Dr.Dilip's letter to Jonathan

March 15, 2007

My Dear Jonathan,

Where are you? Still your smiling face is in front of me. I can see you. I can see the glory on your face, the zeal, the excitement to work for the betterment of the deaf. All is crystal clear.

Do you remember? Before few weeks, we - Naty, Anantadev and you – were chatting. At that time, none of us just had a glimpse that it would be our last chat. You have called Anatadev as your ‘Spiritual Guru’, Naty as ‘Mother’ and me as ‘Grand Father’. Oh My ‘Grand Son’! You can’t leave the world before me. You can’t go ahead of me. You are reversing the natural process. Do you know? You have made us ‘Poor Orphans’. Still we need you, the deaf community needs you. It is just impossible to gulp this grief. One eminent philosopher had said, ‘The world is a stage and everybody is playing a role designated by HIM.’ Yes, we are on the stage and performing the role allotted by HIM. But it is too early to get the exit.

When we visit the website http://geocities.com/deaf_iloilo/ryla.htm as well as when we see the pictures at http://pictures.aol.com/ (Type screenname: irylatdw, password: india), we feel that the event is still going on. Still the memories of ‘IRYLATDW’ (International RYLA – The Deaf Way) are so fresh that I feel, the event was held only yesterday. Your first email showed the spark in you.

----- Original Message -----

From: Jonathan Tinat

Cc: drdilip1@sancharnet.in

Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 5:59 PM

Subject: Re: Rotary Club of Ich'‘International RYLA – The Deaf Way’

Hello Deelip,

Thank you for sharing this good news with Nigeria national Assocaition of the Deaf, It is worth attending. I will share the news with other deaf friends and see what we can do.

Congratulations and more grease to your elbow.

Jonathan Tinat

National President

Nigeria National Association of the Deaf.

“Congratulations and more grease to your elbow.”

Let me tell you that only you can write such words. This first email showed the spark in you. And then our long, uninterrupted communication & friendship started. You were the first to receive international sponsorship for registration from ‘Bunmi Aina’ (Director of the Office of International Programs and Services, Gallaudet University). The way Bunmi took rapid steps for paying your registration fees, I could realize, how much faith he had in you. Later on after so many interactions with you by email, I too developed firm faith and confidence in your ability and leadership. Because you were always taking care of others. I know the efforts you had undertaken to procure the sponsorship for others. You were a ‘True Leader’, as you were the example of ‘Service Above Self’ – the Rotary’s principle.

Yes, it was ‘HIS PLAN’. In spite of so many hurdles and hassles, you were with us at ‘IRYLATDW (hosted by Rotary Club of Ichalkaranji, Dist. 3170, India). Because ‘HIS BLESSINGS’ are with us. Repeatedly we had uttered this sentence. Because we could meet you, interact with you. We had some of the happiest moments of our life during this historical event. Before your exit, HE has planned this itinerary of your visit to India, because HE wanted all of us to meet.

Natty and all of us, who know you and who have heard of you, had flown so much tears. We are recovering from this dreadful shock. It is stated in Gita, “Death is inevitable, body is destructible but Soul is immortal”. I know, your body is not with us but YOU are with US. Your ‘Vision, Mission and Affirmation’ (Ref: www.laahtinat.com) is with us. We express condolence by taking an oath that we will work in unity and harmony to fulfill your ‘Vision and Mission’. Let me reaffirm my promise given to you. As a ‘Rotary Volunteer’, I will be in Nigeria one or the other day for my presentation on ‘Sign Language and Bilingualism in Deaf Education’.

As usual let me conclude that ‘Our endeavors will be continued till the deaf in the developing countries will be able to enjoy life like ‘The Deaf Way’.

Yours loving ‘Grand Pa’,

Dilip

Dr. Dilip Deshmukh

Rotary Volunteer for Promotion of 'Sign Language and Bilingualism in Deaf Education',

Rotary Dist. 3170, India