Happy Anniversary, Babu

 It was late Saturday afternoon in the courtyard of Siddhivinayak Temple, Dadar, Mumbai. 1988 was just a day old. There we were—two clueless souls, clutching our fears tighter than each other. Ganesha seemed to smile, as if saying, "Good luck, kids." To ensure equity in grace and blessings, we walked down to Our Lady of Salvation Church a few blocks away and beseechingly gazed at the large crucifix on the dome wall, under MF Hussein's stained fibreglass abstract painting. We didn’t know what lay ahead, but we knew one thing—we wanted to grow old together. 

Fast forward 37 years. Turns out, we didn’t make a mistake! Life hasn’t exactly been a smooth Bollywood romance—more like an unpredictable indie film with plot twists. But through every laugh, tear, and midnight hospital run, we’ve built something unbreakable. 

Nandi, thank you for believing in this gangly reporter with dreams bigger than his wallet. Thank you for making me stronger every day. Here's to the leap we took—and the adventure it turned out to be.

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