TW: COVID Death
Kakee Niaz Tippu Adam Khan, famously known as Tippu Bhai and Imam among his loved ones, has died due to severe COVID-19 infection on June 18th, 2021 at Shifaa hospital in Bangalore. Tall with a striking persona, he was a gem of a person filled with warmth in his voice. My precocious big brother, who stepped into a fatherly role without a second thought, is no more with us. The sad part is that I am writing about his demise, a young 42-year-old gentleman.
Imam bhaiya was born in Bangalore, south India, to Mrs. Muneera Begum and Mr. Tippu Mujahid Khan on the 12th of September 1978. During his schooling at a private community school nearby, he won all the teachers’ hearts with his charisma. Although his teachers took punitive action against him, his witty pranks were staffroom stories daily, fresh trouble every day! It was like running a never-ending sequel which even his challengers found amusing. That’s the reputation my brother maintained throughout without a black mark on his grades. His mentors at school ignored his mischievous behavior as he never gave them a chance to complain of his poor academic performance, a perfect and a rare blend!
A cricket lover, Mohammed Azharuddin fan, bhaiya wore a taaveez just like the star cricketer to match his outlook. He never got bored of emulating Md. Azharuddin’s shots with us younger siblings always trapped to bowl for him for hours! However tired, exhausted, or hungry, we were not allowed to walk out of the show until our star decides to drop the bat. Such was his aura!
Moving from school to college, he fell for his college classmate at a very young age, just like they depict in movies. He never behaved in a way that we could believe he was having an affair with a girl so tender and soft-spoken. Announced by Ammi with a pleased smile that bhaiya has chosen his life partner, we were eager to meet who this person was. Surprised by the fact, struck by their love for each other, we knew he had made his choice for life. It felt special for us kids as we were looking forward to the matrimony. After years of wedlock, their love for each just kept growing stronger and stronger, a quality of a true, kind man.
A binding member of the family, bhaiya sacrificed many desires to keep the boat floating. His love for Allah where he denounced a luxurious life to become a true Muslim top the chart. He was an artist with the skill to sing songs backward, an athlete and a master of many sports, a great leader, and most importantly a loving son and a dedicated husband, and a supportive father. With an amiable façade, he was a man of his words, a true Muslim, a true Pathan. Sometimes I feel it is an illusion that he’s gone. What I am going to miss the most are his warm hugs! You left us too soon bhaiya. We hope you are where you aimed to be.
Feature Image Is For Representational Purposes Only