Deryk de Souza
2006-11-23

 

Deryk passed out of Abu in 1957, the year I joined. Nine long years later, when I was in my senior year and took part in the Sirohi-Jalore district school athletics meet, I was fortunate enough to jump close to what Deryk had jumped in his days.

As I continued my athletic career in Bombay I managed to hold the Bombay and Maharashtra state long jump records and wouldn't you know it, but Deryk was an official in the State Athletic Association and there we were two old Abu athletes, one still active, talking about the good old days and swapping stories.

Deryk had some tough times personally but was always ready with a smile and I still treasure the friendship we had after I passed out of Abu. We continued to meet till 1986 when I left India for the States. It saddened me to read about his death. But Deryk, you're probably supervising athletic meets up there and regaling them all with stories about Abu. We'll miss you. As the lyrics of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat” go... “There's one more star in the sky....” Rest well, dear friend.
Leslie Louis (1965)