Around seven years ago, renowned flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, the nephew of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, was running sound checks before a concert at St. Xavier’s College when his cell phone rang.
“This is Himanshu Roy,” the deep baritone at the other end said, and Mr. Chaurasia, knowing the name only too well, instinctively replied, “But, sir, I haven’t done anything!”
The voice at the other end was unruffled, assuring Mr. Chaurasia that this wasn’t an official call. “In fact, he told me he was calling from his cell phone instead of having an orderly call me from his official landline just so I wouldn’t be intimidated.” Roy said he wished to attend his concert, and Mr. Chaurasia promptly reserved a sofa in the front row for him. “However, he sat in the third row, saying he could enjoy the music better from that distance. That was the first time I got a hint that he actually knew his classical music,” said Mr. Chaurasia.
Imposing figure
Mr. Chaurasia could be forgiven for his initial trepidation. For the many who came in touch with Additional Director General of Police Himanshu Roy, the first impression, whether in person or on the phone, was of awe. The top cop could cut an imposing figure, with his tall frame, brawny physique and deep voice. But underneath that tough, at times intimidating exterior, was a man who valued his friendships, loved his music and had a passion for fitness.
Roy’s knowledge of classical music, in particular, astounded many of his friends who said he was a connoisseur, not just a lover of music. Musician Niladri Kumar, who first met Roy at a concert, said he was taken aback when the police officer told him he liked his rendition of Raga Shree. “It’s a serious raga , and not a typical melody you just nod your head to because it sounds good. To like it is an acquired taste and when Roy told me he had recordings of my performance of Raga Shree, I knew he was a true rasika (connoisseur).” Mr. Kumar and Roy bonded during that meeting, and continued to stay in touch.
Even more mystifying was how, despite his hectic schedule, Roy always knew about classical concerts in the city well in advance. “Every time I planned a concert, I’d tell myself I had to let him know,” said Mr. Chaurasia. “And every time, before I could contact him, he would send me a text message saying, ‘See you there.’ I really don’t know how he did it, but he beat me to it every time.”
Mr. Kumar, who occasionally caught up with Roy in his office, recalls how everyone seemed to be in awe of him. Roy’s colleagues found him to be an inspiring leader, but at the same time extremely courteous towards his subordinates.
Inspector General of Police Niket Kaushik, who worked with Roy both in the Mumbai Crime Branch and later in the Maharashta Anti Terrorism Squad, said there was “a lot of positivity in the Crime Branch under his leadership.” His first impression, when he met him after being transferred to the Crime Branch, was that of “an extremely competent officer who had a way with words and exuded trust and confidence.”
Helpful nature
Mr. Kumar said, “It was clear to me how all his peers and juniors looked up to him. He had this air of dependability, this assurance that if I ever found myself in need of any kind of help, I could blindly turn to him. Fortunately, I never had to.”
Roy’s acquaintances and friends vouch for his helpful nature.
Dr. Shirish Bhagwat, a laparoscopic surgeon at Breach Candy hospital and Roy’s friend for over 16 years, first met him at the Qi Fitness centre near Churchgate. The two went on to become close friends. Dr. Bhagwat recalled an instance where Roy went out of his way to help him with what might seem small and insignificant to most. “He once noticed that the logo of my car was missing, and I told him anti-social elements tend to steal car logos. He just nodded and later in the day, a couple of police officers turned up at my house and took details of the theft from me. I don’t know what they did after that but my car was never touched again. I am sure the police have their own methods that I am not privy to, but Roy did ask me a couple of times if I was facing any trouble after that.”
Their friendship was sealed the day they discovered that apart from a passion for fitness, they shared a love for Indian classical music. Other members at the gym would regularly see Roy and Dr. Bhagwat working out together with cordless Bose headphones, listening to the same piece of music and nodding or making appreciative gestures with their hands in tandem. “He would often joke that we are actually musicians masquerading as doctor and policeman,” said Dr. Bhagwat. And once he learnt that Dr. Bhagwat was a few years older, he stopped addressing him as ‘Doc’. From then on, he became dada, or older brother.
Complementing the softer side of him was the firm discipline that nothing or no one could shake. Roy would wake up at 5.30 a.m. every day and listen to Indian classical music for about an hour before hitting the gym at exactly 7 a.m. He maintained his fitness regime no matter how much work awaited him later in the day.
“We had one big case after another during our tenure, including the Azad Maidan riots, Abu Jundal, the Laila Khan murder, the Pallavi Purkayastha murder, the Mantralaya fire, the Shakti Mills gangrape and so many more,” said Mr. Kaushik. “Even after we were transferred to the ATS, we had our hands full, with ISIS being at its peak at the time. Despite everything, he never missed his workouts.”
Positive spirit
Illness did not dilute the regimen either; his friends from the gym recall seeing him sweating it out with his personal trainer in spite of the weakness and the effects of cancer treatment. The cancer may have attacked Roy’s body, but it was powerless over his spirit. Everyone who asked about his health could see how positive and strong Roy was. “I would regularly send him text messages inquiring about his health, and he never uttered a single word of complaint,” Mr. Kaushik said.
Roy was first operated in 2000 for a kidney tumour. He underwent radical nephrectomy, which involved removing the kidney along with the peripheral tissue and lymph nodes. In February 2016, the tumour resurfaced in a metastasis form spreading to Roy’s bones, brain, muscles and multiple soft tissues. His last PET scan, however, had revealed that the cancer was under control.
Shock for friends
When his friends heard of his demise, they were shattered; hardly anyone could believe it. Their first reaction was to assume the disease had finally won over the body. It was only later, as news updates started coming in, that his friends learnt what had happened. All the friends The Hindu spoke to had just one response: shock.
“I was in Singapore at the time and saw it on the news. I was so depressed that I didn’t step out of my hotel the entire day,” said Mr. Chaurasia.
For Dr. Bhagwat, a regular visitor to the Roy household, the blow was harder. Only two weeks earlier, he had visited Roy to tend to a minor wound. “He insisted I have the soup made by Bhavana (his wife) and later told me the wound had healed well, and that he didn’t need me to come back. I told him that may be the case, but I did need the pleasure of his company. He simply held both his arms out, and I went over and hugged him.”
A few days later, Dr. Bhagwat sent Roy a text message, informing him that he was going abroad for a 10-day holiday with his family. Roy’s response was short but warm. “Love, always.”
