Rajat Gupta in Jaipur – Mind Without Fear

MIND WITHOUT FEAR by RAJAT GUPTA

I have mentioned in my other blogs that there have been times since childhood that intuitions on various matters, minor or major, have struck me from time to time through life. As a career scientist and a professor of technology I did not discuss the matter much with others because many consider the stuff from the mystic realms strange. However, I have talked more of it since retiring from a scientific career around a decade ago and even given it a name - Himalayas Born Intuition - for perhaps that is where it was born. Moreover, if the leading scientist of humanity- Einstein – could talk of it there is no reason for me not to.

Last month, one morning one such intuition struck me at random. It was about a dear old college friend - Rajat Gupta. After leaving college, we have not had much opportunity to meet being in different countries. We have communicated much though, ever since the advent of emails. Rajat Gupta is a well-known consultant and executive, who during his career reached the top most levels of such a profession in the world. Unfortunately, he was charged some years ago with insider trading, a completely false charge as far as his friends and many think and know of the matter. The over zealous prosecutor even managed to secure a conviction involving a two year prison sentence. This is not surprising in modern America where seventeen agencies unanimously suggested that President Donald Trump has colluded with Russia to secure the presidency, seems according to CNN and many others. The democrats almost managed to secure his conviction on the charge by spinning some horrendous stories involving Russian urine seems, LOL! It was nonsense. President Trump was able to escape the charge after a couple of years of tormenting, being a President. Many others do not when a system begins to hound them, a system in which some shall never be charged, howsoever many millions they make, through whatsoever questionable methods.

Returning to Rajat, over the last year or so, things had been very quiet from his end, but then an intuition came to me one day last month that he was coming to Jaipur soon for some reason unknown to me then. I rushed an email suggesting that it would be nice if he stayed with me this time instead of a large hotel. Large hotels are fine and dandy but cannot provide the serenity of a quiet room in a quite simple home. I suggested to him that I had just such a room at home for him and if he came it would give us a chance to catch up.

A reply came that he had been busy writing a book with the title –Mind Without Fear – and that he would indeed be coming to India in early April for launching the book, and that it would be in Delhi not Jaipur and it would be nice if I came there for it. I replied back sending him congratulations for the book and good wishes but not promising to visit Delhi. With age the trip from Jaipur to pollution-ridden Delhi has become daunting. But then, some days ago another delightful email arrived that somehow magically Jaipur is now on his schedule too:

Dear Ashok, thank you for wishing me luck. You are not only wise but possess some special powers because of meditating and being a yogi . A good evidence of that is I am coming to Jaipur for a book event on the 6th of April. Initially Jaipur was not on my schedule but magically it is now happening. Love to invite you to the function and call ch up (read catch up) with you after the event. I will send you the particulars as soon as I know. Thanks again for your thoughts. Warm regards

Rajat

Rajat Gupta with Ashok Malhotra at his home

Therefore it was that we met with a hug on the 6^th of April, at his hotel, at the launch event and then later for dinner and a chat at home. It was indeed a magical meeting arranged by the Lord and His angels.

Sanjit Kumar Meena

Many persons at the hotel and at my home helped and assisted us through the meeting. All were left delighted and there were only minor disappointments through the meeting as must happen in any human activity. Mine was that the visit was not longer and that under the influence of a white wine that I consumed as an exception on the day, I forgot half the food in the freezer but food had receded into the background. A boy – Sanjit Kumar Meena - whom I call in to serve as the attendant from time to time was a bit disappointed that such a famous man had visited and he did not manage to get a picture with him.

Next day as we cleared the tables, I took another picture of the dining table, of what Rajat has given, to me and to the world. It is in the picture on top of this post. The one below is when old friends meet and there is no shortage of wine : -)