Malavika's Mumbaistan: A Traveller's Tales
Publisher and polymath Alex Kuruvilla and wife Namita hosted a sparkling reception for visiting-author-investment banker and political commentator Ruchir Sharma at their home on Wednesday evening. Seen on the occasion was an eclectic group of journalists, fashionistas, politicians and bureaucrats, many of who had been part of the numerous road trips the New York-based Sharma has undertaken over the last 25 years, while tracking India’s electoral process. The best-selling author of Breakout Nations and The Rise and Fall of Nations, who arrived directly from a session with newsman and TV anchor Shekhar Gupta, delivered a short, humour-filled introduction to his newest tome, ‘Democracy On the Road: A 25 Year Joinery through India’, described as a political travelogue. “There are basically four types of people who undertake such trips,” he said, about his observations on travelling through the Indian heartland along with leading media mavens like Radhika and Prannoy Roy, Suman Dubey and Rajiv Shukla (before he joined politics); citing among them ‘those who refuse to get out of the car and talk to people’ and ‘those who get out and insist on lecturing the crowds’. Sharma’s anecdotal speech alluding to his encounters with India’s leading politicians and power elite, from ‘Samosas at Laloo’s and laddoos with Mulayam’ to his group’s contentious meet with BJP president Amit Shah, demonstrated how the head honcho of leading investment bank Morgan Stanley (who is said to oversee a $25 billion hedge fund) has captured the imagination of readers and ordinary folk alike, with his humane, easy-going approach and attention to detail. His delivery was followed by another hilarious political anecdote, this time from Mumbai-based businessman Uraaz Bahl, a close friend and confidante of Milind Deora (who was also present), who narrated, how in 2004 the two friends, newly-enthused by Deora’s candidacy for the south Mumbai constituency, had attempted to kick off their campaign by approaching voters at Mumbai’s Priyadarshini Park personally. According to Bahl, all had gone swimmingly well and the two were greatly encouraged by the success of their very first ‘personal electoral outreach’ when the first gentleman they engaged with, appeared to give them his undivided time and attention. “It was only at the end of our encounter when we asked him for his name that he informed us he was none other than Jayawantiben Mehta’s brother, who happened to be Milind’s chief opponent for the seat,” said Bahl, to much laughter.
True Lies
He is known in the most exclusive of international fashion circles as one of the biggest buyers of their merchandise, and his slight, always expensively-attired frame is spotted in the company of Europe’s biggest fashion names being wined and dined by the best of them (His preferred drink of choice currently being Dom Pérignon the premier vintage offering P2). And yet, in India, this North Indian gent keeps a low profile. “He rolls into the most expensive luxury stores across the world and is known to buy out everything they carry each season, without a second glance,” shared a leading luxury house maven, about the antics of the mysterious, high-spending North Indian gent. And for who on earth does he buy all the expensive jewels and bags and shoes by the dozen? If sources are to be believed, for none other than various big ticket politicians back home in India! No, not for their own consumption silly. In socialistic India, that would not go down too well, of course. No, the reason why he buys truckloads of luxury goods is for their numerous mistresses! Now, if that isn’t thoughtful – we don’t know what is.
Mallya’s Sweet Spot In India
His unease about being incarcerated in an Indian prison notwithstanding there appears to be one sweet spot in the country that is keeping beleaguered liquor tycoon and economic offender Vijay Mallya in good spirits. Yesterday, after a long tirade against the government, Mallya showed that he has some reason to cheer. “Bless my friends who brought me my favourite chocolate from my favourite town where I grew up,” the London-based Mallya shared on social media, along with a photograph of his precious cargo: a slab of Kingstar Chocolates from Ooty. Good to know that Mallya, who has been celebrated for his flamboyant lifestyle and his penchant for buying the best of life that money could buy, has not lost his sweet tooth, championing a modest brand from India over celebrated international brands such as Switzerland’s Teuscher and Belgium’s Godiva. And, as the hours to his extradition seem to mount and the King of Good Times is in danger of losing his famous title, it appears that thanks to his thoughtful mates, the King of Good Times at least still has his Kingstar to keep him company.
Delicious Art Camp
After a hiatus of many years, industrialist and art aficionado Harsh Goenka hosted one of his art camps at his cozy, sea-facing cottage in Marve, this week. The camps, initiated in the early 90s (we recall attending one of the first where curiously, former PM VP Singh had been present in his capacity as a weekend painter), is conducted over a few days and the participating artists are encouraged to interact with each other, get inspired by the salubrious surroundings and paint in a convivial atmosphere. The collective output of these efforts, we are informed, will be exhibited at an event hosted by Goenka at his CEAT headquarters, later in March. This year’s program saw the likes of Anjolie Ela Menon, Kahini Arte Merchant and Rini Dhumal attend, and is said to have also featured some of them like Dhumal, Menon and gallerist Vickram Sethi cooking up their favourite dishes for the assembly. And with talk of the antics of a famous art fraud consuming the art world currently, we are sure the conversations were as delicious as the fare on the table!
First Published: Feb 14, 2019 23:35 IST
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