Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan was ‘Venki’ to his friends in M S University during his graduation days. But there is another group of his “friends” living in the servant quarter No. 20 of MSU behind the Jivraj Mehta Hall, who called him Ambi.

This group is the family of Jethiben Rathod, who used to cook food for Ramakrishnans and Venki’s sister, Lalita. Although Jethiben died 35 years ago, Venki and Lalita make it a point to visit her son and grandson whenever they come to Vadodara and never fail to send Christmas cards to the family.

Jethiben’s grandson Kirit Rathod, while showing a bundle of Christmas cards, said, “My granny has died, but she still gets her salary and her Christmas card.” He further said: “Since we do not understand English, they write their greetings in Gujarati. I was going to buy Diwali cards for them when I heard about Ambi getting the Nobel prize.”

Recalling the fond memories of the time spent with Ramakrishnan, Kirit said: “My mother shares some good anecdotes with me. She tells me how my granny would get angry and Ambi’s father, C V Ramakrishnan, would come home apologising. Such was the bonding between our families. Even as my granny passed away, they still send her salary.”

According to Kirit’s mother, Vimla, the Ramakrishnan family loved the vegetable made of orange fruit peel. “Ambi and Lalita demanded it daily,” she recollects.

Among the things that the Rathods admire about the Ramakrishnan family is their discipline. “We remember how disciplined they were. We ourselves acquired it from them. My father and the Ramkrishnans were very close. Their discipline and humanity have taken them where they are today,” said Vimla, adding that they “shower our kids” with chocolates and gifts every Christmas.