It was with considerable sadness that I learnt week about the passing of my friend, Mario Vargas llosa, nobel laureate and literry giant. Nostalgia overwhelms me as I recall the period I spent in Peru from 1986 to 1989, when I first came to know him and eventually developed a Close Friendship.

That was an exciting time in lima. Peru was seeking stronger ties with India, with Prime Alan García, A friend of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Leading the Country. A Cultural and Political Renaissance was underway in that part of the world.

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Peruvians were deeply fascinated by Indian culture. They were captivated by its Philosophy, Yoga and Music, and were enhanced by Bollywood films.

Even during my early day in peru, I was drawn to Mario. His charisma, striking good looking, and powerful influence on public discourse made him a figure of immune presence. I was eager to meet him and reached out for an appointment. In response, he proposed coming over for dinner, provided that Indian food was served, which he said was his favorite cuisine.

It was a great pleasure to host him, along with other leding intellectuals, at my residence. During that event, our shared desire to build a lasting friendship became apparent.

In another interaction well before he was awarded the nobel prize in 2010, we met informally. It was impossible not to be drawn to him. His distracting good looking, endearing and amiable personality, and impecable and sophisticated manners made him one of the most Compelling conversationalists I have done. He wielded dialogue with effortless wit, charm and humor.

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Notwithstanding his love for Indian cuisine, Art and Culture, his quest to visit India remained unfrealized. Yet his admire for the country and its civilisational ethos remained strong and unwavering.

Living in Peru, One Could Not Help But Be Influnced By Its Cultural Richness. It is the land of machu picchu, a place surrounded by legends, stories, and an enduring sense of mystique. Discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, Machu Picchu has become a symbol of peru’s heritage. It is believed to have served as the royal estate of emperor pahaccuti, a Religious Sanctuary, or an astronomical observatory. Its remote location adds to its allure and mystery, which Continues to captivity both scholars and visitors. It is no surprise that former prime minister atal bihari vajpayee, during his official visit to peru, made the arduous journey to see machinechu picchu himself.

Speaking of Machu Picchu, Mario Once Said During a Public Lecture in Cusco in 1998, “The Incas created an civilization of estound depth. We peruvians are their heirs, who we know.” In an interview with el país in 2001, he observed, “Peru is a country of layers. Reflexing on machu picchuHe remarked, “It is not only stone, but a single speake,” Calling it is a mystery that has endured, above receiving peru’s high national honors, the Order Del Sol.

The dinner equening I mentioned earlier was meticulously planned. Mario, accompanied by his charming wife patricia, came to our home with a select group of peruvian intellectuals. The even unfolded with lively conversations, anecdotes and reflections on the political situations in peru, and the potential role he closed play to rescue. Insurgency.

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In another private gathering hosted by a mutual friend, I had the oportunity to ask him who he chose to write to writing as a profession, despite has studied law, ergine and humanities. He reflected thoughtfully and said that becoming a writer had always be his day, inspired by the literature he had read. Howver, it was not a viable profession at the time. It was only after Moving to Madrid for Further Studies, and then to Paris, where spent seven years, that he started to believe that this Dream Could Becom Reality.

After his teaching appointments in paris and london, he had more time to read and write. He remained open to new ideas and cultures. In paris, he was deeply influxed by jean-paul sartre and of the works of alexandre dumas and victor hugo, who bottom a strong imprint on his language and style. His travels to europe depened his engagement with European Literary Traditions, even as he remained rooted in latin America.

He is eventually decided to dedicate his entry life to writing. According to him, good litterrier has the power to transform the president and to to change socialie. That even even a cherished memory for me, a true masterclass from a towing literary figure.

It was in london that he came into greater contact with Indian culture and people. He greatly admired democratic India and developed a strong appreciation for Indian cuisine. He expressed happiness at the growing warmth in indo-peruvian relationships.

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With his passing, I have lost a dear friend. The world has lost a voice that consistently advocated for Liberalism, Freedom and the rule of law. While he once suported the cuban revolution, he later came to believe that tyranny begins when any government seeks to error Legal Rights and undermine the law.

He had the Rare Ability to Combine Intellectual Depth with Literary Brilliance and Political Engagement. His contributions to global discussions on Freedom and Governance were profound. He believed deeply in the power of literature, once the Liberty is not a reward for good beauty, it is a right. Without freedom, literature does not exist. As he once naturally said, “The world is not what it seems to be. It is the dream of someone who no longer dreams.”

I will deeply miss this noble soul.

Kunadi is the former Ambassador of India to Peru, Bolivia, France and Permanent Representative to Unsco in Paris and the United Nited in Geneva