SHARMA BRAJWASI-VIV RICHARDS ANTIGUAN, A FAR OUT CONNECT

The news- Masaba Gupta, daughter of Neena Gupta, TV and Bollywood star, and Sir Vivian Richards, the Antiguan and West Indian who is ranked as one of the world's best batsmen ever, marries Satyadeep Mishra. 

So what's special about it and why does it interest me?

Well, Satyadeep is the son of Nalini, daughter of Shri Mahesh Chand Sharma who hailed from Mathura, Brajbhoomi, and Smt. Biya with roots from Bijnor. And so, on to the various connects.

Connect 1. Maheshji's sister, Asha, married my Shashi Mama (Cdr PK Sharma). Nalini, therefore, is the first cousin of Mamiji and Mamaji's children and Satyadeep is their nephew, making him the 2nd cousin of the next generation.

Connect 2. Maheshji's brother, Lt Gen Ramesh Chand Sharma, married Akhila's elder sister, Viplesh, and Nalini is again the first cousin of their children and Satyadeep, their nephew, making him the 2nd cousin of the next generation.

Connect 3. Maheshji's father was the younger brother of the father of my Mausa (Masarji as I used to call him), Brigadier Kishen Chand Sharma. His and Mansi's children are then second cousins of Nalini and Satyadeep is their nephew, this time the 3rd cousin of the next generation.

Connect 4. Biyaji's Nani and my mother-in-law's Dadi were sisters making Nalini and Akhila third cousins, Satyadeep our nephew, and our children his 4th cousins. Incidentally, Maheshji, Biyaji and Nalini were active attendees at Akhila and my wedding.

In these multiple relationships, I guess I become some kind of an in-law of Sir Viv.

How's that, umpire?

Far out!

And now, all the best to Masaba and Satyadeep to carry the relationship forward to second, third, fourth and fifth cousins. Catch up, your cousins are already ahead of you.

P.S. Time for a close-relation tale. Manjula, my cousin, tells me this story. As Masarji and Asha Mami were first cousins, the latter was called Bua by Masarji's children. Manjula, the eldest, had been doing that for more than eight years. When Shashi Mama married Ashaji, Manjula was confused as to how to address her. Mataji, our Nani, firmly settled the issue by telling her that the new relationship superseded the old one, so Bua turned to Mami and that is how it stands.