There is a popular belief that the digital social media kills personal relationships, or those that are built are too superficial. Such a belief couldn't be more untrue, based on how I sad and disturbed I've been feeling over the last twenty four hours.
Naresh, @nareshk on Twitter and Naresh Kodithala on Fb, all of 26 years old, couldn't survive an accidental slip from a Peak in Lonavala yesterday.
I can't tell you how much I hoped it was a prank, when I first heard the news. When the news was eventually confirmed, I felt miserable. Naresh was such a vibrant fellow and full of life, how could life play such games with him?
Naresh's jestful catfights with his sister @skodithala (Sangeetha Kodithala) and zestful calls to Kat on Twitter kept ringing through my head since then. He was so sincere when he called me some months ago to seek advice on how he could gather new insights into rural retail channels, when he was going on market visits to Andhra villages.
I haven't felt as bad in a long time. And, I never met Naresh in person even once! Talk about the power of social media in building personal relationships...
it was a shocker ........
ReplyDeleteSo totally agree... feel miserable about Naresh... never met him or spoke to him except through few mentions perhaps... memorable were his pranks and jokes with Sangeetha...
ReplyDeletethrough this shocking incident I'm seeing how I'm building relationships through social media
Have read a lot about this and his many 'friends' on Twitter who he may never have met. Mention must be made of @DeepaKao who held him dear and wept, though he has never met - his timeline says it all.
ReplyDeleteParticularly sad is the last tweet of @nareshk which says "Happy Birthday, God" - I guess he was referring to Sachin Tendulkar. I only hope @sachin_rt gets to read his tweet
RIP Naresh Kodithala
ReplyDeleteVery true. Relationships are built based on people, not the medium. Naresh was one of those who leave their mark with just one conversation or meeting. Nobody forgets him after they met/spoke to him once. Such is his attitude.
ReplyDeleteI always told my friends I never needed a friend to confide in because I had a brother who is more than a friend. Now I'm left dazed - looking into nothing and wondering who'll I reach out to now.