Yesterday, I went to a hotel to meet a client along with Kshitij. The client is from bangalore who was in delhi to attend a World Bank's conference on 'Land Records'. He wanted us to meet him in the afternoon after lunch. Kshitij and I started from office without having lunch. Ofcourse, we are anxious to know the project status from our client and it was our first interaction with the client. It was half past 1 O' clock. On reaching the hotel, we went to the conference hall in first floor. The sun was at his best in the chilling winter we have in delhi. The hotel had a nice ventilation for customers to bask under the sun sitting in the corridors.
We were sitting outside the conference hall waiting for our client to finish his lunch[eon]. Kshitij was enjoying the sun but I was little uncomfortable and sat in shade, away from kshitij. I was sitting in a couch when a middle-aged lady walked past me from the conference hall. I thought it was Medha patkar but not sure. I thought she would be returning for lunch. I thought of asking her autograph when she comes back but again I'm not sure if it was her. I never met her before though I read about her on net and in papers about the 'Narmada Bachao Project' and her agitations for the people in the narmada valley. While I was in my thoughts, she was returning for lunch and glanced at me. I saw her and smiled. I could not speak up and was in awe. She asked me if had my lunch. I replied that I would have it later. I confirmed myself that she is 'Medha Patkar'. She smiled and told that she had to go elsewhere and left for lunch. I didn't knew why she enquired about me as if she knew me. I called kshitij and told him that Medha Patkar was in the conference. "Who's Medha Patkar?", asked kshitij. I laughed and tried to explain him. I thought he was kidding.
After a while, my client got his stomach full and we set out to our office. As we were waiting for the cab, as many others over there, Medha patkar was leaving for some work as she told me earlier. She asked me again if my work was done. I told that I had come there to meet a person and showed my client. A person who is with her introduced my client to her. I didn't hear what he said. The person with her told her about the 'Bhoomi' project that my client is ON. She smiled wittily and told the name was good although she doesn't know much about the project. She told that she had to go somewhere and that she had to return for the conference soon.
After she left the place, my client asked me if I knew her. I told that I talked to her just before. I was happy that she remembered me from our first encounter.
