Hyderabad, Dec. 10 -- Nostalgia is a stubborn guest; it never quite leaves.

Perhaps that is why it feels so sweet - it ties us to the moments and people who shaped our early journeys.

This Tuesday was one such day, wrapped in memory and warmth. I met several long-lost friends from my early years in journalism. Four decades ago, we were all young, restless, and brimming with ambition as we took our first tentative steps at the Citizen's Evening. Today, with most of us now senior citizens, the passage of time has added new layers to our stories - and from "eveninger to evergreen," the spirit remains unchanged.

Reunions are usually reserved for old boys' clubs, but ours was something more spirited - a gathering of former scribes of Citize...