SHE HAS ASKED ME TO CALL HER MAYA. She was born in Mumbai, but spent the first six years of her life in Africa and the next 12 in Bangkok, where she finished her studies at an international school. She turns 19 in a couple of months.

Maya has visited India, her country of birth and notional home, several times. Most often, it has been Mumbai, but there was also one very touristy trip to the triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. When in Mumbai, she has fine dined at hip, eclectic restaurants, hung out at Phoenix Mall, seen movies. In her mind, Mumbai was an electric, electrifying, full of young people and fun.