Pen Pals Since the ’60s

Santa Barbara Resident Martha Reich Meets Longtime Pen Pal in London

Longtime pen pals Martha Reich, left, a Santa Barbara resident, and Shweta Kapadia recently met up in London. The women have been corresponding since they were 12, and this is only the second time they met in person. | Credit: Martha Reich

Santa Barbara resident Martha Reich is shown here with her longtime pen pal, Shweta Kapadia. They met for dinner at one of Shweta’s favorite Indian restaurants in London last month, when Martha and her husband, Cary, were in the U.K. on their way to visit Scotland.

The two women, now in their seventies, have been writing to each other since they were around 12 years old. Martha is holding a birthday card sent to her by Shweta in 1964. At the time Shweta lived in Calcutta. Martha still remembers how excited she would be to come home from school and see an air mail letter from India. Each letter had colorful stamps to enjoy.

Through the years, they have kept up their correspondence and friendship. Both are now grandmothers. Shweta now lives in London with her husband. The two pen pals met only once before, about 30 years ago when Shweta and her sister visited the U.S.

Martha has always been an avid letter writer and said she hopes that the younger generation continues to write letters. “Sending emails is much quicker, but a handwritten letter is so personal, can be kept and re-read, and means much more to the recipient.”