Of grace and intellect

Bakul Patel, the highly qualified and accomplished wife of the late Rajni Patel, has just returned from the ‘Festival of Thinkers,’ held between 21—24 October in Abu Dhabi.

“The idea of the festival, to which scientists, authors, journalists, historians and 18 Nobel Laureates came from all over the world, was to take issues like women’s empowerment, hunger, global warming and scientific development and to discuss them in round table conferences, along with the participation of students, so that they could engage in the dialogue,” says Bakul.
 
Bakul has been at the forefront of many such initiatives ever since I can remember. A student of Microbiology and Chemistry from the University of Bombay, a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay, and a Chartered Secretary from the Chartered Institute of Companies Secretary, UK, her scientific and visionary approach to the age’s most pressing issues has been recognised by a host of institutions.

She was chosen to receive the prestigious first Athena International Award for India in October 2006, for her professional leadership as well as her contribution to social causes; she is on the Board of the Executive Committee of the Nehru Centre, Mumbai, since its inception in 1975; is a member of the governing council at the Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre since 1992, is on the Board of Trustees of the Bombay Community Public Trust, was Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Financial Corporation and was on the Board of Governors of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (1986-1997).

In 1992, she was made the Sheriff of Mumbai, a post, though one of the most high profile in her CV, is certainly not the most significant amongst her many achievements.

There was a time in Mumbai when Bakul and Rajni Patel - the then President of the Bombay Regional Congress Committee - ran Mumbai.

As a brilliant barrister and Mrs Indira Gandhi’s eyes and ears and a conduit to business in Mumbai, Rajni Patel held unimaginable power: ministers would supplicate before his desk at his Cuffe Parade office, there would be lines of favour seekers and daily the phone would ring from ‘headquarters in Delhi’ with matters of national import to be discussed.
 
What is significant is that through it all, the Patels managed to gather around them the best and brightest of Mumbai. Dilip Kumar was always at their parties, Hussain was a close friend, and the cream of Mumbai society like the Kadris, the Chudasamas, the Zakarias and the Deoras were close friends.

The outlook was secular, scientific and Nehruvian. And over it all, Bakul presided like a queen, gracious and elegant, wearing her academic qualifications lightly.
 
All this passed through my mind when I recently heard Bakul Patel speak at the Tata Memorial Hospital to a room full of the world’s leading cancer specialists at the hospital’s breast cancer initiative.

As usual, she had exactly the right approach of scientific discourse blended with a humanistic temper.

And it occurred to me that Mumbai needs people like Bakul Patel to be at the helm of city affairs.

With her keen knowledge of industry and NGOs and women’s issues, Bakul should be heading ministries or at the very least represent us in the Rajya Sabha.

Is anyone in Delhi listening?

—s_malavika@dnaindia.net