Orbituary of a friend

I was informed by the son, Venkatesh, of a dear friend in Chennai that his father had passed away.

Last year, on our Bharat Darshan of 2 months, I took time off to go and meet one of my dearest friends in Chennai, P. V. Laxminarayan. Our paths had crossed through Rotary and a common interest in Plastics. PVL or Laxmi, as he was known, used to work for Chemplast, a large PVC resin manufacturer in Mettur a couple of hundred kilometers from Madras (Chennai). He was the plant accountant. He really understood not only the process, but the entire economics of running a large resin manufacturing facility. It was not because he was interested in Plastics resin manufacture, but because he was genuinely interested in whatever he did.

Every time he came to Madras on a work or weekend visit, as his late father-in-law ran one of the most dynamic architecural and civil engineering companies in Chennai, C.R. Narayana Rao, we would spend the time at the Rotary, and then his wife, Sita would dish up some great vegetarian dosais or vadas or rasam or.....

Finally, he moved to Chennai and started his own Auditing practice. Besides helping him to join our local Madras South Rotary Club, he also became the Auditor and financial advisor to my Consulting Company.

He was never just my Auditor. He was my friend. He used to stay with me when I lived in Bangalore. He travelled with me and ate with me, even though he was a very strict vegetarian.

He came from the ultra-orthodox Madhva Community, but he never let it interfere in his daily life. He was conservative and yet progressive.

PVL had a tremendous sense of humour. He would have all in splits of laughter for hours on end.

But yet, he could be deadly serious and accurate when he did his accounting, helping me to stay well within the law.

When we were in Chennai, his sons, Venkatesh & Ramachandran, had organised a special event to felicitate their father. He was eager that I would attend, but unfortunately our time in India was so short that it was impossible to change our schedules. But, during the time I spent with him, his mind was agile and he was trying to help another of his clients with some export orders. He never forgot where his bread was buttered and did everything humanly posible to help all his clients.

His wife, Sita, has also been a dear friend. I was able to spend a few minutes with her also during this last trip.

I know that she will miss her husband every single hour of the day, just as I am missing him even at this distance.

Annikki and I convey our deepest condolences to Sita and her two sons, Venkatesh and Ramachandran, on behalf of all our children and ourselves for a dear family friend for over 3 and a half decades.

You will be missed PVL.

We remember you fondly with all your gaiety.

Let your soul rest in peace.