'Never Thought He'd Go Away So Soon'

'Towards the end, his struggle with ill health robbed him of some of his energy and vitality.'

A few weeks ago, Rohit Bal had made Delhi beam with his new collection, Kaaynaat: A Bloom In The Universe. No one had expected it to be his swan song.

On November 1, on Diwali day, as news of his untimely demise enveloped family friends and colleagues in a dark shroud, one unlikely voice stood out in the sea of tributes. 'Rest in peace brother #Rohitbal', Vijender Singh tweeted, accompanied by a picture with him.

In an emotional chat with Rediff.com Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya, the Olympian boxer recalls his first ramp walk, saying, "Rohit was gentle and reassuring, handing me the snazzy black ethnic suit and telling me I just had to walk with confidence. There were no practice runs, no rehearsals, no pep talk, nothing!"

The debut

"I met Rohit Bal for the first time in 2008, soon after that historic August 22 semi-final bout at the Summer Games in Beijing the same year had assured me of a bronze, making me the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal.

I was introduced to Rohit, or Gudda as he was fondly called, by actor Akskay Kumar.

On September 21, the final day of the HDIL India Couture Week in Mumbai, I wore Akshay's signature costume from Anees Bazmee's blockbuster action-comedy, Singh Is Kinng, for my first ramp walk.

It was designed by Rohit and I was understandably nervous, more so because I was the showstopper.

I am a man of the world now, based in Delhi, but back then, I was an awkward, gawky village boy from Haryana who after years of struggle had, almost overnight, become the toast of the nation.

Rohit was gentle and reassuring, handing me the snazzy black ethnic outfit and telling me I just had to walk with confidence.

There were no practice runs, no rehearsals, no pep talk, nothing!

I went on stage and took several rounds on the ramp in front of an elite gathering that included, among others, Shabana Azmi, Kailash and Aarti Surendranath, Abu Jani and Akshay's wife Twinkle Khanna.

Towards the end, Rohit joined me and broke into an impromptu jig.

Making a match!

I did not charge a rupee for that show but Rohit gifted me the suit I had walked in.

I took it home with me to my village in Haryana.

I still have it as a memento of a man who was an institution and an inspiration.

Three years later, on May 17, 2011, I married Archana in Delhi. The wedding was followed by a reception in my hometown, Kalwas.

The two designers whose labels I chose to wear on the special occasions were Rohit Bal and Manav Gangwani.

It's strange; our worlds were poles apart. Rohit had little interest in boxing and would say, 'Woh tera kaam hai'. Yet, we were able to forge a heart connection that stayed strong for over a decade.

'I just called to say...'

Over the years, we met off and on at public gatherings.

The last meeting was on his birthday in Delhi just a few months ago.

There were a lot of people around and Rohit himself was busy with a couple of them so there was time only for a quick hello and a heartfelt wish.

But the next day, he called to apologise for not being able to spend more time with me.

'Sorry main busy tha, but Viju, you know I love you so much,' he told me emotionally.

It was such a lovely gesture and so typical of Rohit who was always such a gentleman, full of love and respect, high on energy and so clear about what he wanted.

Towards the end, his struggle with ill health robbed him of some of his energy and vitality.

During that last meeting, he had looked quite frail and admitted the next day on call that he was not keeping well.

But I never thought he would go away so soon.

That ramp walk in 2008 seems like it happened just yesterday.

Sixteen years have passed in a flash, but the man who was ruling the fashion world then is no longer with us.

That's how transient life is -- here today, gone tomorrow.

That's why I believe you should do whatever you want, live out every dream, because tomorrow could just be a mirage."