The Chopsticks Quadrant

This blog is on the occasion of The Friend Ship Day. I've often heard that while you can't choose your relatives—parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, or cousins—you can choose your friends. A few months ago, I turned 21, and that isn't entirely true. I was extremely fortunate to be in places that yielded great friends. I have been blessed by God to have the friends I have today. I never had too many friends; that might be because I can be tough to get along with at times. But the friends I have are truly adorable. When I recall my past behaviors with them, I often ask myself how can they be such good friends of mine? Had they not been the amazing people they are, I don't believe I would have as many friends as I do. I am fortunate, indeed.

Although I have many friends, today's short note is for "The Chopsticks Quadrant." We are a group of four Amigos. Actually, we are a group of seven boys, but these guys were my classmates, so I am focusing more on them. The name "The Chopsticks Quadrant" didn’t pop up because we liked Chinese food but from the game we played in class. They always pissed me off by knocking me out at the very beginning of the game. I suppose they liked my anger, and quite honestly, I was a very short-tempered boy back then. But through this platform, I apologize to you, amigos—you won't get that fun now.

I accept that my good habits came from my parents' upbringing, but the overall "Rutvik" as a person was refined by my school friends, especially "The Chopsticks Quadrant." It is said that the first eighteen years of life are the years where your brain gets trained and it shows. If you are surrounded by artists in your childhood, there is a high possibility that you will go on to become one. I am still determining what I will become in the future, but we as a group have built very strong foundations and hopefully, each one of us creates a big structure on top of that. Moreover, all of us have different interests when it comes to studying. Therefore, when we meet, it is nothing short of a very intense, no-nonsense discussion that goes on for hours. Everybody, no matter which field of study we belong to, listens carefully. This has been happening for the last 7-8 years, and having a conversation with them is nothing short of a treat for me.

Ved, currently preparing for UPSC exams, is a pillar of our group when policy-related discussions take place. I really like his views on public welfare and an effective system that delivers services without leakage. His knowledge of history and Indian polity is fabulous. We were benchmates since class one, except for one year when his division was different from mine. It's been a very long time. He taught me to be extremely responsible. I still remember he had a habit of writing poetic lines in his essays—it was fun growing up with him.

Sahil is the most sincere boy someone can ever imagine. He is so soft-hearted that we were very concerned about his future in Mumbai local trains👀. We used to tell him to get a bit harsher; you can't take care of everybody and let everyone around you get on the train while you stay outside. But he managed that really well😶. We became best friends after sharing a stage for an occasion, where he accompanied me with his guitar while I was singing "Jeena Jeena." I still remember the day when we sat next to each other and talked about space science and technology. This was about eight years ago. He was the reason I got interested in technology. Whenever we visited his house, we were treated so well. His entire family is so kind. His father and uncle, being businessmen, share excellent insights about technology and business with us. Today, Sahil is pursuing his BS in the United States. He really has a big vision for Bharat.

Sahil and Ankush were the reason that in 2018 we discussed GST. Of course, we didn't fully understand that or any other concept back then, but nonetheless, it created a mind that is hungry for knowledge. Ankush is probably the person with whom I debated the most, especially on politics. Sometimes, it used to get a bit heated, but friendship always brought us back together. From him, I learned to keep an open mind. Now we both share similar views on almost every topic, but back then, because of disagreements, I was forced to study the topic in so much detail just to withstand the strong arguments he would put forth. He was the one who devised the strategy to eliminate me from the game "Chopsticks" as soon as it began😂. He and Ved together ensured that none of us ever got fooled by an outsider.

Another aspect of our friendship is that we never compare or envy each other's achievements. We support each other in every way possible and stand up for one another whenever needed. Every win for one of us feels like a win for the entire group. I have learned a lot from them. Although they never taught me how to ask a girl out on a date😝, I have no regrets whatsoever. Whenever I see our old photographs, I recall this song...

tere jaisa yaar kahaan
kahan aisa yaaraana
yaad karegi duniya
tera mera afsaana...

meri zindagi sanwaari
mujhko gale lagaa ke
baitha diya falak pe
mujhe khaak se uthaa ke...

yaara teri yaari ko
maine to khuda maana
yaad karegi duniya
tera mera afsana...