THE WELL KNOWN RAINA WRITERS

Vitasta Raina's Antecedents

Vitasta's father, Pramathesh (Tisha) Raina was one year behind me in School in 1956. Tisha and I joined the National Defence Academy together and have been crossing each other's path since then. Tisha's elder brother, Suresh, was my classmate in School and College. I missed Tisha's wedding-he married another friend's sister. I've seen V as a kid and look where she is today! I'm proud of her and for her parents. 

Vitasta's grandfather, Pandit Trilokinath Raina, who I called Baikash after the death of my father, was Uncle Raina to me in my childhood, right up to 1967, when I joined the NDA. Thereafter, he was 'Sir', one of our English teachers. Tisha's mother has always been my surrogate mother, more so after my mother died in 1983. Sadly, they are no more.

I am the proud possessor of an autographed Pandit Trilokinath Raina's masterpiece, "An Anthology of Modern Kashmiri Poetry", published in 1976. 

Vitasta's book,'Writer's Block' is available at Amazon for $5.34 and all family members, friends and course mates can get it from her father for just Rs.99.00. Go pick up a copy of her book. He is at pramatheshraina@hotmail.com

First written in Oct 2012.