My Grandfather was a terrific guy! He lived for a long time and influenced countless people with his intelligence, wit and that always present twinkle in his eye. Born in India to a family steeped in the struggle for Indian independence, he grew up in a society on the verge of stepping out of its colonial past. Never a laggard, he went to University in England, married a Scotswoman, went back to India and became Chief Engineer of the Great Eastern Railways.
At the age of 62, he uprooted himself from a comfortable existence to join his children in Canada, feed his beloved chickens and cause an entirely new set of individuals in a faraway country to fall in love with him. At 75, he decided to put his memories to paper. Computers were simply out of the question so he spent countless hours tapping away on an electric typewriter (2 fingers) and then bringing reams of paper to my office to photocopy. He’d always hoped to get his “Random Reminiscences” published so that his family could understand better where they’d come from. Unfortunately, circumstances didn’t allow that to happen before he passed away at the ripe old age of 90.
However, here we are 6 years later….and it’s time his writings emerged from the dusty binder he gave me so many years ago. Here’s to you Dada!
Mark Devereux
Hi Mark,
Brings back happy memories,
Alan
[...] across a delightful Retroblog of Najm Tyabji. It is a retroblog of Mark Devereux’s grand father, who lived in India and was married to a [...]
This is a great way of sharing dadda’s amazing stories with others and I really appreciate what you are doing. Thanks.
Jen
Hello! i used to know a Mr kamran latifi in Hyderbad . I have great memories of the family.
Thanks
Many thanks for the stories. I share a similar past as you as my grandfather, Ali Asaf Fyzee, had a fascinating life in this same romantic post-colonial period. I think my grandfather was your grandfather’s cousin.
Cheers.