If I were to boast of famous friends I knew at university, it wouldn’t be the likes of Maajid Nawaz and Afzal Amin, only of Malini Srinivasan. I had significant dealings with all three, but only one of them I consider a friend. Two of them bullied and belittled me, one encouraged me and made me laugh. Two of them shared my faith, only one of them shared my humanity. One I regretted losing touch with for years, the other two I don’t regret at all. Only one of them I ever felt moved to reconnect with. Only of one would I utter with honest pride: “I knew that wonderful person.”
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