My sister 'Kappu'

Kalpakam Yechury, (Kappu), as she was known to her close friends, was 12 years old when I was born. As soon as the news of my birth delivery was conveyed to her, she ran down the stairs of our house (at 20, CP Kovil Street, Madras -now Chennai), eager to greet the newly born child. On the way she came to know that it was a boy. She promptly stopped and went back upstairs, to sit down and spend a few minutes composing herself, to swallow the bitter disappointment. She also felt that Mother had betrayed her by not living up to her promise to gift her a younger sister.

That, however, was only a passing feeling and she soon began to take on an active and important role in nursing, with loving care, the premature baby until he became normal after a few months. The rest, as they say, is history.

It was, literally, the Mary and the Little Lamb story in real life. I adored her, and followed her wherever she went. One distinct memory is that of both of us dutifully ensuring that our lunch boxes were packed and walking away with them, she to College and I to school, leaving our text books and note books behind! It was years later, at the time of her marriage, that I remember crying to be allowed to sit in the palanquin with her and my brother-in-law -to- be during the ceremonial 'ooregimpu' in Kakinada. With the marriage came to an end, her short but brilliant career as a danseuse.

For the next two decades, if not more, sister and brother-in-law were much more than father and mother to me. I will never forget the way they both spoilt me, at least until their first child, Sitaram, arrived, some four years after the marriage. Shankar, the second son followed two years later.

I stayed with Akka and Bava, when I went to Delhi for my IAS interview. And, as I have recorded elsewhere in my recollections, the saga, of my defective colour vision being exposed, in the medical test that followed the interview, and how Bava rescued me caused no end of amusement to my sister! So did my dismal performance in the interview proper, which was revealed when I was debriefed by my father who had flown into Delhi specially for that purpose!

I also remember how, years later, while I was working in a senior position in the districts, Bava made me do 30 sit ups, in full view of the public, on the Abids road, in Hyderabad, one each for one rupee, for the Rs 30 needed to borrow from him!

From the age of 14 to 89 she dedicated 75 years of her life to fulfilling her duties. As a daughter, a wife, a mother, then mother-in-law, later on as a grandmother and, by God's grace, also as a great grandmother, she was everything circumstances needed her to be. She made literally hundreds of friends with each of whom she had a special and affectionate relationship. She made a notable contribution to the cause of service to the poor and the needy, not only by virtue of association with well-known institutions such as All India Women's Conference and the Andhra Mahila Sabha.

And, all through those years, she remained an infectiously cheerful lady, with a charitable disposition. Goodbye Kappu! I have no doubt at all that you will continue to spread sweetness and light in the hereafter, just as you did here!