Mohan Reddy - a fearless fighter like none other

As we continue to struggle to comprehend this loss, even believe that this is true, and yearn for that impossible chance that this could all be just a bad dream, I've spent the day thinking every second about the man I've grown to appreciate and deeply like for a lot of things I wish to be, and rue the sudden destruction of possibilities of what could have been.

I met Mohan a lot later than many of you who have spent many years working with him in various capacities and roles. Our continuous relationship was forged in 2018, and we've spent countless hours understanding each other and making our equation work with mutual respect for each other.

Like many of you, we've had our ups and downs, taken our time to form an implicit trust on each other, and over the last couple of years I strongly believe that we achieved this.

It is hard to come by a personality like his - larger than life, with such strong footing on a belief system he lived by with integrity and purpose. A lot of us eventually have formed strong personal bonds with him, and have naturally grown to lean on him when things get challenging.

I am possibly not going to meet another person as straight forward as him, shooting instinctively from his heart. Someone who wore his heart on his sleeve. In these times of constant cynicism and scrutiny, his way of living was a difficult one - one I can only aspire for. Someone who never held back, spoke what was right to him, and lived by this code of conduct in EVERY circumstance. Yes, this did result in a few situations he could have easily not been in and didn't want to end up being in, but thats him - he spoke it if he felt it.

With Mohan, you knew what you were getting - another trait you couldn't easily place on a large section of this world. He was innately a people person, always putting his friends and colleagues ahead of anything else. He protected those who he managed, fiercely and had such a fatherly presence for the ones who looked up to him. His was tough love, you were not going to hear what you wanted to, but every-time you did hear what you needed to - maybe a little sugar coating of this style would have helped a lot of us appreciate where he was coming from more immediately.

He had a presence that announced itself even before he spoke a word. You knew no matter who was in front of him, he was going to stand up for what he believed in. He was a sounding board, a constant force that you had to factor in your decision making. Because he was going to call you out, in his own sense of right and wrong - and you had to be prepared to have a debate - for which he was ever ready to the point of being funny at times. You would invariably end up smiling because he said exactly what you thought he would say.

Mohan started off as a colleague, and ended up being a friend - often discussing deep insecurities and philosophical exchanges. He has been a strong mentor to a lot of you, and a reluctant mentee at first - but quickly became a tight collaborator to grow himself and fill the gaps he had and augment the strengths - and the zeal that he brought in so quickly was something I admired. He put his heart and soul into developing himself more completely - only to be robbed of time so suddenly.

He put a lot of commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. I have often told him, if I had run half of what he has - I would have come around the equator. It is devastating irony that he left us the way he did. Nevertheless, he wanted us to learn the importance of having a fit and able body to have a sound functioning mind. And this we should, with no stone unturned.

Mohan will be someone, as all of you, I would always carry in my memories. If one could be half as strong willed, honest and forthright as he was - we would have learnt something that will carry us far.

He had a lot of ideas, a lot of suggestions and a strong point of view and opinion in what we should do. The least we could do in service of his memory is endeavour to accomplish what he wanted to, and put all his good ideas in motion.

This is a very testing time for all of us, we have each other to derive strength from - and to provide whatever is needed for the family and loved ones he leaves behind, in whatever capacity we can.

To this end we will continue to be there for his family, and our organisation has been exemplary in supporting all of us in times of distress - and is taking every step to come through for Mohan.

I only wish there was an easier way to deal with this, but there is not. We will grieve together, and we will move ahead with the strength that Mohan would have wanted us to have.

Here is to his memory and a life of no compromise that he lived - cheers to him, bless his heart and lets pray he is in a better place that gives him his due.