To provide headlines for articles is a nightmarish task for most editors. The challenge is to capture the sense of the story and the person in a few words, daunting at the best of times, and worse when you have to encapsulate a lifetime of tribulations and achievement in two words. Alliteration may be frowned upon by purists, but in this instance ‘grit and grace’ cannot be more apt than when applied to the subject of our cover story, Urvi Piramal. On the surface, what appears to be a calm and serene personality, has been tempered by personal misfortune. The early days of losing a life partner, and in its aftermath managing a business historically past its prime, along with the responsibility of three young children, all boys, would certainly have overpowered a lesser person. But this girl from an upper middle-class Gujarati family with strong values (her father was a judge of the Gujarat High Court) reengineered the business into the powerhouse of pharmaceuticals and real estate it later became. The subsequent split, an inevitability when the next generation grows and seeks its own space, would have certainly resulted in some strain, but this has been handled with tact and, yes, grace, and is now resolutely a thing of the past, as the group seeks to define its own future.

I have been personally acquainted with all the branches of the Piramal family. The family is quintessentially Marwari, in that they are personally reticent and conservative and less given to style over substance. Their relationships have always been marked by affection and warmth. They have rock-solid family values, a strong accent on higher education for the younger members of the family before they assume executive and business responsibilities, and a streak of quiet altruism. The Ashok Piramal Group, which Urvi now chairs, has charted its own course, and outlined the core areas where it would like to socially contribute. Above all, Urvi remains a proud matriarch, more like a benign tigress protective of her brood—an apt metaphor, considering her attachment to wildlife, especially tigers.

This issue of MARWAR is dedicated to that species of the intrepid entrepreneur, which has decided to make its base in an alien land. The Government of India recognises this spirit and strengthens its bonds with the global diaspora by organising an annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, where non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin congregate to propagate their ties with the home country, and seek avenues of business. This year, the PBD is being held in Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. MARWAR, reflecting the ethos of Rajasthan, is proud to be associated with it. We have focused on achievers from overseas who have made it not only in the traditional bastion of business, but also in arts and public service. We feature Gurcharan Das who has chronicled the rise of the Marwari merchant, and his subsequent advancement into every corner of India. We have also featured public servants Manju Ganeriwala and Kamlesh Mehta, artist Sujata Bajaj and many more newsmakers who have made their mark abroad. It is a testament to the pioneering spirit of Indians, and Marwaris in particular, that even in an alien environment with hostile climes and customs, they have become super achievers.MARWAR salutes them.



Maneck Davar
Editor