India Trip - I am engaged

Nadia and I finally made the long pilgrimage back home. Being the sentimental sort, Nadia was looking forward to seeing the place where I grew up, learned to play soccer, went to school etc. Since we were in India for just one week, we only had time to visit Mumbai and Pune. I also had the privilege of delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, but once that was out of the way, the vacation was a total blast. Here is a pictorial journal of our trip

First-up, a really cool sign that we saw prior to departure from JFK:


Anji, Nadia and I at IIT-Bombay


The "Elixir" competition, and the ensuing lecture that I delivered on Healthcare Innovation in India. I really enjoyed my experience running Elixir. I met some great folks and enjoyed working with the students to develop their concepts for the final exhibition.




Nadia and I, at the culmination of Elixir...


For anyone who has been to an Indian wedding, I'm sure you can empathize with the bride to be...this is Nadia, trying on a selection of salwars.



Doesn't she look pretty?



Trip down memory lane

This is where I lived ...


I spent many many hours reading about dogs, fish, birds and wildlife in this very corner of "Manney's bookstore"

The place I went to school - St Vincents


My old school desk... 20 years later



My 6th grade teacher ... 20 years later



Catching up with my former "desk mate" - also was with me at Stanford and at St Jude :) (His mom designed Nadia's ring)


The place where I learned to play basketball (no wonder the NBA career did not take off)

The place where I learned to play soccer - this is where I proposed to Nadia ;)

and here is the rock ... or rather, the rocks...

Nadia's favorite pictures:
a) Fascination with cows in the street



b) Shivaji market - Hawks diving down to scoop up the offal from the meat market
c) And then there was the local buffalo shed...

Given our penchant for food, we spent the bulk of our time in India (and later in Dubai) sampling an eclectic selection of local eats - as well as "firm Dhaaba favorites" (Indian fastfood). Fresh pomegranate juice, Basundi, Royal Falooda .... mmmm... D-lish.


"Tender coconut is mm..mm.. good!"


"I love Shrikhand"


One of my favorite "Pune joints" - I used to love eating chicken sandwiches at this cafe when I was a kid.


"Yes, kaju katli, anjeer roll, meetha paan, lasoon sev, palak sev..." (mom's not around to stop me heheh! - just kidding mom ... you know I eat healthy now)


"OOh basundi - I love you"





Overall - it was a fantastic trip culminating in a very happy ending.