In September 2010 there was a grand celebration at
Joe’s DC home on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Those were my initial days at UMD and Joe did not know me. Naturally I was not invited there. We were later introduced and have been actively collaborating since then. And during the end of 2010 itself I was extended a much advanced invitation - to Joe’s 90th birthday celebrations in September 2020. Since then almost every year 2011, 2012, 2014, ... I was kept reminded of this invitation. And today the scenario is quite different. I still have the invitation but there will be no party.
Man proposes, God disposes! But is God really a villain here? I am reminded of the famous quote
God made the natural numbers , all the rest is the work of man – Leopold Kronecker.
And since God knows the natural numbers so well, is aware that set theoretically all finite numbers have similar properties. I take this opportunity to invite myself to Joe’s birthday celebrations in September 2030 when he will blow out 100 candles.
Academically, the past decade has been the most fruitful for me - thanks to the very encouraging mentorship provided by Joe. His easy availability for clearing any doubts or suggestions of the necessary resources just keeps me greedy for more. I strongly wish the next decade is more profitable in terms of this academic association.
(Image above: Feb, 2016 at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.)
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