Bina Aranha: Pam Malhotra was one of the first people I met in Sector 15A, way back in 1993 when we moved here. She brought me into the Ladies’ Club (where I made other older friends like
Rajni Kaul, Shobha Juneja, Usha Kaul, Praveen Khanna, Biloo Pathak, Mrs Manmohan and Prem) which was quite different back in the day. She was my friend and mentor and I learned so much from her. For instance, she told me that whenever she bought a new saree, she gave away an old one. I was gobsmacked and in awe of her simple and uncomplicated but very difficult to emulate principles she lived her life by. She taught me a lot about naturopathy, foods which are healthful and sparked my lifelong interest in alternative medicine. She was very charitable and we visited orphanages and old-age homes together. Many was the coffee morning I spent in her serene garden where she taught me about the delightful variety of plants she nurtured.
Followed of course by a game of Scrabble! Her gifts were never store-bought – always precious baby potted plants from her bounteous garden. A mere two months before she left us, I managed to get Pam over to have dinner at my home along with her beloved sister Rama and a couple of other friends. She told me she never went out for dinner after Harish’s passing but made this one exception. We had a great evening and she told me she enjoyed every bit of it. Never did I imagine it would be the last time I met her, but I’m grateful to have this last memory of her. Rest in peace, dear friend, you have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith…
Minakshi Goil: Like everyone else in the close-knit community of our Sector, I am truly shocked at the sudden departure and loss of Pam Aunty! Very difficult to bid farewell to her who had become my mentor, who used to share all her garden blooms with me which often were featured on the front page of Samvada! Baby pink was her favourite colour and she often used to stop at my outside garden to admire the pink flowers there! Will be very difficult to get over her smiling, comforting face and pray that she will continue to guide me in spirit always. With gratitude, appreciation and fond remembrances of her.
