Last Will and Testament

To this day I remember 29th October 1960 when our dear Lord called my sister, Nalini , home to Him. Nalini on her wedding day in 1959. She was beautiful, intelligent (she won the Pope Medal in Bishop Cotton School, Bangalore, in 1953) and soft as a soft toy. She was loved by everyone. Especially by me, as she took care of me. Nalini with me (far right) after the wedding of our uncle K. M. Mammen Mappillai (Kochappachen) While at Women’s Christian College (WCC) in Madras she was greatly influenced by Rev. Billy Graham.  She returned to do her BSc in Elphinstone College in Bombay but because of “eve teasing” she joined the Nirmalaniketan College of Home Science where she had a few beautiful friends. She was married in 1959 in Kottayam. I was busy studying for my school finals. She insisted that I fly down from Bombay to attend her wedding.  Bombay after the wedding reception (1959) She was to join her husband in London so we had a wedding reception at the Taj Hotel. It was a gra...

My father returned to India from studying at the Imperial College of London in 1934. My mother finished her degree in English from the Women’s Christian College the same year.  Our parents were married on May 11th 1936. Picture at wedding of my parents -  Bangalore 1936   Appachen and Ammachi after their wedding -  Bangalore 1937 Nalini was the first born. She was born on 16th September 1937 in Bangalore. She was called Mariam Matthan but her pet name, an Indian name, was Nalini.   Picture of Nalini as a baby -  Bangalore 1938   She was cherubic baby girl. By character she was very docile   Appachen and Ammachi with Nalini -  Bangalore 1940   Nalini called my father’s elder sister, Mrs. P. G. Abraham, as 123 Ammachi as it was this aunt who taught Nalini how to count.   Matthan family when I was 9 months old - Bangalore 1944 January    I was born in 1943 April. This picture taken in January 194...