Hey! My name is…

Aviation and lifestyle 3 Minutes

I wish it was something as funky as Slim Shady!😎 Pardon the reference as I grew up in the emerging era of Eminem. My nickname was close, though. I was mostly called Khaddy by one and all during my youthful years in school. Boarding school tradition of surname calling still stands. Usually, the story attached to the derived name is a funny one. Mine emerged as a consequence of everyone inventing their own pronunciation of the rather unusual surname.

Personally, I preferred being called Khaddy than a distorted version of my already hard to pronounce surname. The more shortened and distorted, the funkier it sounded, like Khadz!. Mine stuck. Many, who had no reference of the connection to my surname, even called me Caddy, as in the golf caddy!! Imagine that!😆

My school principal had a peculiar way of saying my full name while addressing the whole school during result announcement at assembly. It was moment full of anxiety where the headmistress is calling out your name and your marks, both of which are seemingly questionable. What I felt then changed eventually.

In all honesty, I liked how she said it with her crisp diction and sense of authority. So much so that I preferred it over my family’s pronunciation of it. I adopted it and made it my own. That is how the name is now announced on the PA system on the aircraft on my flights as the Captain! I still have to tell the crew how to actually say it out loud though. 😁

I was only called Geetanjali when I joined Air India. Captains made it their own by shortening it and modifying it to Geeta and Geet. Colleagues and friends decided to call me Gee or just G! I found my name too long, misspelt and mispronounced, I didn’t really care what I was called anymore. What’s in a name, eh? Only much later in my adult life I began to adopt and appreciate the true meaning of my name and the creator of the award winning book by the same name.

When wordpress asked me to write an introduction to the blog, I don’t think they had this in mind. I am used to introductions usually with my professional qualifications or resume listings. Usually very technical. For those, you can see my LinkedIn profile. https://www.linkedin.com/in/geetanjali-khadria-aba7b18a/ For my personal interests, I share some glimpses on Instagram. But this here is pure joy and recount. I don’t want to label this experience of expression with the list of qualifications or achievements. I want to meet and share with people who and what I am here and now. The richness of life experiences accompany me, of course!

I am as open as you can take and I am as candid as you may not be able to take!! Life can be sweet, sour, crisp , tender, hot , spicy , like our taste buds and mine certainly has been. Life has happened enough to know that all ingredients are essential to the recipe of life, it is our choice what we do with it. So, for the benefit of those still waiting to know more about me, I ask you to take this journey with me.

I have work experience of over two decades. I have been a Commander for 13 years. I currently fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. I have two children. I am an explorer by nature. Interested in anything and everything from History to Geography, Finance to current events, wildlife to museums , pets to cooking, fitness to nutrition, tennis to films, you name it , I love it. I am , however, most interested in feelings. My own and others’. So, I look forward to this next chapter. I hope I can put words to thoughts. I hope I can do it as often as I would like to. Until next time…

Over and Out!! @thethinkingcaptain

aka Captain Geetanjali Khadria

#firsttimeblogger #captain #introduction #lifeskills #thethinkingcaptain #surnames #experience

Published by Geetanjali Khadria

A passionate aviator for over two decades, I have had the privilege to travel, see and experience the world and it's people in all forms and situation. This exposure has helped shape my world view in a unique way. The deep desire to explore oneself has been the highlight of recent years. New challenges seem more challenging and more rewarding too. I want to share slices of life. My taste buds like sweet and sour, bitter and sweet, hot and tangy. Just like life itself!

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50 thoughts on “Hey! My name is…”

  1. Gee, ( yes, i call her that:) is my batchmate in the airline!
    She’s always spoken her mind and ive seen her evolve and devolve and we’ve agreed to disagree.. but always keeping it honest.
    I believe, we need more people like her, people who have an opinion and care to express it and try and make a difference !
    Keep walking…

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Very well written. I had no trouble with my name till I moved to the US, now I can totally relate 😆

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  4. Beautifully laid out, this carries me back to boarding school days and the joy of appellation.
    Lots of love ❤️

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  6. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
    Interesting!!
    Takes me back to our school days..
    I am just thinking of all the ways my name has been mispronounced till now…😀😀

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  7. Khady Pilot! That’s mine for you since class 5. You were crystal clear then, and even more now 🙂 Though you have flown for many years and dreamt of it for longer years, I’m certain one of our celebrated journeys has been on the ‘Guwahati Train Party’. Thank you, The Thinking Captain!

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  8. So breezy, didnt feel like i was reading a blog but rather felt like we were just having a chat over a glass of wine! So many names and yet you didnt mention the one the whole family calls you! 😀 Im calling u ‘khaddy’ now too as it is time foe you to please STAND UP! *one Eminem fan to another*

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  9. If anyone can relate to names being improvised upon…it’s me… having said that, I have known khaddy since 1991..first in school and then I got to know her again as a professional, a mother and a friend….but to me…she is and always will be khaddy!
    Fantastically written and extremely relatable and simple…felt like I was face to face having this conversation

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  10. “Naam mein kya rakha hai” is definitely an understatement. Loved your blog and can’t wait to read more from you. Enjoy while you write away!

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  11. Such a lovely read Khaddy! Our nick names are a reminder of the person we are with certain people, and of a certain time in one’s life; your write up brought alive those memories for me.
    So well written Khaddy, looking forward to the next one.

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  13. Loved the introduction Khaddy! Ma’am Singh really made your name sound royal. I recall the crisp “Khadria” which none of us could replicate!!

    So looking forward to the rest of the musings of life and lessons. Very inspiring!

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  15. I have always been quite fascinated by your persona, Geetanjali. (Geetg for me now on) Quite in awe of you since the time, Jab we met! :))
    Fan of your lifestyle, your choices, your fitness orientations… everything really! Waiting to read more of you through your blogs now. Mazaa aayega!

    P.s. – my name is so simple that one will really have to hire intelligent people to be able to screw it up, creatively… but even then, some people manage doing it effortlessly well. Toh with you I can imagine.

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  16. It made a great read Khaddy! Very well written. I haven’t had much of a mispronunciation with my name but I do relate to it as it’s something my boy faces with his name being spelt as ‘Udaya’ and is to be pronounced as just ‘ ‘Uday’.
    Keep writing!

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  22. When I operated my flight with you the only thing that came to my mind was ” woow…very very impressive..”
    It’s always a pleasure to fly with you…one can actually have a meaningful conversation with you…..you are a lady with GRACE…..!!!!
    God bless

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Life is so like the taste buds…. you nailed it. Your name is a reflection of your personality. Geetanjali literally means a collection of poems and songs….you too are one. Time we read your collection.. keep writing

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  25. Hello Captain ,
    Dear Geetanjali ,
    What a coincident that we met on AI domestic flight from BOM – AMD , you were to fly next early morning B 787 flight from AMD – LHR with CAPT A. RAO , in just casual chat after landing at AMD , with both of you about avionics and AI , we all became friends , in that very meeting I recall you told me write a book , and since than we are friends and we exchange WhatsApp and in your next pre fight from AMD – LHR , you had dinner at my home with CAPT PRAGNA , it a pleasant memory and we are good friends ,
    Wishing a more successful and pleasant life ahead and hope to meet you soon after pandemic over and flights are normal ,
    GOD BLESS ALL 🙏🙏

    Liked by 1 person

  27. Awesome Capt!! Loved the introduction.. The marks and the pronunciation of ur name being questionable.. Oh.. been there 😂
    Can’t wait to read more!!

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