August 4th, 2001 is a day I will never forget. It is the day when a wonderful family lost their lives in a boating tragedy in the Indian Ocean while on holiday in Kenya.
Kiran, aged 42, was the son of Dr Sunder and Dr Usha Pathak from London. He came to Ireland in 1977 and stayed with my family during his college years. In 1982 he qualified as a pharmacist and opened the first late-night pharmacy, Unicare, in Rathmines, Dublin 6. Within a short time many others pharmacists followed his vision and also opened late.
Between 1980 and 1985, he opened three more shops in Castleknock, Blanchardstown and Kilkenny. During this time, he married Marguerite, a pharmaceutical technician who assisted in the development of the business.
Sachin was born in 1993 and Rohan in 1996. They were great children. My daughter Stephanie described them as kind and gentle boys; they were so polite, well behaved and good fun. Sachin had a wonderful eye for a ball, whether it was golf a ball, football or tennis ball. The two brothers loved each other dearly.
Kiran sold his business in 1998 to a larger chain of pharmacies and studied for his MBA at University College Dublin. He was in the process of setting up an internet company and another retail operation. Without a doubt, these would also have been a success. He was full of ideas and very persistent. There was always a way out of a problem, a different way of looking at something or a different angle to approach it from. Kiran did things his way, without arrogance and without putting others down. In all the time that I knew him, he never had a bad word to say about anyone. A true gentleman.
The Pathaks were a model family. Kiran and Marguerite were wonderful kind parents. Sachin and Rohan meant everything to both of them. They were very hospitable and one always felt at home entering their house. Marguerite always had a great smile and a welcoming hug. They will be missed by many people.
Dr Sunder and Dr Usha Pathak, along with Marguerite's parents Mr Vincent and Mrs Frances McNally, have set up a sea rescue fund to help ensure that such a tragic accident never happens again. A bank account in the name of the Pathak Family Memorial Fund has been opened to accept donations. (The account number is 62820083 at Ulster Bank, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 - sort code 98-50-40.)
Our thoughts are with the parents and brothers and sisters of Kiran and Marguerite.
P.M.