Shaikh Areef Basha, was a simple yet fascinating man. We remember him as the Hostel Superintendent from our time at BITS Hyderabad, but to many people he was much more than that. He was a trustworthy friend, entertaining company and most of all a compassionate human being to hundreds of students who were living far from the comfort of their homes.

He would pop into ELAS meetings, play the police officer in a short film shot on campus, greet you at bru and greet you outside the acad block - simply put he was omnipresent in the campus. He was one of the few people within the hostel who actually cared for your well being and genuinely celebrated his job on every single day.

The recent past marked his tragic demise, and his shining bright smile is no longer amongst us. As we grieve, it's important to note that he is survived by his wife and two smart children. One of them is stepping into 11th grade after a brilliant show in 10th Grade ( Perfect 10 GPA), and the younger one is stepping into 10th Grade himself this year.

Let's support them in a pursuit their father believed the most in - quality education. Let's give them a fair shot at becoming wonderfully erudite gentlemen, just as their father was ; so they can go on to impact thousands positively, just as their father did!