Viraf, RIP

Viraf passed away yesterday, the result of an operation gone awry. It feels strange writing these words. Just last week, another friend had mentioned meeting him at a wedding some days ago, his usual ebulient self. He wasn't a close friend, but over the years, I'd come to know him, and admire him a lot, for his spirit. Especially since I had interviewed him for my film, and spent hours in editing the footage, I felt a strong connection, even though we didn't meet socially outside GB contexts like picnics, or his wonderful cooking meets at his home. And I often heard about stories of him, from the common dentist that we shared. Here's what Doc wrote on the GB list about Viraf:

He joined the GB list very early on and was one of the first to use
it to get the courage to enter the community and start taking part in
events. He soon became a mainstay of the group and organised events
of his own, like a very notable boat party. People who went to the
Kihim picnic last year will remember him from there.

Viraf was also a big support to GB in other ways - for example, he
regularly contributed to the cost of funding our film festivals.
These contributions were always given strictly on the condition that
we don't reveal who gave them.

I will remember Viraf for many reasons. His booming voice. His wonderful, funny blog F-cubed (http://www.f-cubed.blogspot.com/ ) The Maharashtrian lunch we had at Aswad in Dadar, when I first went to interview him, and he insisted on paying because he was older than me. His comment in my film about sacrificing his career, post IIT, to "protect [his] sexuality". He was an inspiration for many. An out and proud man in Bombay city, living life on his own terms. He will be missed.