I had been following the work of Dr. Anupma Prakash for years.  Then, one day, I saw a paper put up in the G.I. (Geophysical Institute) saying that she was going to relocate here.  At first--not to mention any any names *COUGH* Raj Kombyil *COUGH* :) --I thought it was a practical joke.  But no--she was really coming here.

   So, one fine day, I looked up her office number on the G.I. web page, and went down to visit.  I was really surprised to see the original of _simply_ _the_ _best_ _mine_ _fire_ _picture_ _I_ _had_ _ever_ _seen_--sitting there, on the desk:


Photo: copyright Anupma Prakash


   I didn't know how she would react to the univited visit--but she could not have been more friendly.  She also told me that she was already familiar with _my_ webpage--even before she left India.  (!)

   I asked her for her autograph.  :) She told me that this was the first autograph she had ever given:



   I was also a little worried as to how she would react to someone who wanted to talk about mine fires.  But again--she couldn't have been more friendly.  :) She told me that she, " . . . saw mine fires in her dreams." It was *WONDERFUL*--after all these years--to meet someone who shared my enthusiasm for the phenomena.  :)