Pathanamthitta: “We always saw our father as a living encyclopaedia, and also as a close friend,” shared Niranjana and Nirupama, the daughters of Naveen Babu, with Mathrubhumi in a voice filled with emotion. Their farewell to him in Kannur was a painful one, leaving behind the memory of a father who did not want his children to grow up with unanswered questions. 

"You are girls, but don’t ever stand aside because of that. Make self-sufficiency your habit," he once told them. These words of their much-loved father had a profound impact on them, which they carried forward in both their education and their lives. Niranjana has completed her B Tech in Food Technology and is currently seeking a job, while Nirupama is waiting for NEET counselling.

The daughters mention that their father rarely lacked an answer to any question. He always had an answer. After completing a diploma course in automobile technology from Tirur Polytechnic, Naveen Babu appeared for the LD Clerk examination and joined the Revenue Department. They recall how they did not have to approach their teachers for any academic doubts especially in Physics as they were cleared by their father himself. 

He owned an extensive collection of books. Naveen Babu ensured that both his daughters developed a strong reading habit. He had a special way of helping them understand the meanings of words or concepts by relating them to something practical. He would be ready with answers to any doubts they had. 

Niranjana recalls that he would sometimes surprise them with his endless source of knowledge.

Whenever the family was together during the holidays, it was a tradition for the four of them to sit down and watch a film together.

By the time his daughters turned 18, he ensured that they took a driving licence. He also helped them in mastering car driving.

After obtaining their licences, it was common for the daughters, along with their mother, to pick him up from Chengannur railway station whenever he used to come from Kannur. It was such a regular journey to the Chengannur railway station on Tuesday, when their father did not turn up. 

From now on, their father’s reassuring presence and his answers will be dearly missed by the duo.