Rocket Man - Rakesh Sharma

During the Bangalore Mirror – 'Devana Yelli', group discussion to solve the connectivity problem between the Bangalore city and the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli, 35 kilometers away from the city I took an chance to get his autograph on the Bangalore Mirror edition with an picture of an plan flying past showing the belly of the aero plane. Rakesh Sharma obliged and also spoke about how great he felt being on the space and looking at his mother India from there. This page will be an memorabilia for me along with various other personalities whose autographs are with me.

Former astronaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma at the stakeholders & decision maker's discussion on the airport connectivity titled 'Devana Yelli', at the Taj West End hotel in Bangalore on Saturday 3rd May 2008.(left) The autographed page of Bangalore Mirror.

Fast Fingers -Zakir Hussain

This picture was carried in the Dainik Bhaskar group's - Bhopal, Indore along with other 40 editions across the North India. Divya Bhaskar edition also carried the image. It so happened that I was anchoring the RNA- wing of the Dainik Bhaskar after taking my VRS from the Hindustan Times and since Abhilash Khandekar - The Bhopal Editor, who knew me from the HT days asked me to cover the event. I obliged and enjoyed an evening with the ustad in one of his good mood. Since he was also going to stay overnight in Bhopal I quickly went and got an print made so that the next morning I could get it autographed.

Zakir was in Bhopal to Perform in an Charity event organized by the Gundecha brothers who wanted to get some money together for their dream academy 'Dhrupad Gurukul', on the outskirts of Bhopal. Since I knew the Gundecha brothers who are very close to Abhilash Khandekar had arranged an breakfast meeting with the maestro.