I had seen her for the first time in photographs, this girl called Gunjan Gujral. "We call her GG for short.." they said, but I was not listening. In a school where a senior's word is as good as the Almighty's, I was nervous about a different world, making new friends and even the inconsequential 'channi day'. I thought, "she's the head girl. I'll be reporting to her". As I looked at her with anxiety, she looked back at me with soft brown eyes and a smiling mouth. I thought to myself, "She looks kind. I should be fine". "She's super, one of the most sweetest people I've ever met" one told me, attempting to calm my fears. "Not to worry yaar, she'll take care of you!" said, the other. True to their words, Gunjan Gujral was all that they said she was and so much more to the people who knew and loved her.

I will not forget my first night on Sherwood's front quad. I had never seen so many stars in the sky except in a Planetarium. I stood and stared at the sky in awe as the girls gathered at the base of 'Sunny Steps' for the evening's first roll call. I was missing in action. That was the first time I was punished and then there were many more. Punishments during Gunjan's reign as head-girl came as quickly as the last one was carried out. But they were fair and well deserved. The juniors looked up to her and we grade 11's, impatiently waiting in the wings, drew examples from her strength of character, genuine kindness and her ability to strike a balance between the roles she played as head-girl and that of a friend to her classmates. 

Off duty, she was like any one of us, enjoying her self without inhibitions, giggling away like a girl with twinkling eyes and studying diligently. The last time I saw her was in school, after ISC '95. News about her came in as does news about OS's around the world. "Oh! Gunjan's at SRCC", "Gunjan's hosting a show on radio". We all knew Gunjan Gujral was going to go places in life, and she was already on her way there. The last piece of news came quickly and painfully. "Did you hear? Gunjan passed away last night!" Thoughts raced at break-neck speed in my mind, "How could this be?..she's so young..only a year older than I am..what about her parents?...her sister how could this happen?"

I took half an hour out of my day to write this for her and yet I have been unable to sum up a lot of feelings that I feel, unable to express what she meant to me and to all those who knew her. Life is so short, so unpredictable. This is to one of the most wonderful human beings I've known. This is a personal farewell to her.

FK (12th. May 2001)