Fond Memories of Karim on his 66th Birthday

RIP = Return If Possible

Regards
Lax

Karim, I am not sure why 2 days ago you crossed my mind and stayed there. This morning I decided to head onto FB and see what you've been up to, and why was I not seeing Travel adventures posts...what a deeply saddened feeling and shock!

I found this link and read a lot of the tributes others have shared. Why am I not surprised the least of their accolades to you!

In fact, here is a reminder of how important it is to live life well.

To love and share love is the epitome of your life. On the few occasions we met, I racked it up as memorable indeed. No doubt you are and old soul. May your journey upwards and outwards be soothing, and may your soul find happy pastures. Travel on dear one.

I cannot believe Karim is gone, the world is a little darker without the light of him in the world. He was a boss, a coach and a friend.  I know that I and my other coworkers from P&G would attribute a big portion of their career success to what we learned working with and being coached by Karim. He always took so much interest in everyone he worked with and wanted to help everyone succeed. As we have all gotten older our relationship evolved to a deeply respected and cherished friendship. I will always remember and be thankful for the time we were able to spend together, especially while in Moscow together. While far too short, his was a life very well lived, touching so many.

So shocking to hear of the news.. Karim was amongst my first managers when started my career way back at P&G in Toronto.. there are so many memories of the fun times we had.. watching him load up his salad plate in the cafeteria till it was a dangerously teetering pagoda of food.... :) crowding into his office for global conference calls at an ungodly early hour, flights back from Cincinnati together on the rinky dink little P&G charter plane...
As I got to know him better I learnt of his deep devotion to the Ismaili community and the umpteen hours he devoted to that.. and on the fun side when the only vacation Karim took was the week or so during TIFF!
Even after all these decades his impact still remains, as I'm sure it does for everyone who came in touch with him.
Farewell, dear friend!

Time and space seem to have collided when I got the news of Karim's passing. Karim's energy, passion, acute awareness for others and their needs will be sorely missed. However, he leaves legions of individuals across the globe who are better people for their interactions and friendship with him and who no doubt will carry a "bit of Karim" on in his honor. I recall the first time we met in Moscow, and the many interactions after that first meeting both in and outside of Work. In Karim I found a kindred spirit, for travel, curiosity of cultures and people. His Capacity to share as well as bring you into his circle of life was something to be admired. Never one to make anyone feel "left out", Karim's presence had a way of making anyone who encountered him walk away from that experience enlightened, entertained or even envious in a way of how centered he was within himself. I for one am grateful that our paths crossed in a world of Billions that I can count him as a dear friend, co-worker and someone I looked up to. In the "Birth that we call Death", no doubt Karim is living the next great adventure, greeting family who has gone before, and preparing in a way for all of us whom he has touched for a remarkable reunion.  God/Allah Speed my friend.

Remembering Karim Ladak (April 5, 2023)

The HIV Legal Network mourns the untimely loss of our Board member and friend, the incomparable Karim Ladak. There are few words that come close to capturing the magic in Karim’s smile, the twinkle in his eye, or the warmth of his unwavering support. We will try our best.

Karim was a long-time supporter of the HIV Legal Network and a champion of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, in Canada and around the world. He was a truly global citizen, having traveled extensively and lived in many countries and places. He had a zest for life that was unmatched, and his emails almost always included more than few exclamation points – he wasn’t afraid to demonstrate his passion!

Karim was generous and giving. He always had a kind word, a helpful suggestion, and a listening ear. He was also principled and expressed his well-considered opinions firmly and with eloquence.

He was a leader in every sense of the word, and he moved through business and non-profit spaces with ease and authenticity. Karim was sincere and humble, and everyone in his presence always felt lucky to be there.

Karim was characterized by his giving nature, but we know that he had so much more to do and give. His loss is profound, and our hearts are with his family and loved ones the world over; we grieve with you and for you in this time of sadness. The world was a better place with Karim in it.

Rest in power, dear friend. You will never be forgotten.

Karim, I am shocked and saddened beyond belief. I remember you from my first year at York University. I loved your vim and vigour and zest for life, your outsize personality, your gentleness and caring. I wanted to be just like you when I grew up! Farewell friend. Prayers and wishes as your soul goes on the next big adventure!

Karim hired my husband and was the reason that Tony stayed with P&G until he retired.
Personally, he was a great friend - warm, funny and compassionate. My daughters were teenagers when they met him and they connected so well. He was a huge emotional support when we had family health challenges.
I also reached out to him to to help plan a panel for Asian Americans to create awareness around social justice issues a couple of years ago.
You will be missed, dear Karim! Continue to create good trouble up there my friend !

How silly a thing, but I really loved your birthday greeting on my wall every year since we met. It was only a few times we met in person and your heart just touched mine, yours was the heart that dreams were made of and you shared that magic all around you. What a wonder.

Deeply saddened. Was in touch with Karim on social media and met him pre covid when he visited Mumbai. It was wonderful to catch up in person after almost three decades, what a bright soul he was.

He was on my interview panel at IIMA three decades ago, and stood out with his warmth and gentleness. One of the biggest reasons I felt so comfortable with joining P&G was the way he interacted then, the epitome of thoughtfulness and clarity. He was so inspiring, brought out the best in people around him. The world is poorer with his passing.

Revathi

Bigger than life was your heart! A beautiful soul bright as the sun and the moon and the stars, and yet gone too soon too hasty. Karim, generous as you are known to be, you were the first one to offer your home as the film set for my low budget film project (and you remained so kind and gracious even when my crew made quite a big mess. LOL). Upon my cancer prognosis, you joined in medical meetings to help take notes and to help ask the right questions. Thank you for your rides to my chemo treatments and for your emotional support to my husband through such difficult times. Whenever we need advice on life challenges, you listened patiently and shared your life skills. How will I not miss your wisdom, your insights, your activism, your love, your joy, your humour and most of all, your exceptional benevolence in making our world a better place?

Karim was the toastmaster at our wedding in 1991. His toast is what most people remember as he praised my wife and said the right things about me. Funny guy loved life.. One of the earliest expats to come and work in P&G India

Karim was a friend and a mentor. I remember many times in my life as I encountered issues at work. I’d seek his guidance. And he was always generous and supportive with advice. Years later I still think “what would Karim do” and that always seems to work. I will always cherish these memories of him. Forever.

Karim was a lovely man. He was always so cheerful and update. He was a fierce defender of human rights. He made our world better and he is gone too soon. May his memory be for a blessing.

Karim came in in 1989 to see what was happening in our Hyderabad plant. I was on vacation and at that point Sanjay called up and told me to do a rush trip to Hyderabad to give a demonstration of our online system using RDBMS Unify. We all met at the Airport on May 9 1989 at around 4 am and landed at Begumpet Airport at 730 am. There was a Fiat car (Non-Ac) waiting for us and we proceeded to the plant directly. Name Karim sounded Indianish but I wasn't sure if he could speak/understand Hindi. He then asked the driver "AC Hai Kya?". It became clear to me that he knew our language.

He was excited to see our plant as he met folks in the office starting with late KN Shivdas and rest in the office block. Then we headed to the plant and first had the day's breakfast and met the Engineering folks with CR Krishna, then peeped into the QC division where CP Rekha explained the process in brief. Soon we entered the production area wearing paper caps. We met Sanjeev Samant on the floor and had a look at the production line of VapoRub and Inhaler. All the Product Assemblers were fascinated as Kareem smiled and spoke to many of them. We even had a quick look at the creche but unfortunately there were no kids then. May heat was at its worst with temperature soaring in its early 40s, We all walked back to the Office block and then I lead the group to our little computer room that was having a temperature of 21°C and all felt cool and cozy. I then commenced my demonstration of the online application called PAMMICS Acronym of

Purchase
Accounts
Material
Manufacturing
Inventory
Control
System

Karim had a smile for everyone he saw or who came in front of him. He was very happy with the application the way it had shaped up. He was looking at implementing the same system for P&G Australia. Mr. Anil Gupta - VP Manufacturing was there too along with KNS, Sanjay Banerjee and Karim's Manager ( unable to recollect his name ). The discussion was moving towards implementing the system for Australia and KNS made a comment "Laxmi, get ready to go down under" and I exclaimed that I didn't even have a passport . Anil Guptaji had seen the challenges faced in 1988 to implement the system and was truly pleased with the comments coming from Karim and immediately suggested to me to replicate the demo of the software to Kalwe team which I got organized at Wipro (our vendor) Bandra office in the very next week.

All of us post an early supper, took a 9 pm flight back to Bombay. The flight was a bit delayed and that gave Karim a feel of life of travellers in India. Ultimately, we reached Bombay around 1130 pm and Karim appreciated my effort of flying for a day that too sacrificing my vacation. Till Karim mentioned, I didn't even realise it that I was doing something extraordinary .

A Big take away for me was how to deal with people and how to acknowledge even the smallest of support provided and be the people's man. All this learnt from Karim.

Once in the US in 1992, I wrote a letter to Karim thanking for being a great mentor and he was happy at my progress.

Thank you Karim for being such a lovely human who had empathy for all. Will miss you

Regards
Lax

Karim had retired from P&G when I first met him and yet he had a profound impact on me and the India IT organisation that he once led. We benefited from his generous coaching and guidance on his annual trips to Mumbai. I recall his signature “volcano model” of transformative leadership, his personal stories & career wisdom shared over our lunch and learn sessions and drinks (usually at the ITC Maratha). I will cherish those memories forever and pray Karim, a force of nature and so full of life that he was continues to smile upon us and bless us. Rest in Peace.

In the “Town of Cabbage”, came this commanding presence, Karim Ladak. Loving, caring, bigger than life. So very generous with his time, energy, and love. He played so many roles in my life: Brother, sister, elder, activist, friend. I will miss him dearly.
And from the poem that Amal shared:
“They’re with you every day.”
“The sun, the wind, the moon, the stars, will forever be around,
reminding you of the love you shared,
and the peace they’ve finally found.
~ Bobbi Davies ~

Karim was a dear friend, coach and a lifelong inspiration to me. I first met Karim in 1990 when he hired me into P&G India. It became quickly apparent to me that he was not just an IT department leader in Bombay, but that his influence in the company, Community and among colleagues was far bigger. That was a feature of Karim wherever he went over the next several decades. Whether in Russia, Romania, Japan or back home in Canada, everything and everyone he touched, he left transformed. I cannot think offhand of anyone else who had this magic.
The world is a far poorer place on his passing. Rest in peace my friend.

Dear Karim, I am so sorry that you left us much to soon and I was really not prepared for this. I had been looking forward to another one of our catch ups that didn’t happen frequently enough. You have had a profound effect on my life, I wouldn’t likely have been in P&G if it wasn’t for you. You were kind, caring and had infinite capacity for inspiring people to pursue their own paths to excellence and happiness. Both Sonam and I will miss you a lot.

We're so saddened by the news. We don't know how to share our feelings but wanted to say Karim will be dearly missed.
We were like a family during our time in Moscow and we kept in touch since in different parts of the world.
He was a special soul with so much kindness and compassion. He touched so many lives and his legacy and influence will be with us forever. Wishing you all strength and patience in this very difficult times.
Ezgi & Ozgur Genc (Ozzie)

Karim was not only a pathleader, but also took everyone along on the various paths that he journeyed as the eponymous Cosmopolitan Nomad - he touched people's lives, inspired so many people, and bound us all together as one big Transcontinental Family. He was one of the first person I came out to in the late 1990s and we have nurtured a close bond where he was my friend, mentor, family member and also producer to my films. he gave wings to my aspirations & let me fly; and for that I'm eternally grateful to him. Of the many journeys we shared, my most favourite memories are those of singing impromptu Bollywood songs and dancing on the streets and in cabs in several countries across the world. Will miss you greatly Karim, but your memories remain in my heart forever.

Karim had an abundance of love to share. His smile and genuine care for people were unlimited. His energy and passion were communicative. He gave many of us the courage to tackle the impossible. His confidence gave us trust we could overcome our fears. I admired his intelligence and profound thinking, there was no shortcut, but an incredible capacity to challenge our intellect . He was so curious and open to new cultures deeply rooted in his personal history. He clearly left us too early, and still had so much to give. Even though we did not see each other often, I always felt close and had such a pleasure to exchange. He had this gift to make you feel important and be present for you. My prayers go to you and your family, Rest in peace my friend.

Karim, you believed that you could change the world. And “no” wasn’t an answer. Everything was possible for you. The only constraint was the limitations of our physical reality and at times you pushed even those boundaries. You showed that not conforming should be appreciated and celebrated. You celebrated people around you. You challenged and made us break our molds. You were a rebel. You kicked ass. You inspired. You were unique. Thank you, Karim. Wishing you a strong wind under your wings.

Karim was a transformational leader, volunteer and human being! His wisdom, drive, zest were amazing! The world has lost an inspiration and a mover & shaker for whom status quo was never an option. He comes from a family of great leaders in the community which includes his father who was a pillar in the community and his brother who also is a wonderful leader and volunteer. Our hearts go out to the family for a huge loss. May his soul rest in eternal peace and strength to the family! Ameen

If any consolation Karim completed his colourful mission in life with poise, love, service and enormous impact!!! A life to celebrate! From God we come and to God we return. ❤️❤️

You were a bright light that left us too soon, dear Karim!! Your smile, support, mentorship, energy and love for people and life will always be remembered!! You genuinely cared about others and taught everyone by doing what truly equality and inclusion is before it was even something companies and governments talked about it. Thank you everything you did !! May your soul rest in peace and May tour light continue to bright up in the sky.