Dedicated

When our grandfather was deprived of his fathers love because of the SS Tilawa tragedy, there was an empty void few could ever try to fill. However, one of the most beautiful gifts life could offer would change our grandfathers life forever, and for the better. When the now late Vallabhbhai Chibabhai Solanki lost his younger brother to the SS Tilawa tragedy, he adopted his nephew and took him to East Africa to start a new life. He generously treated our grandfather as his own, and did everything he could to provide Ranchhod Bapa the best a child could receive in the 50's. Whilst Ranchhod Bapa's middle name would remain Nichhabhai in India, and no formal adoption was processed, abroad his middle name was changed to Vallabhbhai. It was a beautiful gesture at the time to dignify our grandfather with a true sense of family belonging. 

The photograph above of our grandfather was taken in Nairobi Kenya, July 1950, at age 17. Because of Vallabh Bapa and Kasi Ba's sacrificing act of love, we are alive today to share this story with you. We will always be indebted to our great-granduncle and aunt for what they did for our grandfather in his traumatic moment of need. 

Interestingly Vallabh Bapa's wife, the now late Kasi Ba, was the fleshly sister of Mancha Ba, our grandfathers mother. These 2 sisters were from the Gujarat village of Kansar. They married into the Solanki family of the Kachholi village on the same day. Back then, this type of marital arrangement was quite common. 

No doubt Mancha Ba was very grateful for what her sister and brother-in-law would offer her son. For the rest of their lives, Vallabh Bapa and Kasi Ba would have a care and special fondness for their beloved nephew, and adopted son. 

For the rest of his life in Leicester, Ranchhod Bapa was always around for his adopted parents. He held them both in such high esteem, and had a lot of affection for them. 

Towards the end of his life, Ranchhod Bapa regularly yearned for his father, Nichha Bapa, once again. He would often request us to find where Nichha Bapa was buried in the sea. He never forgot his Papa.