Column

The Spectator

This Saturday, at Gita Piramal’s brunch to celebrate S Ramadorai’s receiving of the Padma Bhushan, a sliver of smart Mumbai turned up in its designer linen and chic sunglasses at the Blue Sea in Worli for sushi, vodka prawns, beer and sugar cane juice — to congratulate one of its own.

Piramal, whose achievements include producing management tomes along with not one, but two extremely bright daughters, stood at the entrance for a better part of the afternoon, welcoming her guests graciously.

Corporate czars, heavy duty publishers celebrated doctors and investment bankers of every hue along with their pretty wives exchanged their news and views while a live band played a version of Autumn Leaves.

It was a quintessential Mumbai crowd, the type that moves effortlessly between Mumbai, London, New York and Beijing: urbane, well-informed, well turned out and powerful, and what it chose to say that afternoon reflected this.

“I want to invite Deepak Chopra to address a seminar of gynaecologists,” said a lady about to pop a cottage cheese canapé into her mouth.

“Why on earth would Raju leave a top job at the Wall Street Journal to start a newspaper in India?” wondered a media maven sipping a Diet Cola.

“I just met a man who said he really didn’t want to be the next Chairman of Sebi,” said a banker eyeing a sheek kebab.

“I’ve given up trying to get my husband to stay at home on Saturdays,” said a corporate lawyer sipping her Zinfandel.

“Goa’s become the hotspot for medical tourism,” said a renowned plastic surgeon spearing a piece of vegetarian sushi.

“I’ve finally done it,” said a banker trying some noodle wrapped prawns “I’m writing my book — a thousand words a day!”

“I divide my time between Surrey and Mumbai coaching executives,” said middle –aged executive spooning biriyani in to his plate.

“But you must check what kind of backgrounds these IB schools draw their children from,” said the impassioned wife of an executive going for some ice cream.

“Finally the Middle East has discovered India. The money coming in is unbelievable,” said a man widely regarded a pillars of the equity market, while sipping an espresso.

“Don’t you just love afternoons like this,” said a journalist from a financial daily, going in for a second helping of chocolate dessert “It’s Mumbai at its very best. No?”