My parents, Lui and Emma Fernes; my in-laws, Khurshid (Kuchu) and Mary Hassan; and our mentor, Abid Bhai (Abid Hussain) – though they are no longer with us, their love and support, and our family’s memories of them are woven through this book.
A special thank you – Jose; Timo; Johnny; Ann; Chintara, Munna; Sumbul
In fond memory of President H. E. SR Nathan (President of Singapore 1999-2011); Bilkis Aapa (Begum Bilkis Latif); Nawab Shah Alam Khan
For their wonderful pieces and their long-standing friendships with our family –
Habib Bhai (Habib Rehman); Sunil and Marshneil Gavaskar; Sanjaya and Rama Baru; Anoushka Shankar and her dear parents, Sukanyaji and the late Pandit Ravi Shankarji.
For generously making the time to contribute – Amitabh Kant; Rt. Hon. Sir Anand Satyanand (Governor General of New Zealand, 2006-11) and Lady Susan; Anita Dongre; Aruna D’Souza; Cleta and Rommel Valles; Girija and H.E. Yashvardhan Sinha; Guadalupe and H. E. Tovar Da Silva; Joyce and Felix Campos; Jyoti Malhotra; Marie and Eugene Campos; Muzzafar Ali; H.E. Melba Pria; C. Raja Mohan; Priya Paul; Dr(s) Radha and Raja Reddy; Rajeev Kapoor; Raylin Valles; Rosalita Lawrence; Sangita and Vijay Chahal; Kitty (Sona) and Ashok Jha.
For sharing their memories and stories, which helped me put my own together – Bizeth Banerjee; Fatima Aapa (Fatima Attari); Karki Bhabi (Karki Hussain); Leela Aapa (Leela Khan); Sanjar Bhai (Sanjar Ali Khan); Suraiya Aapa (Suraiya Hassan Bose); S. Kulandaveil (Velu).
Chinmayee Manjunath, my editor, who helped me put this book together and anchored the process; and Cyrus Dalal, who helmed all the shoots – I sincerely thank them both for being such an integral a part of this journey.
At HarperCollins India, I would like to thank Shreya Punj and Ananth Padmanabhan for championing the book, and Bonita Vaz-Shimray and Natasha Chandhok for designing it.
For being a part of the team on shoots – Akshita Phoolka and Namrata Phoolka, who helped style the food; Rolika Prakash and Arvind Kumar for make-up and hair.
It would be impossible for me to name every well-wisher of mine whose unstinted support I have received over the years, as I prepared to write this book. There have been many associates, friends, family members and acquaintances who have played a part in this journey – I thank each of them with all my heart.
And finally, my love and gratitude to my husband, children and grandchildren, to whom this book is dedicated.
Doreen Hassan