Ballia Reunion on 7.1.2026

My dear friends,

Sometimes, life gives us a second chance to step into a photograph we thought had faded. This is the story of one such gift—a get-together of the Ballia Babuas on 07.01.2026 at the Ramapriya Convention, Vijayawada.

It began, as all beautiful things often do, with a simple message. About fifteen days prior, our dear friend Mr. Ramachandra Rao Ji posted an invitation in our WhatsApp group—a digital call that echoed across years and kilometres. Day by day, he added names to an animated list, each confirmation a spark rekindling a fire that had last burned in Ballia, a town in eastern Uttar Pradesh on the banks of the Ganga.

For those who may not know, Ballia is more than a place on a map. It is where our former Prime Minister, Shri Chandra Sekhar, hailed from. It is where the SMMTPG College once opened its doors to students from Andhra Pradesh, offering a bridge—a one-year Remedial Course—that allowed us to pursue dreams in Agricultural Sciences. I was one of those students, part of the M.Sc (Ag) Economics batch of 1981–83. I left Ballia after my studies, returned to Eluru where my father served, and never went back. Life carried me forward, but a part of my heart remained lodged in those hostel rooms, those classroom benches, and in the laughter of friends I hadn’t seen for 43 years.

So, when the invitation came, I didn't hesitate. With a heart full of eagerness, I reached Vijayawada on the evening of 06.01.26. Ramachandra Rao Ji, with a generosity that defines true friendship, had arranged my stay in Room No. 2 of his own Ramapriya Convention—a room that felt like a star hotel, a silent promise of the warmth to come. He ensured a delicious dinner at the in-house restaurant and, the next morning, arranged tiffin to be sent to our rooms. At 7.45 AM on the 7th, he personally came to check on us. Such gestures aren't just hospitality; they are the language of enduring care.

By 9.20 AM, they began to arrive—one after another, faces once familiar only in memory, now smiling, ageing, yet unmistakably them. We gathered in the first-floor hall, welcomed with a sweet drink filled with dry fruits, served continuously with affection, and asked for no contribution. This was not an event; it was a gift.

At 12.30 PM, we stood together for a group photograph. A moment frozen—not just in a picture, but in time itself.

Below is that photograph, and below that, I have tried to capture not just names, but stories—the threads that connect our past to our present.

Our Group, Our Stories – As numbered in the photograph:

1. Durga Prasad (Mobile: 83283 63114) – Residing in Machilipatnam. We've met several times over the years, and I've even visited his home. A friend in touch, a constant in the ever-changing landscape of life. He is now in the real estate business.

2. Raju (93985 06170) – The first meeting after 43 years. We discovered we both served in Grameena Banks—his in Chaitanya Godavari, mine in Saptagiri—banks that have now merged into one and we have become colleagues after reirement. We finally shook hands.

3. Manjunadha Reddy (98495 96944) – The first meeting after 43 years. The boy from Ballia is now a builder, shaping not just structures, but a life and family.

4. Ramesh (99593 42702) – The first meeting after 43 years. He has made his home in Karnataka, carrying the spirit of Ballia across states.

5. PVSN Murthy (83099 47728) – The first meeting after 43 years. Now settled in Hyderabad, a testament to how far we've all journeyed.

6. Ramachandra Rao (93935 52999) – If this reunion had a soul, it was him. Ramachandra Rao Ji didn’t just organize an event; he orchestrated a homecoming. From the animated invitation posts that built our anticipation day by day, to arranging our stay in his own Ramapriya Convention with the care of a family member, to personally visiting each of us in the morning to ensure our comfort—his efforts were woven into every moment. His hospitality wasn’t a duty; it was love in action. He gave us not just a venue, but a feeling of belonging. For that, I and every one of us remain deeply indebted.

7. Rambrahmam (Raja) (94903 12345) – The first meeting after 43 years. We used to call him Raja in Ballia. Today, he is a distributor in Khammam. The nickname outlived the decades.

8. Malli (98491 82755) – The first meeting after 43 years. Settled in Bhimavaram. A quiet presence then, a warm smile now.

9. Ganagadhara Prasad (99492 44410) – The first meeting after 43 years. Living in the LIC colony in Vijayawada. Another thread sewn back into the fabric.

10. Myself (Abdul Naseer) (94911 35998) – The scribe of these memories, overflowing with gratitude.

11. Kamalakar Sharma (96764 65013) – We met at a Kadapa reunion years ago. A man now building temples and engaged in community service through politics. A life of purpose.

12. Varadachari (98491 99324) – We worked together in Madanapalle in 1987! Met again recently at his Hyderabad office. A friend from a later chapter, now in the seed business.

13. Krishna Murthy (91607 54554) – We reunited just a few months ago at a get-together I hosted in Tirupati. He now works with the Swarna Bharat Trust in Nellore—a life dedicated to service.

14. Murali (98491 63888) – The first meeting after 43 years. I had spoken to his brother but not to him. Settled in Ongole, a connection finally made tangible.

15. Jagan (98858 03225) – The first meeting after 43 years. He owns a seed company in Hyderabad. I still remember his songs from Ballia—the melody of youth that never fades.

16. Prabhakar (81212 20927) – Met few months back at the 'K' Hotel in Vijayawada after 43 years. A Vijayawada local, keeping our connection alive in the city.

17. Sridhar (93979 03313) – Some friends are bridges. Sridhar Ji is one. He is the quiet architect of reconnection—the one who added me to the “Ballia Babuas” WhatsApp group, which became the very channel for this reunion. Months ago, he welcomed me in Vijayawada, gathered seven friends for an impromptu meet, and later travelled to my home in Tirupati. Every link he forged brought me closer to this day. His humble, consistent efforts have been the silent thread stitching our scattered group back together. My heartfelt thanks to you, Sridhar Ji, for everything.

18. Ratna Kumar (98498 59073) – The first meeting after 43 years. All the way from Raichur, Karnataka. The distance melted away in an instant.

19. Koteswar Rao (94405 57290) – How does one thank someone who shaped the very course of their life? Koteswar Rao Ji is that person for me. He is the reason I reached Ballia. He sent the application form that opened the door, shared his own room with me until I got a hostel, and continued to watch over my welfare like an elder brother. Even after four decades, the memory of his kindness is vivid. Meeting him again wasn’t just a reunion; it was a pilgrimage to the source of one of my life’s most important journeys. His early generosity is a debt I carry with gratitude and affection.

20. Ratna Prasad (98498 59073) – The first meeting after 43 years. The most vibrant among us then, and now a Director at KL University. The energy remains undimmed.

21. Narasimha Chowdary (98481 19999) – Met recently in Vijayawada after 43 years. In the political field, shaping society in his own way.

22. Hari Prasad (94424 24990) – From my own Tirupati. A gentle soul, now a Principal and Dean, his soft-spoken nature a constant in a life of great achievements.

23. Venkateswarulu (88971 12389) – Met recently in Vijayawada after 43 years. A DGM at KCP Sugars, a life of diligence and commitment.

24. Subbarao (94400 07870) – The first meeting after 43 years. Settled in Vijayawada. A handshake that covered four decades.

25. Prasad (94404 03247) – I met him at Ongole a few months ago. A brief stop on a journey, yet a meaningful reconnection.

26. Hanumantha Rao (94913 15827) – Met at the Kadapa reunion. A man connected to the earth, involved in cultivation in Narsaraopet.

This was more than a lunch. It was a journey back to our twenties. We are all now in our "bonus years"—past 60, where every sunrise is a gift and every meeting a treasure. As I wrote after our Kadapa meet in 2021 (which you can read https://helpinghandsnaseer.blogspot.com/2021/02/my-ballia-memories.html), these reunions rejuvenate the soul. They remind us of who we were and make us grateful for who we are.

To Ramachandra Rao Ji, Sridhar Ji, Koteswar Rao Ji, and every single Ballia Babua who made it: my heartfelt thanks. You have given me memories to cherish for all my remaining days.

I look forward to our next gathering with a hopeful heart. Let us meet not as a matter of chance, but as a promise to our shared past.

Yours, in friendship and memory,

Abdul Naseer

Note:  I uploaded the below video to show you the young and energetic nature of my dear Ballia Babuas.