I was blessed to meet Professor Yu at 𝗜𝗙𝗟𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀- —perhaps the last person he sat beside in the auditorium at the closing ceremony. Even as we cheered his students and awardees, he patiently listened to my stories from India: 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗶𝗿, designed to sponge snowmelt and rising groundwater, and 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗶, where water is a way of life.

I invited him to visit our sites during 𝗜𝗙𝗟𝗔 𝗔𝗣𝗥 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗶 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, and he smiled, saying he would try. I also presented my book, 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱, which he received with warmth and curiosity.

We 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀, and the thought struck me that both of us are ruled by the number 1. I told him: “I will wish you every year, even if we never meet again.”

The fact that both of us have our roots in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture and are nature-schooled created an immediate connection.

His vision changed the world. His words still echo in my ears！ His warmth and humility will remain with me forever. That brief meeting stirred something deep within me.

RIP dear 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗷𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝘂..

Gone too soon… every 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟬, I will wish you a bday wherever you are..

Posting my first & last picture with you when you warmly received my signed book, Sept 12, 2025 @ 11.05 am

Dr Aseem Gokarn Harwansh, Founder & Principal Consultant at Aseem Gokarn Harwansh(AGH Design), Navi Mumbai, India, Expert member of Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change, India.

译文；

我有幸在2025年国际景观建筑师联合会（IFLA）南特大会上遇见俞孔坚教授——或许是闭幕式上坐在他身旁的最后一人。当我们为他的学生和获奖者欢呼时，他耐心倾听我讲述来自印度的故事：克什米尔的公民公园，它宛如一块巨大的海绵，吸纳着融化的雪水和不断上升的地下水；还有孟买红树林旁的城市森林，那里的人们与水为伴，水就是他们生活的全部。

我邀请他今年11月来孟买参加IFLA亚太会议时，顺道参观我们的项目场地，他微笑着表示会尽力成行。我还向他赠送了我的著作《𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱》，他热情且好奇地收下了。

我们互相分享了彼此的生日，我突然意识到，我们两人的生日都与数字“1”有着不解之缘。我对他说：“哪怕我们今后再无交集，我也会在每年的今天为你送上生日祝福。”

我们都出身于农业、林业和园艺世家，是大自然的忠实学子，这份共同的背景让我们瞬间产生了共鸣。

他的学识改变了整个世界。他的话语至今仍在我的耳畔回响！他的热情与谦逊将永远铭刻在我的心底。那次短暂的邂逅在我内心深处激起了层层涟漪。

亲爱的俞孔坚教授，愿您安息……您的离世实在令人痛惜……每年的6月10日，无论您身在何方，我都会为您送上生日祝福。

这张照片是我与您唯一的合影，也是最后一张，您热情地接过我签名的书，那是2025年9月12日上午11点05分。

Aseem Gokarn Harwansh博士，印度纳维孟买阿西姆·戈卡尔·哈文什（AGH设计）的创始人兼首席顾问，印度环境森林与气候变化部专家成员。