. The victim’s parents, C. Ganesan and Annapoorna, flew to Brussels last Wednesday. His brother, Venkatesan, who is studying in Germany, also joined them.

Raghavendran had been recruited to Infosys through a campus placement programme and was working in Brussels for the past four years.

Pritesh Pandya, a friend of Raghavendran since childhood and an assistant manager in a private firm, told this newspaper, “Almost an hour before the incident Raghavendran had spoken to his family. He used to call his mother daily around 7.30 am local time, which is around 1 pm here. Later she and all of us saw the news of the Brussels attack, but none of us felt Raghavendran was in danger. The next morning, when his mother had called him and got reply, she got worried and informed Raghavendran’s brother in Germany. Later when we realized that authorities were unable to find Raghavendran’s name on the list of missing or injured. We got scared and started praying, but things turned out in a different and disheartening way. We lost a dear friend and a good human being.

An another friend of Raghavendran, Kamlesh Chawda told this newspaper, “At first when we heard that a Bhayander boy named Raghavendran was missing, we were surprised and were unable to comprehend news reports that were showing the image of our Raju addressing him as Raghavendran. Later, his parents informed us that his actual name was Raghavendran, but we used to address him as Raju.”

Speaking about his friend, Mr Pandya said, “Raju had done his SSC from St. Francis school in Mira Bhayander area. He tied to knot with Chennai girl Vaishali in 2013. The couple got blessed with a baby boy 40 days ago, and almost 20 days ago he had visited Mumbai.”

According to Mr Pandya, Raghavendran had moved to Brussels four years ago and his project was supposed to end in February, 2016, but it got extended by a few months. “If his project had finished on time, he could have been here with us,” commented Mr Pandya.

Raghavendran had brought a flat in Pune and during his visit to Mumbai 20 days ago he had informed his friends that he would shift to Pune after his project got over.

“What an Indian wants is a beautiful wife, a kid, a stable career and his own house. Raghavendran had it all, he was satisfied with life,” Mr Pandya said.