Hemal Ashar hemal@ mid- day. com London- based and Mumbai- born legal eagle Sarosh Zaiwallau2019s book u2018 Honour Bound: Adventures of an Indian lawyer in the English courtsu2019 released at the Press Club at Azad Maidan on Thursday. It was launched by Godrej group chairman, Adi Godrej, who was Zaiwallau2019s first client, but he said, u201c I have very little recollection about that.u201d Zaiwalla too, touched upon his childhood in Mumbai in a separate chat and added, u201c I used to live on Hughes Road. I pass by the area when Iu2019m here but donu2019t remember too many landmarks.u201d The evening took off with an introduction of the book.
Editor the book, K Chopra of Harper Collins said they were contemplating naming the book u2018 Bombay Boyu2019 but then settled for u2018 Honour Boundu2019. Godrej said the book is, u201c very anecdotal and tells us how difficult it is to start a new business in a new country.u201d Senior journalist and columnist Bachi Karkaria, who was the anchor, started by saying, u201c Sarosh has worked for a number of governments, including the Indian government.u201d Zaiwalla laughed as he said he was, u201c sacked by the Indian government for acting for the Bachchans in the Bofors case.u201d He added, u201c Soon though I got a call from the Chinese government. This was December 1991. The Chinese wanted me to help set up a legal system there. It is one country where an Indian is respected more than a European.u201d Zaiwalla added that it was evident, u201c that China did not want conflict over borders with India at one point. As a Communist country, they wanted full employment for their people and for that, they wanted trade.u201d When asked about his meeting with Dalai Lama, Zaiwalla said, u201c A Chinese official was not very happy initially when I told him that I was going to meet him in Glasgow.u201d He added, u201c The Chinese had said then that the Dalai Lama could come back but more as a pastoral head looking after his flock.u201d Jammu & Kashmir A central motif in Zaiwallau2019s philosophy was that he believed in u201c globalisation and one mankind, where it is the colour of the heart and not that of the skin or a religion that matters.u201d He said that it was what attracted him to the Bahau2019i faith. He added that one way to resolve the Tibet issue was to have investment there, u201c where there is food, clothing and shelter, people are happy.
This in a way should be done in Kashmir. We must see foreign and Indian investment in J& K.u201d Benazir Bhutto With the conversation veering towards politics, Zaiwalla was asked about his friend, late Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He said, u201c Benazir had told me that the Wahabis are funding the insurgency in Kashmir. Benazir was a good friend, we hit it off very well.
In fact, after I got divorced, she told me I must marry again. She arranged a lunch at her sisteru2019s home, where she introduced me to four fat, middle- aged women and then asked me, well which one did you like and I said, none.u201d As the February breeze wafted across the terrace of the club, Zaiwallau2019s anecdotes spanned the spectrum, from representing a u201c mafia don in a matter involving an Olympic village u2014 he did not pay me!u201d He said for his St Xavieru2019s school days in Mumbai, where, u201c Sunil Gavaskar got me out LBW for zero in an inter- class match!u201d England eye The man who went to England in the 1970s and made it there, has seen good and bad times.
u201c England was not racist, it was classist, but when the English were convinced of your professional integrity, they accepted you wholeheartedly,u201d he said, adding, u201c In England, India is very well respected.u201d A few questions from the audience later, the curtain closed with Zaiwalla u2018 Bound to Honouru2019 yet another appointment at the whirlwind book launch tour, in the city of his birth.
u2018 What matters is the colour of the heartu2019 Legal eagle Sarosh Zaiwallau2019s book release was a mix of the personal, political and philosophical Sarosh Zaiwalla, Bachi Karkaria and Adi Godrej at the book launch.
PIC/ SURESH KARKERA
