I have interacted with Bipin in different capacities. First as a business associate, then as a colleague and later as a friend. Having known him now for the past 9 years (almost a decade), I have observed different shades of him in these different capacities. Ruthless as a business associate and task master, unrelenting in any pressure situation and extremely opiniated and vocal. His scant regard for authority and position when it comes to speaking the truth or making a point has been aspirational for me. As a colleague, I have found him amenable and fair in appreciation. As a friend is when one discovered the actual man. Extremely soft-hearted and sensitive to every situation, he is the first to extend a helping hand and be there for you. The other great ability this man posesses is the magnetism in connecting with people. He has doors opened for him, towels delivered in his hand and bags personally handed over from absolute strangers. The words “Beta”, “Raja” and their derrived synonyms are put to judicious use for this acomplishment. Bipin’s penchant for good food and drink has been one of the many reasons for the good times that we have had. Tumblers of Single malt stand testimony to this. The one detail which very few people are aware of, is his love for animals. While the goat, chicken, prawn and fish are examples of this fond love, the leopard in particular is a classic example. People might want to visit singapore’s nite safari to understand why. The other craving that Bipin allows himself to fall prey to are nocturnal pleasures, with absolutely no bones attached. Few have the flair and poise in their craving and pursuit. His voice and the modulations achieved at different quarters of the moon bring back memories of some legends on the silver screen like Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughnan Sinha, Amol Palekar, Nana Patekar and my personal favourite, Utpal Dutt. “Kussi” never sounded as better, even in the original version. Another feature of this man is his ability to speak to himself. Right in the middle of a conversation, you might find names, expressions, hand signals and occasionally, even a song thrown, that you might be totally blown by. Event organising, cricket discussions, film talk, stage shows, personality, conversationalist and extremely god-fearing, this man is a true Leo at heart!