Midnight telephone calls are like midnight knocks on the door. Often unpleasant — either the Police or an unexpected guest. So also the early morning telephone calls. One such early morning call came to me from K. Shivakumar, Senior Special Correspondent of The New Indian Express at 6.30 am on Thursday, November 23, 2017. It was to inform me the shocking and sad news about Rajashekar Koti’s death at Bengaluru. He requested not to inform anyone right away and said the body was on its way, would reach by 7.30 am. I was there at his house with my son and Manager by 7.15 am. Apparently the news was kept under wraps. Koti’s son Ravi Koti was at the open-gate on phone. “We have not informed mother,” he said and narrated the events leading to his father’s passing away. We then moved to the nearby Andolana Kannada newspaper office and waited. When Shivakumar came, he said the body would reach an hour late. We returned home and went there again immediately when the body had arrived. A few of his friends and staff of Andolana were there. Body was kept inside the house for private mourning by his family. I was allowed in. His wife was in a state of silent stupor with his two daughters, who were inconsolable. I was told, true to his ideological belief he did not want any ritual to be observed, including burial. In deference to his wishes, after the funeral, he was cremated at Harishchandra Ghat, foot of Chamundi Hill.
