On Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 5 pm at Christ the King Church, Mt Roskill
Venkat Raman
Auckland, July 22, 2020
There are times when a journalist is too emotionally charged to report on an incident.
There are times when the subject of a report is someone close to the journalist’s heart and that of his family.
Akash Anthony was a son as much to my family as he was to that of the late Wenceslaus Anthony and his wife Susan and a darling brother to Sneha and her husband Mario Saverimuttu.
Unbelievable and painful
That Akash died on Sunday in Sydney while on a visit was too difficult to fathom.
That the ever-smiling, well-mannered young man- he was only 27- is gone, is excruciating.
That this child of God went beyond the clouds to which he soared as a pilot is unbelievable.
And that he died within the same week of his father’s third anniversary (Wenceslaus Anthony passed away in Chennai on July 23, 2017 following a sudden illness) is even more tragic.
Relationships are sacred and when people are united in a bond, the pain is insufferable when one of them leaves- the reason is immaterial.
Good habits, manners
Akash, as I knew him, was a bubbling young man- he had simple habits and achievable objectives. He was a great son, even a greater brother and an ambitious pilot who wanted to be on air all the time- flying an aircraft and carrying people in it.
We spent more than 20 hours together travelling to Chennai to attend first anniversary prayer at his tomb and attend other meetings and services in Chennai in July 2018. Those hours gave me an insight to the mind and heart of the fine young man that Akash had become.
“I want to see my sister married and settled and look after my mother,” he had said, apart from detailing his attitude towards life and people.
Little did I (for that matter even Akash) knew that the situation would change so much for the worse.
Message from Sister
His sister Sneha wrote the following upon his death:
“I really don’t know how we are going to even put one foot in front of the other without you. Each minute feels like the biggest challenging nightmare. Still grieving the loss of dad and then this happens. One of the happiest most generous kind-hearted non-judgemental funniest people and the best little brother ever. I have no words and no idea what to do.
“Let us all be kind to each other and know that hard times don’t last forever and we need to push through and look after our mental health. He was always the happiest and most cheerful person we were so close as a family who talked always, he called my mum multiple times a day and told her everything and no one ever thought his mind would take him so quickly down a dark spiral from which he could not return. Please pray for him and the family we just don’t know what to do.”
A Memorial Mass will be held on Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 5 pm at Catholic Church of Christ the King, 260 Richardson Road, Mt Roskill.
About Akash Anthony
Akash was just a boy of six when he migrated to New Zealand with his parents and sister and I remember him as an energetic boy interested in Cricket, music and of course flying.
Indian Newslink carried a story in its September 15, 2010 issue, with the title, ‘Exciting future awaits young Cricketer.’
He was described as a Cricketer with a promise and a growing list of admirers.
Avondale College First XI Cricket Coach and former Provincial and International Representative Player Nazeem Smith said that Akash had unique qualities and attributes that could see him as a star and that he followed the style of Indian batsman Rahul Dravid.
“I think that he has all the potential and makings of an international Cricketer if he keeps working hard at it. He is a dream player of any coach and always has more to offer than offers.”
Like his father Wenceslaus, Akash inspired, motivated and brought out the best in others.
He built an extremely good rapport and popularity amongst his peers, members of the family and everyone he knew.
I am grateful to friends- more than 100 of them- who called, texted and emailed mourning the death of Akash. If you are free, let us pray at the Mass on Sunday July 26, 2020 at 5 pm at Catholic Church of Christ the King, 260 Richardson Road, Mt Roskill.
