By Vipul Dhasmana
Memories flooded when I read a Facebook post by Satish Sharma, Editor, Garhwal Post, that our beloved colleague Jaskiran Chopra is no more.
I first met her in the late 1990s when I worked with the then English weekly tabloid as Special Correspondent of the Garhwal Post.
Satish and I visited her home cum office as she was the then correspondent of UNI. We were welcomed with sweets and tea.
Our professional interactions developed into friendship. She was a charming personality and loved literature. Attending to her book reading, poetry recitation was expected of me, which I missed, but for one. It was a book reading.
She knew that literature was never my cup of tea. Yet she teased me with invitations.
We used to meet during press conferences, political and nonpolitical promotional events, where we exchanged our views. Last we met in Ghosi Gali, years ago, in front of two bakeries, comparing which one was the best.
Years went by, we were in touch over the phone during her stint in a university where she taught mass media students.
With the introduction of social media platforms, the distance between us grew more, yes, more and more. I too got busy fighting cancer and being confined during Covid times. I lost touch with Jas.
As the years went by, we did not meet socially, till I paid a visit this morning after having learned on Facebook that she is no more.
Jas, as I lovingly addressed her, was sleeping. It seemed as if she would wake up to prepare tea and offer sweets. But, the truth is that she is no more.
It’s time to finally say goodbye to Jas and I am trying to gather courage to attend her funeral, next to my home. So, my friend, let’s meet in heaven.
