Our scriptures clearly state that the cycle of life and death is the rule of nature. What is created will be destroyed. That is the universal truth. However, once in a while, when the reality of ‘universal truth’ hits, one can’t help, but look heavenwards and scream ‘WHY?? WHY him? Yes, we know that GOD takes away those he loves most, but surely our collective love for a human being can be greater than God’s? But HE wins. That’s how the cards are dealt.
A quiet, sharp, witty, observant listener, and a rock, is no more. A man of few words, but lots of action, has decided that he has had enough. He touched a lot of lives in ways which many seafarers will never know. The famous Charter flights which were operated by Industry associations during the peak of COVID, were possible because of the backing of ATPI, led by Capt. Nitin Hardi. When the Associations approached ATPI with the thought of operating Charter flights to enable relieve Indian seafarers, it was Capt. Hardi’s team which converted, what seemed like a hairbrained idea, into a workable plan. Over a period of 4 months, 20,000 seafarers were transported. And not once did Capt. Hardi, as MD of ATPI, broach the subject of payment, since the monetary system was in a bit of disarray too!
You will be sorely missed, my friend. They don’t make them like you anymore.
Till we meet again…
Capt SM Halbe