The hum of the city outside, the rhythm of routine inside, and the comforting familiarity of a new workweek. After parking my car, I took the elevator to the 23rd floor and climbed a flight of stairs to my desk on the 24th. As I always do, I exchanged pleasantries with colleagues along the way. There was laughter, a few jokes and the usual banter.
Just a few hours later, those same faces wore expressions of grief and shock.
The Unexpected News
A younger colleague, Ranvijay, had passed away suddenly. Right there, in the parking lot near our office. His life, which had intertwined with ours in seemingly small but significant ways, was snatched away instantly.
Hearing about the sudden death of someone you know is always jarring. It’s like a punch to the gut you never see coming. But the loss feels even sharper, almost unfair, when it’s someone younger.
Youth, after all, is supposed to promise time—time to grow, time to love and time to live. But life, in its unpredictability, has other plans.
The Weight of Grief
I went to the hospital to pay my respects to the departed and to be there for Ranvijay’s family. While I didn’t know Ranvijay well, I am familiar with his brother Vinay and cousin Ashutosh. Seeing them grapple with the reality of losing their younger sibling was heart-wrenching.
The scene at the hospital remains etched in my mind.
I met Devina, Ranvijay’s sister-in-law, who had worked with me years earlier. She led me to Vinay. My heart pounded as I approached him, unsure of what to say but knowing that words were secondary to ‘just being present’.
When I embraced Vinay, it was a silent exchange. No words could capture the moment’s weight. All I could hope was that some of my strength passed to him in that embrace.
The Heartbreak of Breaking the News
Shortly after, Ranvijay’s wife arrived. She didn’t know that the man she shared her life with was gone. Seeing her fall apart upon hearing the news was one of the most heart-wrenching sights I’ve ever witnessed.
Her son was still at school, unaware that his father was no more. Ranvijay’s mother, who was at home, was also in the dark, blissfully unaware of the tragedy that had struck her family. These were the details that haunted me long after I left the hospital that day.
Driving home that night, I couldn’t shake the heaviness in my chest. The thought of Ranvijay’s family—his wife, child and mother—stayed with me. For everyone else, the grief of losing him would fade with time. We would move on and return to our life’s routines. But for his family, every day from then on would start with the painful absence of him.
That’s the cruel truth about loss. The world keeps spinning, and life moves forward. But for those closest to the deceased, it feels like time stands still, frozen in the moment they learned the heartbreaking news.
The Silent Echo of Grief
I wanted to check in on Vinay the following day, but I hesitated. What could I possibly say that would make a difference? Words felt so inadequate. I picked up my phone several times, only to set it back down, unable to complete a message.
Eventually, I texted Devina, hoping she’d pass on my prayers and thoughts to the family. Even that felt insufficient.
The week dragged on, the weight of Ranvijay’s death lingering over everything. It’s strange how someone you barely spoke to can leave such an impact. Ranvijay and I exchanged very few words, maybe a smile here or there in passing. But his sudden absence felt like a sharp void, a reminder of life’s fragility.
A Lasting Impact
It’s easy to speak kindly of someone once they’ve passed, but Ranvijay was one of those rare individuals everyone who knew him spoke well of during his lifetime. He was kind and thoughtful and left an impression on those around him simply by being himself.
That’s the legacy we should all strive to leave—a life that inspires kind words not because we’re gone but because we lived in a way that mattered.
Reflecting on the week nearing its end, I can’t stop thinking just how fragile and unpredictable life is. When Ranvijay left home for the office on Monday, no one knew he would not return. None of us know how much time we have. The moments we take for granted—the smiles in the elevator, the jokes in passing—can be gone instantly.
At such times, you realise that every day that we are here—every day of good health— is a gift. Life is too short. The time we have is finite. Why not be present, cherish those around you and never take life for granted.
About Me
An international award-winning producer, I have steered over two dozen TV channel launches, rebranding, and refresh projects and produced thousands of hours of content for news and current affairs.