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This year has been tough on so many families in India and across the world. Tragedy came especially close to us on November 15th, as we lost our dear friend Gautam Verma to the other side of the rainbow. Gautam had a severe lung infection and was admitted in the hospital the same day. However, we couldn't save him despite the best efforts and he left for his heavenly abode on the same day most likely due to Covid infection.
Gautam was the sole bread earner in the family and left behind his beloved wife Shikha, his mother and his daughter Noor who turned 5, merely a day after losing her favorite’st’ Dadda. Gautam had big dreams for Noor. As we grieve our friend’s loss, our concerned thoughts go to his family. We wonder if this could have been us, we wonder how our families would cope, and shudder.
Gautam was the sole bread earner in the family and left behind his beloved wife Shikha, his mother and his daughter Noor who turned 5, merely a day after losing her favorite’st’ Dadda. Gautam had big dreams for Noor. As we grieve our friend’s loss, our concerned thoughts go to his family. We wonder if this could have been us, we wonder how our families would cope, and shudder.
Many of you have reached out seeking to help given the fact he was the breadwinner for his family. We have been in touch with the family in Bangalore and with the help of some of his close relatives, we have tried assessing their financial position. We came to know that he did not have any insurance to cover for his family needs after his passing.
While nobody can ever fulfil the void in Shikha and Noor’s lives, as friends, the least we can do is to resolve to help Noor get the educational opportunities she deserves at the very least. In this, we appeal to you to come together and contribute to safeguard the family’s future and ensure a good education for Noor - just as Gautam wanted for his daughter and would have done for any one of us without a second thought.
Gautam made an impact on each of us. He had an extremely loving attitude, and a helpful nature. He was joyful and kept relationships at the top of his priorities. It is this legacy that he leaves behind for us to pick up and resolve to continue his family’s journey that he couldn’t.
We appeal to you to contribute generously and help keep Gautam’s dream alive for Noor’s bright future. No contribution is big or small - please do whatever you can to help. Your contribution would be used primarily for taking care of Noor’s well-being, her education and Shikha’s safety net for their sustenance.
Thank you, and please keep Gautam and his family in your thoughts.
A bit about our friend:
Gautam Verma, born in Delhi on 29th June 1979 was a learning enthusiast. He started with St. Anselm’s school and graduated high school from St. Xavier’s in Jaipur. He then proceeded to complete an electronics and telecommunication engineering degree from RV College, Bangalore. A kid at heart, he never stopped learning! A rare combination of being a literary and handle humor at the wits, he had charms like no one else.
FAQ
Is this genuine?
Yes it is. You are welcome to reach out to the following people who are directly connected with this effort:
Abhishek Singhal, CEO, ACadru and Anavi Learning, https://www.linkedin.com/in/singhalabhi/
Anumeha Karanam, EY People Advisory Services, https://www.linkedin.com/in/anumeha-karanam-1730284/
Abhishek Sharma, VP, Product and Engineering, Scienaptic AI, https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhishek-sharma-tzr/
How much should I donate?
Any contribution is welcome.
How will the funds be used?
The funds will primarily be used to pay school tuition and school associated expenses for Gautam’s daughter. Currently, the family does not have an assured source of income and therefore, the funds may also be utilized for the family’s sustenance. The funds will be maintained in a policy (created for the exclusive benefit of the family) which will ensure some form of a monthly earning for the family.
How much money are you targeting to raise?
We are targeting to raise ₹ 60 Lakh. We’ve come up with this based on the current funds available to the family, the expected cost for Noor’s education as well their immediate expected expenses given no current source of steady income.
Here’s how his friends remember him…
Yes it is. You are welcome to reach out to the following people who are directly connected with this effort:
Abhishek Singhal, CEO, ACadru and Anavi Learning, https://www.linkedin.com/in/singhalabhi/
Anumeha Karanam, EY People Advisory Services, https://www.linkedin.com/in/anumeha-karanam-1730284/
Abhishek Sharma, VP, Product and Engineering, Scienaptic AI, https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhishek-sharma-tzr/
How much should I donate?
Any contribution is welcome.
How will the funds be used?
The funds will primarily be used to pay school tuition and school associated expenses for Gautam’s daughter. Currently, the family does not have an assured source of income and therefore, the funds may also be utilized for the family’s sustenance. The funds will be maintained in a policy (created for the exclusive benefit of the family) which will ensure some form of a monthly earning for the family.
How much money are you targeting to raise?
We are targeting to raise ₹ 60 Lakh. We’ve come up with this based on the current funds available to the family, the expected cost for Noor’s education as well their immediate expected expenses given no current source of steady income.
Here’s how his friends remember him…
“Gautam would sing the iconic song, 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' and the whole class would join in. People would dance to the melodious voice, many people banging their tables rhythmically, all to the energetic and joyful voice of Gautam. We would ask him to sing the song repeatedly - thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Gautam's enthusiasm was infectious - he would not only enthuse us to no end, but also created a feeling of joy that would stay on throughout the day”
- Abhishek Singhal, Gurgaon, India
“I met Gautam – My Gogo, as I fondly call him - roughly 18 years back as I embarked on the corporate career journey. It didn’t take us more than a couple months to realize he is the brother I never had, and I am his sister he never had. In these 18 years, we have experienced life together, been by each other’s side every day of our lives, our relationship evolved from rakhi siblings to being family, we witnessed each other’s family growing, we each becoming an essential part of the other’s family, the number of address changes…country relocation has never come in the way of our deep connection. He called me EVERYDAY, sometimes multiple times a day to just pop in a quick hi – literally, that all! Or have me hear the latest song he was practicing on his piano, Or subject me to his stupid PJ’s knowing how much that would irritate me, and many a times to share his deepest worries. What kept him up at night was trying to figure out how to be a better husband, better dad, better son, better brother, better friend…relationships were at the top of his priority pyramid! And this world was too complex for my simple hearted and compassionate Gogo! He was SO focused on achieving his dreams and goals these past 2 years, he found his dream job, tried to get back in touch with so many of the lost contacts and spent every free moment with his darling daughter Noor. On Nov 10th, he requested me to buy several copies of this book called “Designing your life…How to build a well-lived, joyful life”. I asked why, and he said “I want to gift it to my friends. On the 12th, he was planning Noor’s birthday and had me select fun educational toys for her. He crossed the rainbow just a day before Noor turned 5! It is SO hard to imagine life without him. But I know he is watching over me, over all of us – singing melodiously and cracking his jokes from up above! We are hoping to fulfill Gogo’s dream of celebrating Noor, providing for her education and giving her all the opportunities!”
Gautam, he was not just the life of a gathering. He was life at its fullest. An unabashed entertainer, storyteller, performer in the truest sense, someone who would pitch in to do just about anything to make things a success…nothing deterred Gautam. I can’t forget how on his rakhi sister’s sangeet, he performed on stage on a parody… rolling over on the mattress laid on the stage, with a photograph in his hand, singing and enacting the love song – ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga…When my father (he called him dad) began our singing group Malhaar, Gautam and I were the eternal RD Burman/Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle pair… in the last few months he had started coughing a lot, yet this is what he wrote to me in his inimitable style (see screenshot from our chat in July →)
The gentlest, humblest, the most empathetic human being I had ever known. You will be missed Gautam. A lot.
- Priyambi Malvai ,Gurgaon, India
GV as we use to call him. He was full of life and truly meant living in now. Talking to him for 5 mins could bring anyone out of their shell to their best and bring up a smile. The most time we spent with him was at the hostel. From the start of the day, you could find him strolling casually to the bathroom with a bucket in hand and the lyrics echoing in the hallway almost every day, cracking jokes on everyone along the way. It was the most fun filled and wonderful days. That is what remains now of GV - the memories…all full of fun and happiness .. it seemed like he had an endless supply of smiles to give out..smiles and joy is what we remember him with, wherever he is.
Singing was so natural to him. Be it hostel events or college events he was always at the forefront. He could rise to occasion at will and would become the beat of the crowd in no time. Can't forget his occasional post dinner singing in college in a field, under the sky, with a friend playing guitar and everyone joining and getting absorbed. He deeply connected with many people, personally 1-1…from batchmates to juniors, seniors. This loss has created a big void for many of us.
.. I am sure he is singing “chala jata hoon .. kisi ki dhun me” .. and he left us with fond memories.
- Abhishek Sharma, Bangalore, India
GV as we use to call him. He was full of life and truly meant living in now. Talking to him for 5 mins could bring anyone out of their shell to their best and bring up a smile. The most time we spent with him was at the hostel. From the start of the day, you could find him strolling casually to the bathroom with a bucket in hand and the lyrics echoing in the hallway almost every day, cracking jokes on everyone along the way. It was the most fun filled and wonderful days. That is what remains now of GV - the memories…all full of fun and happiness .. it seemed like he had an endless supply of smiles to give out..smiles and joy is what we remember him with, wherever he is.
Singing was so natural to him. Be it hostel events or college events he was always at the forefront. He could rise to occasion at will and would become the beat of the crowd in no time. Can't forget his occasional post dinner singing in college in a field, under the sky, with a friend playing guitar and everyone joining and getting absorbed. He deeply connected with many people, personally 1-1…from batchmates to juniors, seniors. This loss has created a big void for many of us... I am sure he is singing “chala jata hoon .. kisi ki dhun me” .. and he left us with fond memories.
- Abhishek Sharma, Bangalore, India
