The photographer in Rangoon
I was invited to write a guest blog about Lt. Col. V.S. Ranganathan's book, " Burma to Bangalore ", published by Locksley Hall Publishing. I have known the Colonel for many years, and one of the reasons I visited Burma was to explore the area where he was born. When I heard about the book and he read my travel blogs, this guest blog was a natural outcome. "Are the Japanese still in Singapore?” asked the old man. I said, "What do you mean?” "Are they still occupying Singapore?” he enquired. I was in Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar) talking to an old photographer, Ahuja, in his studio. The year was 1995. I had just landed in Yangon from Singapore and was standing in a long line at the immigration counter. The weather was hot, humid and the airport was non-air conditioned. Singapore was hot and humid too, but everything was air-conditioned. The immigration officer asked me, "Do you have US$400?” I said, "Yes". He said, "Show it&quo