Ashis was a man of sharp intellect, yet what made him truly remarkable was his warmth, humility, and innate ability to put people at ease. He carried no arrogance despite his brilliance and no sharp edges despite his incisive mind. Whether in the intense world of academia or in the playful company of a child, he approached every situation with generosity, humor, and effortless grace.
Though we were contemporaries as doctoral students, I truly got to know Ashis only after both of us had graduated from IIMA and taken up faculty positions—he at IIM Calcutta and I at IIM Ahmedabad.
Our paths crossed professionally in an intense yet exhilarating setting: the committee responsible for framing questions for the Common Admission Test (CAT), the gateway to the IIMs’ Postgraduate Programme in Management. As part of this select group, Ashis would spend several days on the IIMA campus. On several occasions, we worked together, crafting the sections that tested candidates’ abilities in Quantitative Analysis and Data Interpretation.
The mastermind behind our efforts was Professor Madhavan, our senior from IIMA, an undisputed genius at conjuring fiendishly difficult questions. His questions weren’t just tough—they were designed to humble even the brightest minds. Ashis and I, serving as guinea pigs, would attempt those puzzles under real exam conditions, only to find ourselves stumped time and again. With time ticking away and solutions proving elusive, we would eventually team up, making a desperate yet good-humoured bid to persuade Madhavan to drop some of the most esoteric problems. Those three or four days of relentless intellectual challenge were balanced by camaraderie and laughter. There was no insecurity, no one trying to prove themselves—just an implicit acknowledgment of Madhavan’s brilliance and our shared struggle to tame the monsters he created.
Beyond work, our friendship extended to our homes. When Ashis was on campus, it was customary for him to join us for at least one dinner at our residence. I vividly recall one such evening, made unforgettable by the way Ashis effortlessly diffused a potential standoff with our young son, Dumpy.
Having already finished his dinner, Dumpy was thrilled to have a new playmate and was determined to monopolize Ashis’ attention the moment he walked in. He spread out his board games and refused to let Ashis eat before playing with him. We coaxed, pleaded, and reasoned, but Dumpy was unwavering. Just as the situation was on the verge of turning unpleasant, Ashis, with his characteristic calm and ingenuity, said, “Give me a matchbox and a sheet of paper.”
Intrigued, we handed them over. Ashis emptied the matchbox of its matchsticks and placed it half-open on the floor about a foot away from where he and Dumpy were seated. Then, he carefully tore the paper into tiny strips, rolling them into small balls no bigger than three or four millimeters in diameter. Once he had a dozen ready, he turned to Dumpy and said, “Let me teach you a new game.”
The rules were simple: Dumpy had to toss the paper balls, aiming to land them inside the open matchbox. The first few attempts missed. Undeterred, he tried again, concentrating hard on perfecting his toss. As soon as he was fully engrossed, Ashis smiled and said, “Why don’t you keep scoring goals while we finish our dinner?”
It worked like magic. Dumpy, entirely absorbed in his newfound challenge, didn’t protest. Meanwhile, we enjoyed our meal in peace.
That episode remains etched in my memory—a perfect example of Ashis’ ability to handle situations with quiet wisdom and creativity. It wasn’t just his intellect that made him remarkable; it was the warmth, the ease with which he connected with people, and the gentle humour that infused even the simplest interactions.
Even today, Alka and I fondly recall that evening, grateful for the gift of knowing someone like Ashis—not just as a brilliant mind but as a truly wonderful human being.
In every interaction, Ashis embodied the spirit of “With Malice Towards None.” He was never one to impose, never one to prove a point at another’s expense. Instead, he led with kindness, defused tensions with creativity, and uplifted those around him with quiet wisdom. It is this rare blend of intellect and warmth that makes him unforgettable.
#AshisChatterjee #IIMA #IIMC #CAT #Madhvan #WithMaliceTowardsNone #D16 #FPM