Shall we start from your childhood?
I got a pair—we had a male and a female. I am not sure whether that helped. In that sense, I was a combination of contradictions as a child. I had no stage fright, and I could perform on stage—recite a poem, participate in debates—but when it came to talking to people at a personal level, I had an element of shyness which, to an extent, continues even today. I don’t socialise much. I keep to myself and the family. It is also a product of my work. I completely dedicated myself to the profession of law, and that left very little time for anything else.
My sister and I went to an English medium school, which was a new thing in our family. Both my parents went to Marathi medium schools, and they learnt whatever English they learnt only after standard seven or eight. Going to an English school in Mumbai was a very different cultural experience from what home was like. Home was always associated with our family culture and traditions.
We had our properties, but the family lost its land [after the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling and Holdings) Act]. Eventually, everyone had to depend upon a profession to sustain their livelihood. My father took to law, following his uncle and grandfather. My parents settled down in Mumbai to earn their livelihood. My father came here with very little family support. He would stay in a small tenement in Mumbai. My mother would carry clothes on her head to wash at the nearest tap. Though my father did very well as a lawyer, he always had this feeling that he had succeeded on his own. And he wanted to give us the benefit of a good education. When I went to school, it was very different from our parental upbringing.
Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin October 29, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin October 29, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock