Legacy of friendship: Surat bungalow spans four generations

The bungalow ‘Maitri' in Surat symbolizes an 80-year-old friendship between Gunwant and Bipin Desai. This legacy of friendship has been passed down from fathers to sons, then to grandchildren, and now to great-grandchildren

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

A bungalow named 'Maitri’ in Surat city stands as a testament to a more than 80-year-old friendship between two families, a bond that began before Independence and has thrived across four generations.

The saga of friendship between Gunwant Desai and Bipin Desai dates back to the 1940s. It blossomed during their school days and endured the test of time.

"My father, Gunwant Desai, and his friend Bipin Desai lived in the Sagrampura area of Surat in the 1940s," reminisced 68-year-old Parimal, son of Gunwant Desai.

Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, both participated in the freedom struggle and were even imprisoned together, he recalled.