In July 1973, Amitav Ghosh joined St. Stephen’s College in Delhi. Like every other freshman, he was nervous about the first few weeks, when one was ‘ragged’ – shorthand for being verbally harassed, harangued, interrogated, and intimidated – by seniors. Twenty-five years later, by now an established novelist, Amitav Ghosh wrote: the year I joined College, the word among us freshers was that the most terrifying ragger in College lived in Rudra Court, in L5. Terrifying because he wasn’t the usual kind of bullying, bellowing senior. No, he was to them as the panther is to the elephant. He was bearded, and soft-spoken, so stealthy that you never sensed his presence until he had you square in his sights. Young Amitav was able to escape the clutches of this fearful senior for a fortnight. But then he ‘was “nabbed while attempting to abscond” as the Indian Express used to say’. The ‘legend of L5’ caught hold of the fresher, and quizzed him about his interests. ‘I like classical music,‘ answered Ghosh, nervously. ‘You do?’ said the legend and walked him into his room in Rudra North. The legend put a record on the turntable and began to play it. He asked Ghosh to identify the composer and composition. Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto answered the fresher, correctly. Three or four more records were played and all except one accurately identified. At this, ‘The legend stuck out his hand. “I’m Rukun Advani,” he said. “Let’s go down to Maurice Nagar and have a cup of tea.”’