I think friendship is an exclusive quality given to the mankind. I am not very sure whether term like ‘friendship’ ever possible in the other human being like animals. It might be there as they also move in groups at times. But, man or woman is blessed with this wonderful attribute which can take you to the realms of great companionship, camaraderie, sharing and happiness above all. I learnt in my sixty long years of life that friends have proved to be my leading lights. They have shown me the right and wrong paths, shared my happiness and sorrow, tolerated my kindness and anger, taught me good and bad and walked with me at the times of joy and despair.

I don’t say my friendship fits into a particular age group. Right from the day I started going to school I started earning friends. They have great sources of inspiration for me. I started my life as a very shy and reticent boy and they have given comfort in the company during school and college.

In college I remember to have spent my time in two different groups; one during the class hours and another during my way to college and way back home. After taking up a job I found a host of friend among the students I started taking classes. There were students of different nature but even the most reserved or rebellious had been cordial and nice to me. I feel happy whenever I encounter my old student friend somewhere and when someone makes a call or visit to me all of a sudden.

I celebrated my birth day for the first time at the age of 34 with my student friends with a movie followed by dinner and I was presented with a shirt. How nice on their part! Before that I still remember fondly my friend in college presented me with two HB and B pencils on my birthday since I am an artist.

I had friends from the age of 90 to 19; but the sad thing was three of my octogenarian friends passed away in the last few years. I felt so sad because they have inspired me to write by appreciating my language and encouraged me whenever my writings appeared in the press. Who will have that sort of magnanimity to appreciate the younger person of his son’s age without bias or prejudice? I cherish these gentlemen all my life.

Though I am a bachelor, I never felt lonely at any time. My young friends belong to another category. They are always fun loving, playing, trying to talk on all possible topics and feel quite at home in my company and I too. When I met with an accident and became immobile, it is my young friend and his family, who took the complete responsibility of taking care of me. Can this gesture be repaid by anything?

I learn to speak boldly from my friends. I learnt to appreciate good things from them. They introduced me to new books, cinemas, personalities, music and places. I too get into differences of opinion with them at times; yet without that even friendship will become bland; so let it go on. So I used to tell everyone that in all relationships there should be an undercurrent of friendship; otherwise it will not survive for long. I believe in that.

Beyond all these friends, books are also my great friends who hardly expect anything from me but give me a lot.

I dedicate all my thoughts and sincere gratitude to all these friends on this Friendship Day.