In a life full of honours and awards, this, perhaps, is one of the sweetest
In a life full of honours and awards, this, perhaps, is one of the sweetest. This week saw billionaire scientist and philanthropist Yusuf K Hamied, chairman of Cipla, being honoured 'for his extraordinary humanitarian and social efforts and pioneering role in the fight against the HIV and Aids epidemic,' by the Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York.
Dr Yusuf K Hamied with Linda Fried, Dean of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health at the ceremony
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Hamied, as is known, is no stranger to national and international recognition. What makes this award special is that for years the PhD from Cambridge has been at the receiving end of American big pharma wrath. Cipla has been instrumental in substantially lowering the prices of vital anti-Aids drugs, with its championing of more affordable generic drugs, thus cutting into the profits of Western multi-nationals. "I do not want to profit from people's illness. It is immoral," Hamied, who has been called a 'pirate' by big pharmas, has often said.
Thus, Wednesday's honour in the very heart of America's big pharma industry is a robust validation of his long-cherished ethical stand. 'Dr. Hamied's legacy is already understood as a historical turning point and will be taught to our future public health leaders for years to come,' the citation read.
Tricks and treats
This year's Halloween appears to have brought forth a rich haul of imaginative costumes. Leading the pack in tricking and treating was the big fat Halloween bash hosted on Saturday night by Vishal Maya Shetty and Dino Morea, which saw the likes of Kim Sharma turn up dressed as a pretty French maid (albeit with a slit throat), Ujwala Raut in native American headgear, Haseena Jethmalani in gender-bending Elvis get-up, and Adhuna Akhtar and Nicolo Morea as members of the Addams Family.
Kim Sharma (second from right) with Ujwala Raut, Gauri Malhotra and Shamita Shetty at the Halloween party
"I first thought of going as a nun," said Sharma blithely, when we spoke the next evening. "I even called up the priest who had conducted my first Holy Communion, asking if he could help me get a nun's habit, but he refused," she said. "And then lo and behold! I just happened to find a French maid's outfit in my cupboard," she said, adding a bit unnecessarily, "Don't ask me how..." (we didn't) Costumed parties are not new phenomena in Mumbai. It is part of the city's folklore, how, when a dashing industrialist had arrived as PLO leader Yasser Arafat, for one held at a Juhu shack, many moons ago, an actor who had been a friend of the Arab leader had fallen for it.
Or how another industrialist who'd had a bit too much bubbly had gone up to a suave lady who'd arrived to another costumed extravaganza as a 'Rich Bitch', and had cattily remarked: "The 'bitch' I get. But the rich…?" Those were the days when Maganlal Dresswalla had been the go-to place for such events. "These days, there's always Amazon or even party organisers who help. People also travel abroad and pick up costumes," said Sharma. As for Saturday's hi jinks, she believes that Halloween, like Valentine's Day, is here to stay. "I would not be surprised if Thanksgiving catches on soon too," she said.
Remembering beloved Bilkees
The world was left more bereft this week with the passing of writer and social worker Bilkees Latif, wife of Air Chief Marshal and diplomat Idris Latif, who'd also served as governor of Maharashtra (1982-85). We never had the privilege of meeting the renowned beauty, but by the outpouring of condolences, describing her as 'lively, ebullient, loving, adventurous, gifted,' and 'beautiful inside and out,' recognise what an extraordinary person she must have been.
Idris and Bilkees Latif
Latif was the daughter of the renowned diplomat scholar and educationist Ali Yavar Jung and his French wife. Jung had coincidentally also been governor of Maharashtra, giving his daughter the distinction of having spent two terms at Raj Bhavan. More importantly, as governor's wife, she had distinguished herself for her work in the upliftment of Dharavi, which she'd documented in her book, O Dharavi.
"She had a knack for always noticing the nice things in someone," recalled a relative. "She would walk into a room and notice a flower arrangement, a different placement of a sofa, recognise and have a word with a new servant."
While another described her as 'a great resource on family history ... (Not to mention a great resource for butterscotch mousse'. As we said, the world is left more bereft with the passing of such a woman. But as another of her admirers said on hearing of her passing: "We are blessed to have lived in the presence of such an extraordinary woman." Indeed.
Elephant ride
This November will see a swashbuckling group of explorers, wildlife lovers, entrepreneurs and philanthropists embark on a trip across Rajasthan, in an attempt to raise £1m for Asia's endangered elephants.
Martin da Costa
Called 'Travels to My Elephant II,' it features the likes of actors Waris Ahluwalia, Joshua Jackson, Ben Elliot, Zac Goldsmith, and publisher and author Nicholas Coleridge on an eccentric odyssey covering 500 km, flagged off at the Mehrangarh Fort by the erstwhile maharaja Gaj Singhji II of Jodhpur, and being welcomed at the finish line at a party hosted by the erstwhile ruler of Jaipur the polo playing Sawai Padmanabh Singh.
Former maharaja of Jodhpur Gaj Singh and Mark Shand. Pic/Getty Images
Shepherded by Martin da Costa's Seventy EMG, the initiative is inspired by the late charismatic adventurer Mark Shand, whose commitment to the survival of the Asian elephant had led to the creation of the Elephant Family.
Vehicles for Travels to my Elephant
The adventurers will employ a fleet of Royal Enfields, Gujarati chagdas and Ambassador cars to traverse the route, and will be greeted at the finish line in the pink city of Jaipur by a herd of brightly painted elephant sculptures, a precursor to the massive 101 Elephant Parade scheduled for Mumbai in February 2018.
Musical chairs
Ah, the tantalising tyranny of hierarchies and pole positions, and their effect on fragile egos. This weekend, the seating arrangement at an awards event of a leading pink publication is said to have given rise to more than the usual share of jostling. "The first three rows as usual were cordoned off for the heavy hitters," said our Oolong tea-serving hostess friend.
"Here sat the big-ticket politicos and industrialists, you know, 'the great and the good,' who are seen to be driving the country's financial engine," she explained. "After that, there was what is known as janta seating, where your average billionaire amongst others got to sit; so, of course, the first three rows were the Holy Grail," she said.
Of course, we said. "So the talk of the evening was how these two young bizmen, the high-flying son and son-in-law of a business family that is currently deep in debt, tried every trick in the book to land themselves seats in the first 3 rows," she said, adding, "Exactly like what happens at fashion shows and their front row seats, na?" Oh dear.
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