March 12th 1993, California. Finding out about it

I woke up like every other day and had my breakfast and started getting ready for a final exam for a class that I had taken that term. At about 10 AM, just before I headed out to take the exam, the phone rang. I picked it up. To this day, I can remember the conversation like it just happened.

"Hello, Is it ___"
"yes"
"This is ___ speaking"
"I am calling to let you know that there was a bomb blast in Bombay"
At this stage, I was thinking that someone was hurt. Who could it be....
"I am sorry to say ...."
Pause
Now I was worried that someone was badly hurt
"Your father..."
Pause
The thought that rushed to my head was that my dad must have lost a limb or was in a coma.
"is no more".
What?
Hadn't I just talked to him on the phone? Was he really saying what he was saying?
I didn't know what to say. I am not sure I remember what I said.
"Please come back immediately ..."
I must have said something because I next remember calling a few friends to help me get ready to leave. I needed:

• Papers from the university's international student office so I could come back to study here
• A ride to the airport
• Some money
• My passport
• A reservation on a flight back to India

Three different friends were called in rapid succession. In 2 hours, I was sitting on a plane to Hong Kong.