Rajeev Motwani was a famous mentor, but there are many mentors

All of us have had people who have positively influenced our lives - perhaps a teacher, perhaps a boss, perhaps someone else. Most of these positive influences remain unknown to the world at large, but a few of them become very well known, such as Rajeev Motwani, who passed away on June 5.

Om Malik talked about Motwani in a blog post. But before addressing why the world at large knew him, Malik address why Motwani was important to him:

Rajeev Motwani, one of the savviest angel investors in Silicon Valley, a Stanford professor and most importantly a close and personal friend passed away earlier today....Rajeev and I had been swapping emails, hoping to get together for a cup of coffee and discussions about technology. Alas, that shall never be....

I have known Rajeev, his wife Asha and their family for a long time. Rajeev, like me, was from New Delhi. In my professional career (and personal moments of crisis) Rajeev was only a phone call away, sharing his vast rolodex. Just like a true friend. Only a few weeks back, I had a simple Indian lunch in his house with his family. I am sure, I am not the only one who has benefited from his generosity of time and knowledge and his ability to create connections and help others.

If you want to know more about Rajeev Motwani, just Google his name.