Surjit Singh Barnala, the Governor of Tamil Nadu,

celebrated his 86th birthday at the Raj Bhavan. He has graciously extended his hospitality to me and I was one of the first people to meet him and greet him on his birthday!

A gentleman with a keen mind, Surjit Singh Barnala was born on October 21 in 1925. He was been a Union Minister, Chief Minister of Punjab, and is also a painter and an author.

The Governor smiled when he saw a caricature him holding a pallet, made by Sandeep Joshi. He took great interest in my book on Guru Nanak Dev ji, taking his time over the pages, and asking questions about the content and the pictures.

He also went through the set of book of my father, and the commemorative volume, Giani Gurdit Singh 1923-2007, for which he had written a touching note on my father.

He invited me to attend the various ceremonies he was performing at the Raj Bhavan, including inaugurating a garden and unveiling a statue, but duty called, and I toddled off to attend a workshop that has brought me to Chennai.

But then came a wonderful evening, I went to Capt S Seshadri’s house and was with his family, in their appartment by the beach. A many of many parts Seshadri is a businessman, co-author of the best-selling biography of Sunita Williams, and also involved in philanthropic activities.