In midst of apartheid

In midst of apartheid
My second cousins, Dalpat Kapitan and members of his family at the international airport. Durban, South Africa. Circa 1960

My second cousins, Dalpat Kapitan and family at the international airport. Durban, South Africa. Circa 1960 Image and Narrative contributed by Minal Hajratwala, Bengaluru This image was photographed when my second cousin, Dalpat Kapitan and  his family were at the airport, en route to a family vacation in India. This was also at the height of “petty apartheid” in South Africa, when all public places were being segregated. Kapitan and his family owned a restaurant in Durban, South Africa, and his father and my Great great uncle, G.C. Kapitan is credited with inventing the fava-bean version of the "bunny chow." The bunny chow, a loaf of bread filled with curry, is considered by some to be South Africa's national dish. For more images of my family, please click here

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The first known girl rock band of India

The first known girl rock band of India
My mother Anupa Nathaniel (right) with her closest friend Shalini Gupta, Delhi, Circa 1962

My mother Anupa Nathaniel (right) with her closest friend Shalini Gupta, Delhi, Circa 1962 Image and Narrative contributed by Late. Anisha Jacob Sachdev, New Delhi. This picture with my mother Anupa Jacob (nee Nathaniel) and her closest friend Shalini was taken when they were in school at Convent of Jesus & Mary in Delhi. They would have been around 15 years old. My mother was a Rajasthani, from the small town of Nasirabad near Ajmer. Her father was orphaned when a plague hit the village, he and many others were then adopted by the British. Everyone adopted was converted to Christianity and given the last name 'Nathaniel'. From Nathu Singh, my grandfather became Fazal Masih Nathaniel. He went on to become the Head of the English Language Department at Mayo College, Ajmer. My mother married my father Philip Jacob, in 1968. He is a Syrian Christian  - whom she met while she was studying at school around the age of 15, he was studying at St. Columba's School. One of the most interesting parts of my mother's life was that Shalini, some other friends and she, formed the first ever Delhi University's Girl Rock Band called "Mad Hatter" in their 1st year of college at Miranda House. My mother was the lead guitarist and singer. My mom also got to meet some members of the Beatles through some family. They played Holi with them, and then later she attended a private singing session with the Beatles hosted by her family at their home in Delhi, in 1968. My mother had four kids. She was also a piano teacher, and her youngest child and my youngest sister Arunima is autistic…

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A blind date

A blind date
My wedding, Calcutta, West Bengal. 1969

My wedding, Calcutta, West Bengal. 1969 Image and Narrative contributed by Lata Bhasin, New Delhi I met my husband Anil Bhasin, a business man, on a Blind date in 1966. We got married three years later. We lived in Calcutta a while, had two daughters and then moved to Delhi in 1985. 'Bouffants' hair dos were in great style then, and all of us friends would keep up with trends. Most of our friends moved to other countries, after their respective marriages.

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The friends who couldn’t speak each other’s language

The friends who couldn’t speak each other’s language
The Rao and Hagwane family, neighbours and friends, Pune, Maharashtra. 1962

The Rao and Hagwane families, Pune, Maharashtra. 1962 Image and Narrative Contributed by Pavitra and Usha Rao This picture was taken with my father's friend Mr.Hagwane and his family. They were also neighbours. The most unusual thing was that Mr. Hagwane did not speak a word of English and my father did not know a word of Marathi. They perhaps communicated in broken hindi. Mr Hagwane ran a Jeenus (grocery) shop. And that is how dad got to know him. I was around four years old. Our family is on the right side of the picture, and Mr. Hagwane's on the left with his one daughter and two sons.

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The father, son and their gun

The father, son and their gun
My father, Syed Mohammed Abbas Rizvi and grandfather, Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi. Rourkela, Orissa. 1960

My father, Syed Mohammed Abbas Rizvi and grandfather, Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi. Rourkela, Orissa. Circa 1960 Image and Narrative contributed by Rizvi Amir Abbas Syed. This picture was taken in the 1960s at "Friends Studio" in sector 5 market, Rourkela. My father (left) worked for Hindustan Steel Limited which later became SAIL, Steel Authority of India Limited. My grand Father (right) was an Officer in Excise department when Bihar, Bengal & Orissa were in one state called Old Bengal. My grand father always carried a gun (C.G BONEHILL 12 BORE BRITISH SXS HAMMER GUN). And like some others, he too had a license to carry it anywhere in India, even though licenses were and are given for a particular city/district. He had a stupendous collection of guns, all inherited from his father. All our guns, however were later taken away by the Jharkhand Police, as licensed guns are by law to be observed under police custody. Having said that,  one can always find people roaming around freely with illegal weapons in Palamau District.

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