By Manuwant Choudhary (Photos Courtesy Midday)
Just last week in Bombay I walked up to Nana Chudasama's office on Marine Drive and asked a guard about his health.
The guard replied, "Saheb wheelchair pe aa gaye the tab bhee office aate the...lekin ab nahin aa sakte.." (Even on a wheelchair Saheb would come to office but now he can't make it...)"
Nana's daughter Shaina N C is the BJP spokesperson but the guard informed she only comes sometimes.."Zyada to wo yoga kartee hain..." (She mostly does yoga !)
I posted his last banner on facebook on Modi's assault on the Reserve Bank of India - he was the predecessor to twitter, his witty one-liners would make it to the front pages of newspapers.
I thought of him so spoke to a friend that I would like to visit Nana the next time I am in Bombay, but that was not be as people driving on Marine Drive saw this banner.
Narendra Sinhji Mansinhji Chudasama was the son of Bombay's second police commissioner. He was from Rajkot in Gujarat.
After graduation he joined an American oil company but later as a public man he was the Sheriff of Bombay.
His well known organisations included I Love Mumbai, his anti-spitting campaigns in the city he loved won him the hearts of millions.
But few would remember that his leadership potential was first recognised by Swatantra Party and they even gave him a ticket. He lost the elections but he became extremely popular with the people of Bombay and remained in public life long after the party ceased to exist.
In fact his banners reflect his liberal spirit and that of the original party he joined - Swatantra.
As a student in Bombay after graduation I was in need of a place to stay...the only one available was a Patel hostel but I was not a Patel so obviously I could not get in. A friend suggested I meet Nana, he was a trustee.I wasn't sure but gathered some wit to approach him in his office. I introduced myself and that I was from Bihar and I needed a hostel. Without a word he pulled out his letter head and in a neat handwriting gave me a recommendation.
Although I never stayed at the Patel Hostel but I still value his act of kindness - he was a Bombay man till the end.
Also as a member of the Association of Youth for a Better India (AYBI) all our weekly meetings were held at Giants International...so my training as a liberal activist would be incomplete without him.
As a member of Lions and Rotary Clubs he realised even an Indian Club could become International and do valuable work. So he founded Giants International which now has 500 Clubs in India and abroad.
A journalist colleague asked me what Nana would have thought of his daughter joining the BJP.
Of course, I cannot answer that...but to me he would be happy that at least she is in public life, although she looks quite uncomfortable answering for the sins of her party.
Nana married a Bohra Muslim Munira in 1969 - secretly.
A prayer meeting for Padma Shri Nana Chudasama will be held at the Nehru Centre Auditorium, Worli, on Wednesday December 26, 2018, from 5 pm to 7 pm.
He was cremated at Banganga yesterday.
And the people of Bombay.
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