Bureaucrats pen letter addressed to deceased son

Senior bureaucrats Manisha and Milind Mhaiskar, the IAS couple whose 18-year-old son Manmath died after falling from a high-rise on Nepean Sea Road on July 18, have penned their sentiments about their loss and their relationship with their son, besides looking to answer questions and murmurs.

"Harry Potter's parents passed away when he was small and our Harry Potter passed away when he was young," states the emotional letter addressed to their son, that appeared in a Marathi daily on Sunday.

"Some said you were very strict with him, some said you gave too much liberty, could he not carry on with burden of expectations?" the parents wrote about the questions they were being asked. "To pat a child's back and to tell him to study, work hard and become big... is that burdening him with expectations?" the parents ask.

In their letter, the two bureaucrats ask whether a parent is to tell his child to study only as much as you can, and then 'just chill'. "Some said both are so busy, they may not be giving him time... you me and mammu, that was our world, how do we tell that to people," the letter reads.

Having him as the only child, the Mhaiskars in their letter mention the fond times they had in their little world, Manmath being liked by all, the long chats with their son and how their son looked forward to become a great writer.

"In your 'Heaven Story', you had in detail described heaven... In whichever heaven you are, may you be happy there," write the grieving parents.

Manmath's hobby of listening to and telling stories finds a detailed mention. "When we would be harrowed, you would be very worked up. But now, we promise that after this big shock, we will get back and look the way you would want us to look always, calm and at peace," the letter goes on to state.