By Sona Choudhury
My father Pradip Choudhury was born on November 17th 1931 in Karimganj town of Assam. In Karimganj college he studied his graduate degree, B.Sc in Science. My father married my mother in the year 1973. In the same year, he started his business known as Pradip Choudhury and Company, which deals with electrical and mechanical engineering in Shillong. He was a hard working businessman and remained a strong employee of his business for almost 50 years. Sadly, he passed away on the 6th of April, 2015 exactly a year after his prolonged illness.
My father was truly an honest businessman. How I wish I had seen him and known him professionally. With his company, he had rendered great service which has supported many people. How I wish I have the skills of a business man, so that I could do much more work like my father. He was the happiest man on earth. He prayed to the almighty and thanked him for showering the heaven’s choicest blessings on his own family and near and dear ones.
In June, 2011, his health started to deteriorate and he worried about his business and who would look after it. He felt that it would be difficult for me as a deaf person to take care of his work.
My late father was the former president of Central Puja Committee, Bangiya Sahitya Parishad, Frontier Chamber of commerce, Keatinge road welfare organisation, Matri mandir, Gitanjali Dance Academy, and former member of Sri Aurobindo institute of Indian culture, Jagannath Mandir Opera , Umshirpi College, Rilbong Sports and Cultural club. Indeed it is a great loss for Shillong as I recalled how he had lent a helping hand to various public institutions and sections of the community throughout his life.
It was decided that a suitable memorial be created with a view to perpetuating the memory of this man who spent all his active life in Shillong and devoted much of his time for peace and harmony amongst all sections of the people.
Papa… as a child, I had a million ways to annoy you. As a teenager, I had a million reasons to defy you. As an adult, I had a million opportunities to make you proud. I did all that but I missed out on the most important – a million chances to say I love you while you were alive. I miss you.