The Sunanda I knew was a survivor

As much as I was shocked a year back on hearing the news of Sunanda Pushkar's sudden demise, I am  relieved today to hear that the investigation is still on to uncover the real culprits of the crime. Sunanda, a woman who embraced life with open arms, was a survivor in every aspect.

Although I got to know her only a few months before she tied the knot with Shashi Tharoor, I recall with utter fondness her maternal affection and concern for her young son. Knowing her love for her son, I was assured Sunanda would never do anything do anything that would take her away from her child.

She was not a callous person. She had been a very successful businesswoman before she met Shashi and always spoke her mind even after she became the minister's wife. In fact, it was this discomfiting straightforwardness about her that made her instantly bond with people who got to meet her even for a short while. When I was invited for her wedding, I got a chance to meet her family and witnessed the mature yet very endearing relationship Shashi and Sunanda shared. She was an asset to him. 

As a friend and a firm believer in the system of law, I would like the authorities to bring a complete closure to her untimely death. Here, I am not being judgmental about the people who she was surrounded with at the time of her death, but the least we can do to honour her is to not politicise the whole issue. Some reports suggest that the drug that was possibly used to poison Sunanda was similar to the ones used internationally for similar crimes. So much so, the forensic labs in India are not equipped to test its presence in a human body. All this and more only goes out to highlight the severity of the issue and the urgency with which we must address this. 

A woman, who stood strong in the face of all upheavals in her personal and professional life, could have never taken away what she loved the most - life. Her contagious laughter, intelligent mind and love for people would always be missed.