In late 1974,
we arrived in Delhi for André’s new position as First Secretary
(Development) at the Canadian High Commission. He was responsible for CIDA
programs in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, travelling frequently for
fieldwork.
With Éric
three and a half years old, and Marc only three months old, we began building a
new life in a country that was both mine and yet no longer fully mine.
2. A House Alive with Children and Helpers
Delhi life was
vibrant, demanding, and full.
To manage the
home and two little boys, we brought Celina from Reddipalem to help with
child-care, and her husband assisted with cleaning. Thomas became our cook; a
gardener and driver completed the household support. For an extended period, our nephew, the son of my brother Lourdhu Marreddy, lived with us, was entrusted to our care, and often accompanied us as our personal driver. Today, he serves as the able Executive Director of Bala Vikasa, the NGO we founded in 1991.
Our home in
Delhi became a place of movement, routines, and the rhythm of diplomatic
receptions.
3. Adoption of Sunita: Expanding Our Circle of Love
With two sons,
André longed for a daughter—and I longed to bring a child from my family into
my home, maintaining the Indian tradition of intra-family adoption.
My younger
brother Raja and his wife Anthonamma agreed lovingly to place their second
daughter, Sunita, in our care.
In India, such
an adoption is not abandonment but a blessing—a child becomes doubly loved,
held by two families at once.
Sunita, then
less than two years old and not yet speaking, fit naturally between Éric and
Marc. When André went to Reddipalem, he lifted her into his arms, walked to the
car, and carried her onto the plane.
Later, we
completed guardianship papers in Delhi and formal adoption in Canada. Monique and Jacques became her godparents.
4. Marc’s Baptism: A Celebration of Family and Faith
My sister
Mary, brother-in-law Marreddy, and my parents travelled to Delhi for Marc’s
baptism at the Cathedral. The ceremony was joyful, yet cultural contrasts
surfaced in touching ways.
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| New Delhi Cathedral: Baptism of Marc Mary, sister of Bala: Godmother |
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| Mary—Éric—Angel with Marc—Thathaya—Ammama André—Celina and her husband |
Afterward, we went to a hotel for breakfast. Seeing the bill, my father exclaimed:
“With this much, I could feed the whole
village!”
It was a
revelation of how different worlds measure value—one in currency, the other
in community.
5. A Father’s Handwritten Dream: The Reddipalem Water
Project
During one of
our visits to Reddipalem, my father quietly approached André with a handwritten
request for a water project for Reddipalem.
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| Reddipalem delegation asking for drinking water tank |
He asked nothing for himself—he already had two wells—but requested water for the entire village greatly in need of fresh water.
His request
touched André deeply. Soon after, André connected with Reddipalem elders,
specifically with Allam Melchior Reddy and Gopu Chinnapa Reddy—the only
English-speaking person in the village.
With the
assistance of Myrada and of its Director Aloysus Fernandez, well known by André
thanks to his work at the Canadian High Commission of Delhi, a water project
was planned and implemented.
In 2025, from
the hill of Reddipalem, this water project is still providing fresh water to the
villagers.
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| Reddipalem - Drinking water tank |
In ways none of us could foresee, that humble handwritten request from my father would become the first seed of SOPAR, Bala Vikasa, and Jana Vikasa.
6. Small Stories of Daily Life: The Dog, the Children, the
Garden
A tiny dog
arrived in André’s handbag from Nepal—a small adventure that delighted the
children. But later, when Celina, our maid, remarked that the dog was “luckier
than she was,” with daily meat and special shampoos, we realized the
disparities around us and gave the dog to another family at the High
Commission.
Éric attended
preschool with children of diplomats. Every Morning he waited for the car,
resting his head playfully against the sofa. He learned lines for a Christmas
play but forgot them when the excitement of his costume overwhelmed him.
My parents
visited again. I asked my father to take up light work in the garden for
exercise. He tried but found it difficult—the first time in his life he had
been given such a task. Later, he told my aunts:
“Angel gave me work to do!”
They were
shocked—but amused.
7. Lessons in Culture, Love, and Humility
Once, I was
upset with my parents. André gently told me:
“Go and say sorry.”
In India,
children rarely say “sorry” to their parents.
My mother and
father were moved, touched, almost unable to accept it—seeing apologies as a
sign of distance rather than closeness.
In that
moment, two cultures met in a single word, reshaping understanding on both
sides.
8. A Sudden Promotion: A Return to Canada
Before
completing his term, André was offered—once again—a major promotion in
Canada. This time, we accepted. Our life in Delhi, brief but rich, was coming
to an end.
In preparation
for our return, André commissioned rosewood and teakwood furniture, silk
carpets, bamboo sofas, and a jewelry box engraved with “Angel.”
These pieces
still carry the fragrance of those Delhi years.
9. A Fright Before Farewell: The Car Accident
Just days
before leaving India, I wished to show André my progress in driving. Nervous, I
pressed the accelerator instead of the brake and hit an electric pole. The car
had already been sold to a Canadian colleague—but mercifully, the High
Commission drivers repaired it without leaving a trace.
It was a
lesson in humility—and timing.
10. October 1975: Returning to Canada with Three Children
With Éric,
Sunita and Marc, we left Delhi and flew back to Canada—a family of five,
carrying memories of two continents, two cultures, and two profound years that
would shape our future lives and mission.
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| Leaving New Delhi |
Our journey continued—but Delhi remained one of the most transformative chapters of our early married life.
