Celebrating Rafi

It's been three long years without Rafi. It has not been easy. We miss him still as much as before. As always here is a little effort in remembering Rafi's life. This year his friends from Amherst and Smith College talks about the Rafi they knew. I did not know most of his friends at Amherst. As a result, I could not get in touch with them. But the few I could reach, responded with a lot of emotion and I am grateful to them. We also have our dear teacher Mr. Moinuddin Ahmed's take on his very favorite student. Also Novita Rahman Lima has dug up old dejanews to get articles written by Pati Mastan as he was fondly known in that forum. This articles will give you a glimpse of Rafi's wit and humor. You will also find there the outpouring of grief among people in SCB after his death. The last section has the take of Naeem Mohaiemen, whom Rafi met only 48 hours before his death. It is a compilation of letters and emails Naeem posted around the time of his death.

As we read these pieces, we rediscover this friend of ours who has influenced so many of our lives in so very many ways in his very short span of life.
Asif