Hi Ajit,

The book is a gift for you. Hope you can find time to read it when you begin your PhD and the book reminds you of me.

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Just wanted to get this off my mind.

If you weren’t aware till now, I’ve a slight crush on you. Nothing serious, a tiny bit of infatuation.

I think it began when you were there for Manjiri’s birthday and you were talking about education etc. There was a certain gravitas in your manner of speaking and that was instantly attractive to me. Then you added me on LinkedIn, and that was a big mistake. I’ve a notorious habit of liking intelligent people. I was like ok, "Master's in AI/ML", then I stalked you on Facebook; you had a “girl child education” and a “Ravish” post! I was like, damn, he is a feminist and a liberal! I was floored. 

And your warm smile, and casual-introverted hands-in-pocket habit is like an all-day Serotonin boost for me. I can't stop looking at you and that really disrupts my work. 

Now, I have to confess, it was not a totally innocent reason to ask your help in sending the tablet. I could have asked Sumit, but I wanted to break the ice with you, get to converse with you. So apologies for the mild deception.

Anyway, I already feel much lighter telling you all this. I’m glad that we talked that day and hope we get more opportunities. I also hope you get a good place for your PhD, though I will miss your presence when you leave.

I want to help you succeed, so please feel free to ask me for any help, any online research I can do, proofread/edit your submissions, bounce ideas off me, I can offer homely food if you are getting homesick, music recommendations, you name it, and I will try my best.

I hesitate in saying, but this is no strings attached. I’m selfish sometimes, and I know it’s wrong of me to expect anything from you. So, yes, no strings attached. I do not expect anything from you in return.
 

Hope you will accept this gift.
 

Rashmi