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

Wed Jan 27 10:41:22 CST 2010

Jack,
Would you ask your friend for an address we could use to send notes to the
family?
Thank you.

2010/1/27 Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org>

> 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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-- 
Paula

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in
harmony.
   Mahatma Gandhi
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