Memory serves him well

For as long as you have known him or at least, known about him, Vikas Khanna has had a secret.

He kept the secret when Junoon, where he was the chef, won a Michelin star in 2011. He kept it close to his chest even when he returned to India to become the lead judge at MasterChef India and became a national celebrity.

It had to do with his sister, Radhika. When they were in school, he recalls, she would help him with his studies and look after him. When he came to America, she moved to the States. They were, he says, almost like each other's shadows.

In 2008, before Vikas had really made it big, Radhika was diagnosed with lupus, a condition that is potentially fatal. The two kept it to themselves. They told no one, not even their mother. Radhika wanted to lead as normal a life as possible.

As her condition deteriorated, the nature of the relationship changed. Vikas says that she became "like a daughter to me; someone I had to cherish and look after". But no matter what her health was, Radhika was always there to support her brother.

Two years ago, the condition finally took her life. Only then did Vikas start talking about Radhika's condition. He always thought back to Radhika's courage and optimism. When doctors would try and explain to her how her condition meant that she may not have long left to live, she would always say, "I don't worry. My brother will find a way".

And for much over a decade, he did, finding new doctors, sourcing treatments and even going to temples all over India to pray for her good health.