In 2011, business journalist Sudha Menon began approaching some of the biggest names across the cultural, corporate and business landscape in India, with a simple mission — to humanise them. "We only get to know about famous people through what is reported in papers and magazines," said Menon. "I wanted to show the other, familial aspect of these men and women. Their concerns about splitting time between family and work, how their kids are growing up, are exactly like ours." Menon asked them to address a letter to their daughter(s) that would detail simple and inspirational life lessons. Narayana Murthy took out time to speak with Menon in the midst of his son's wedding; Kishore Biyani asked his daughters to join the conversation; Jatin Das initially refused and gave Menon a "stinging lecture on media and its intrusive ways," but eventually relented in writing not a letter, but a note, as a more personal form of exchange between father and daughter. The end result is a book of 18 such 'exchanges' by business magnates, philanthropists, artists and sportspersons to their grown-up daughters.
I remember how, in late 2008, we were faced with a situation where ICICI Bank's survival was in jeopardy in the face of a global economic meltdown (...) It was during this period that I took a couple of hours off one day to attend your brother's squash tournament. (...) A few mothers at the tournament came up to me and asked me if I was Chanda Kochhar from ICICI Bank and when I replied in the affirmative, they said that if I could still find time to attend a tournament in the midst of a crisis, it meant that the bank was in safe hands and they need not worry about their money! (...) I remember the day your Board exams were about to commence. I had taken a leave from work so that I could take you to the examination hall myself. When you realized I was coming, you told me how you were used to going for your exams alone for so many years. It hurt me to hear you say that, but I also think in some ways, having a working mother made you much more independent from a very young age itself.
Prakash Padukone, 57
Former international badminton champion best known for his deadly wrist work; Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee
Deepika Padukone, 27 & Anisha Padukone, 21
Deepika, we know that you are in the film industry because of your love for it. Early on in life, even as a child of nine or ten, we knew that you were meant for modelling and to be under the arclights. You were a natural. Even so, at eighteen, when you told us that you wanted to shift to Mumbai to pursue a career in modelling, it was hard for us to come to terms with the decision. (...) When you are home visiting us, Deepika, you make your own bed, clear the table after meals, and sleep on the floor if there are guests at home. At home, you are not a star, and that is because we have taught you to be rooted in reality at all times. Showbiz is about makebelieve. Everybody will rush to do things for you and pander to your every desire when you are on top. But the cameras that follow you everywhere will eventually fade and what will remain is the real world. If you occasionally wonder why we refuse to treat you like a star, it is because you are our daughter first and a film star later.
Jatin Das, 71 Artist Nandita Das, 43 Actor and activist
We lived in Nizamuddin, in a first floor flat with terra red flooring which I got polished and smoothened so that you were comfortable when you crawled. This 'house' became 'home' to all my artist friends. You knew all of them well and received their affection and caring.
My studio always occupied the largest room in the house. You grew up with the smell of turpentine and saw a painting grow. I always painted bare figures and both you and Siddhartha were never shy about it. (...)
I hope you remember the happy times we spent in that flat. I was housebound because my studio was at home. I was not only the cook and gardener, I was also the babysitter, changing nappies and feeding you. (...)
I taught you paper cutting and tooth brush painting on stencils. I vividly remember when we were at an exhibition showcasing artist J. Swaminathan's work at the Kanika Chemould Gallery and you told me, 'Look, look baba — Swami Uncle is also painting like me.' (...)
Now you are a mother and you are going through what I went through with you. Nursing your child. (...)
I hope you are holding the hand of your little one in bed, as I did yours.
Kishore Biyani, 51
Chairperson, Future Group. When shopkeepers refused to stock his readymade trousers, he launched his first outlet.
Ashni Biyani, 27 & Avni Biyani, 22
Director of Future Ideas (uses mythology, anthropology and sociology to understand consumer behaviour) Sociology graduate and brain behind Foodhall
I believe business education boxes people completely. I did not train the both of you in either accounts and balance sheets or profit and loss issues but I am glad I got you interested in humanities. While understanding the nuances of finance is very important, I knew you would learn these anyway while being involved in the business. If you had first learnt about finance or business in classrooms, I believe you wouldn't have learnt (...) the softer aspects of life, the importance of understanding human beings, society, social trends and culture — all of which are just as important in a consumer business like ours. Dear Ashni and Avni, one of the most important lessons I learnt early on in life is the importance of opening up the mind to different thoughts, opinions, views, emotions; the very process of doing this is a signal that we are accepting of people and ideas that are not our own and when we are able to do that, the rest falls in place.
(Text & photos extracted with permission from Legacy: Letters from eminent parents to their daughters by Random House India) Chanda Kocchar, 51 MD and CEO of ICICI bank Aarti Kocchar, 24 Boston Consulting Group, Mumbai)
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