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Slain American journalist Daniel Pearl's interaction with journalists in Kerala was brief, but he left a lasting impression.
Daniel and his wife Marianne were unexpected guests at a get-together at the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club last year.
As a Wall Street Journal correspondent, Pearl was after a story about a resistance movement by a group of farmers in Kerala. He came to the press club because he wanted to use the computer there. Later, the office-bearers requested him to put off his return by a day so that he could be a guest at the get-together.
Daniel spent about two hours at the venue, mixed with journalists and presented prizes to children who won competitions held on the occasion.
Former president of the press club, P P James, reminisced: "He was quite a jovial fellow with a sense of humour. Looking at a coconut tree illuminated with big electric bulbs of different colours, Pearl said, 'I have seen coconut trees before. For the first time I am seeing coconuts of different colours.'"
On his return, the press club sent a mail thanking him for spending a few hours there. There was no response for the next two days. The fourth day Pearl sent a message which said: "That was a wonderful evening. I will not forget that. See you again."
"I never knew that we would never see him again," James added.
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