I came across Ekta when she moved into my previous flat, which we had occupied temporarily for a short while more than a decade ago. What charmed me and my husband instantly was her disarming smile and genuinely friendly attitude. This sunshine nature, I am sure, also helped her successfully launch and rapidly scale up her new venture of supplying home-cooked food in the society.
Soon the whole society was literally “eating out of her hands”; starting from providing impromptu tea and snacks for early morning gathering of seniors, ladies kitty parties, birthday dinners or sudden arrival of guests at home – Ekta had every one’s back, with her trademark charming smile. As her nascent venture took off so did her fan base. ‘Aap ki Rasoi’ and its delicious fare became a ‘go to’ option for any unforeseen ‘meal contingency’.
Little did any of us know that the adorable person spreading happiness in every house hold would be brought down by a cruel stroke of fate – Ekta’s joy and pride, her budding aviator son merged with God Almighty. Her entire fan base is silent and numb with pain. But Ekta is made of sterner stuff with a frame of steel propping up the charming persona. Aap ki Rasoi is back after a brief pause; back to spreading happiness and sending a profound message that ‘life must go on’.
