[Oe List ...] Working with Monu my life was blessed

Wed Jan 27 10:07:41 CST 2010

Marilyn,

I'm just on my return from Mumbai and I got a few more details about  
Monu.  But first to answer your question.  For many years Monu and  
Laxmi worked out of Chikale as part of our team there.  Besides his  
work there he also did a fair amount of consulting with corporations  
with workers and first-line supervisors.  Often that work was with  
Hiraman Kokane or Bhimrao Tupe.  Like a number of our Indian  
colleagues he had a difficult time handling alcohol.  Some time in the  
mid-90's he fell off a roof in Panvel during a drinking binge.  He  
broke his back and was hospitalized in Mumbai for some time.  it was a  
miracle that he didn't die or suffer any permanent injury.  He swore  
off drink and maintained that for some time, but slowly began to drink  
again.  There was a major dispute in ICA regarding what happened to  
some funds designated for Chikale's training center, mostly from  
Japan.  He was forced to leave ICA and spent his time in Panvel.  Most  
of us lost track of him after that.  He spent a lot of time with  
Marcus Salve.  He and Laxmi had a rough marriage after that and most  
recently she kicked him out of the house along with their son Vijay.

My friend Alok Shukla was pretty close to Monu and recently tracked  
him down.  He was drinking very little and was having a tough time  
breathing.  The other afternoon the person with whom he was staying  
had him rushed to the hospital after a severe bout with breathing  
difficulties.  The man called Alok and Alok rushed to the hospital but  
Monu had succumbed.  An autopsy revealed he died of a heart attack.   
Alok was the first person to see him after he had died.  Laxmi came  
briefly but left shortly thereafter.

I have forwarded all of the tributes to Monu from his Order colleagues  
and Alok will see to it that the family gets copies.  I often felt  
that Monu was the most talented Indian we had on our staff.  He  
certainly was the best singer!  Regardless of his personal flaws, he  
changed lives and bent history.  May he find peace.

Grace & Peace,

Jack
On Jan 27, 2010, at 7:20 AM, marilyncrocker wrote:

> Jean, I really appreciated your memories of Monu.  I first met him  
> as "Menzes" in 1971 at the Jabalpur ITI.  He and another young man  
> (whose name I don't recall) teamed up and were "the life of the  
> party" among the many older, more serious participants.  His  
> enthusiasm and engaging charm were infectious.  When Joe and I  
> encountered him again five years later at the HDTS in Maliwada he  
> had become, indeed, a spirit giant.  Does anyone know where his  
> journey took him after the Nava Gram Prayas days?
>
> Marilyn
>
>
> Marilyn R. Crocker, Ed.D
> Crocker & Associates, Inc.
> 123 Sanborn Road
> West Newfield, ME 04095
> (207) 793-3711
>
> On Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:02:13 -0700 Jean Long  
> <jean.long512 at gmail.com> writes:
> I met Monu at the first training school in Maliwada.  He had been to  
> an ITI and, understanding that symbol was key, he changed his name  
> from Menzies (christian) to Monu (Hindu) so it would not be a block  
> to Indian villagers.
> Monu and I were assigned to Chikale, one of the four villages  
> started with graduates from the first school.  I never heard Monu  
> speak the English words to the magic he shared with folks as he was  
> always speaking in Marati or Hindi - either translating or speaking  
> directly to villagers.  He created sheer poetry.  I will never  
> forget meetings when he spoke to angry villagers.  They would come  
> in stiff with anger - and within minutes their heads would start to  
> waggle (Hindi for yes) and he had them from then on!  I asked him  
> once what he said to them and he said I just put their anger in  
> perspective.
>
> That year Monu did exactly what he was  called to do using a deep  
> understanding of O:E and ICA spirit and social methods and   
> extraordinary spirit skills.  I never saw him happier.
>
> He was a great soul and he is now singing with the saints for sure.
>
> Jean Long
> Denver
>
> 2010/1/25 A.M. Noel <amnoel at comcast.net>
> Dear Vinod,
> How are you?
> A.M.Noel
>
> From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net]  
> On Behalf Of Vinod Parekh
> Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 4:14 PM
> To: Order Ecumenical Community
> Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Monu Bhatacharrya (sp?)
>
> Sorryto hear of Monu's death Jack.
>
> I've asked Hiraman to let us have Laxmi's phone number.
>
> Kamala and I are going to be with TISS at Tuljapur tomorrow onwards.
>
> Regards,
>
> Vinod
>
> 9225119181
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> Received: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:19:32 PM IST
> From: Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org>
> To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net>
> Subject: [Oe List ...] Monu Bhatacharrya (sp?)
>
>
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> I am in India and was just notified today by one of our colleagues
> that Monu died yesterday. He had been ill for some time. That is all
> I know at the moment.
>
> Grace & Peace,
>
> Jack
>
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