1999 Odisha supercyclone: As a 12yr old living in Bhubaneswar, I struggled to make sense of the devastation. What remains with me were memories of communities coming together and of my late uncle who had arrived in Odisha to report on the disaster struggling to eat afterwards

2019: As a journalist I flew to Bhubaneswar, to report on post cyclone Fani. I went back to my old neighbourhood, reminisced 1999-we were still in touch. The kids I had babysat, had all grown up. They told me how they prepare when they get cyclone alerts. https://india.mongabay.com/?s=fani 

2020 Amphan/Kolkata: I had done what I could, combining 1999 experience and Fani lessons. But I didnt quite anticipate that Kolkata, a metropolis would unravel like this. As my Odisha neighbours check up on me, frantic for a text message, I am back in '99, still making sense.

*remained