Adaptation Is the KEY

Rohit woke up a little earlier than usual. Unsure of the results of the examination that he had been put through, he roamed listlessly in his rented apartment, while a gale of uncertainty gusted noisily inside his head.

- Sreelekha Chatterjee

It was one of those hot, unbearable summer months. Whenever he visited the city of Bangalore as a child along with his parents, almost twenty years ago, he always found itmild, pleasant. Crossing the threshold of urbanization with negligible green cover, jungle of concrete, and erratic, searing weather conditions, the oncea-paradise image of the city had shifted toward analmost-inhabitable, challenging persona, stirring the necessity of climatic resilience.

Rohit’s mind drifted back to the assessment that was about to happen a few hours later. His fate depended not only on the outcome but also on the satisfaction level of his examiner, Venu. “Don’t worry. You’ll come off with flying colors.”

These encouraging words from his girlfriend, Malini, consoled his every anxiety.

The first time he was introduced to Venu, Malini’s father, was a few months ago. Venu worked as a Head Chef in a posh restaurant. When Rohit asked for his daughter’s hand, Venu insisted on starting a restaurant together. But accepting him as a son-in-law wasn’t easy for him. “I wish my daughter the very best, and I’ll not settle for anybody other than the best to be my son-in-law.” Venu’s words reverberated in the alleyways of Rohit’s mind, almost crushing down his clattering confidence.

Being a chartered accountant by profession, he wasn’t well-versed in the intricacies of the culinary world. But that part wasn’t for him to worry about, as Venu promised to be around whenever he needed his advice and assistance about the gastronomic activities.