RIP Manohar Parrikar
Manohar Parrikar, who passed away at the age of 63 last night, was known as the epitome of simplicity. His colleagues remember him as a humble, hardworking and effective leader. Stories of his simplicity are plenty, among them is the fact that he used to ride his scooter throughout in a simple half sleeve shirt, trousers, sandals and a helmet.
But before his love for his scooter, he used to travel by local train and sometimes without a ticket.
One of his classmate in IIT Mumbai, who later became a businessman in Hyderabad, Bakul Desai says, Parrikar, while studying in IIT during the 1970s, they travelled without a ticket on Mumbai local trains with his friend, simply because they could not wake up the sleeping ticket booking clerks early in the morning.
Once at Dadar, a railway TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner) fined him Rs 10.40. A furious Parrikar then travelled without ticket on the local trains for a full semester, claiming he was a victim of injustice. But one day on realising that he had cheated the government he bought stamps worth Rs 11.20 and then tore them up, and said "Ab hisaab baraabar" (Now everything is squared up).
Goa Chief Minister passed away at the age of 63 after battling pancreatic ailment today. He breathed his last at his private residence in Dona Paula near Panaji. His last rites will be held today in Goa's Miramar.
Also read | Things you should know about Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
