Beyond the Royal Businessman: Man Behind the Jehan Numa Legacy

NadirBhai,NadirSir,NadirMian, Chacha,Kayu, Dada,Abba,myfather—it’snow,afterhis passing,thatIrealisemyfathermeantmanydifferentthingstomanypeople.Iwasbutasmall part ofthe longandrichlife thathelived.Hisquietdemeanourandgentle mannerismmade somepeopleseehimasapersonwhopreferredtostayinthebackground.Butforthosewho knewhimwellandworked withhim,theysawhisquietnessashisstrength andthecoreof hischaracter.Onethat,whenpairedwiththeattributes andstrengthsofhisbrotherYawar, madeanincredibleteamforalife-longpartnership thattookanoldfamilyofficeinasmall towncalledBhopalandsteeredittoevolveintotheJehanNumaGroup,comprisingofa Palacehotel,aneco-retreat, twoworld-classsafarilodgesandachainofgourmetbakeries. Butbeforeall ofthesethings, we beginatthe beginning—likeall storiesdo.

From Bhopal's Heart: A Legacy Built on Horses

Bornon29November1950,thethirdoffoursiblings,myfathergrewupinBhopal,thecapital cityoftheerstwhile StateofBhopal—hometothestoriedBegumsofBhopal.Myfather’s grandfather,General ObaidullahKhanwasthemiddlesonofthelastBegum,SultanJehan. Settingup hishomeinShamlaHills, he createdShamlaKothi,the neighbourhoodthatwould eventuallybeaplacetocall home forgenerations ofourfamilyandasanctuary forallofus andourkids to growupcarefreeandsafe,in thelapofnature.My fatherwasten-years old whenhisownfatherRashid-uz-zafarKhansuddenlypassedawayofaheartattack.Abbaspent mostof hisyouthinboardingschoolatSherwood,inNainital,wheresomeofhisanticsnearly gothimsuspended.Heapparentlyloved tobreakboundsandgowatchthelatestHindi moviesinthelocalcinema.Hewascaughtonceandhismotherhadtorushtoschooltoplead hiscase.Afondmemoryofhisasa youngteenager wasseeingtheshootingof‘KashmirKi Kali’inNainital.Icouldneverhaveimaginedmyprim-and-properfatheras someone who could benaughty andbunk school—it’salwaysdifficult forachildtoimagineone’sparents asunruly kids orirresponsibleyouth.

The Handsome Brothers: A Racing Rivalry and a Lifelong Bond

Afterschool,myfatherwentontocollegeandtrainedinstud-farmmanagement.His passion wasalwayshorses—hisfamilybusinesssincetheearly1900swashorsebreedingandracing, underthebannerof‘TheBhopalStud’. Hespent a yearinNewMarket inEngland,attending astud-farmmanagement course.Inearly1972,hereturnedtoBhopaltotakeoverthe managementoftheirstud-farmfromhismother,BegumSuraiyaRashid.Undertheleadership ofNadirand Yawar, The BhopalStud producedtopperformersofthe period,thoroughbreds likeOwnOpinion,AuPanache,Mr.Mauritiusandmore.Assomeoneoncetoldme,myfather- uncleduowasfondlyknownas‘thehandsomebrothers’intheBombayracing circuit,with theirgentleandever-smiling naturewinningmanylife-longfriends.My fatherlovedhorses, theenergyroundtheracingandsalesseason,andtheintimatecommunityofrace-horse ownersandbreeders,ofwhichhewasalargepartbackthen.HisboxattheMahalaxmi Racecourse washishappyplace,wherewespentmanymemorable DerbyandMillionrace- dayssurroundedbyfriends.Idistinctlyremember findingitveryendearinghowourJehan NumaHotel barber, who nowlivedinBombay, wouldalwaysreachoutjustbeforethe Derby weekend demandingtobesignedinforthebigraceDay.Gentlygrumblingbutalways obliging,AbbaandChachawouldtakehimalongandalwaysgivehimtipsforlayingsmallbets onthewinninghorses,oftenraisingtheexcitementlevelsthatafternoontoafeverpitch!My fathercontinuedtostayconnected withthiscommunityevenafterourownstud-farm closed,markingthe Derby weekendeachFebruaryasa highlight ofhis year.

A Love Story and a Quiet Strength: The Partnership that Built a Family

Myfathermarriedmymother,Sonia,in1981,breakingmorethanafewheartsalongtheway, I’msure.Amarriagebornoffamilialconnections,itwasarelationshipthatspannedoverfour decadesandbroughtintothisworldmeandmy two youngerbrothers.Ialways sawmy parentsasaunit—acommittedpartnershipformedtotakecareofeachotherandourfamily. Mymotherwouldbethedecision-maker,charting thecourseofourlivesandfuture,while myfatherwouldbethequiet,strongsupporter,firmlystandinginthewings,doingeverything tofulfil ourneedsand making surewedidn’t lackanything.

Summer Adventures: Making Memories Under the Bhopal Sky

Ourchildhoodmemorieswere fullofendlessadventures during thesummer vacations, consisting ofactivitiesplannedtoperfectionbyourmother.Abbawoulddriveustocountless picnics,attimesevenatmidnight!Thosewereourfavourite—wecouldstayawakeallnight, whilebeingdriventothemostbeautifulspotsintheforestsandalongtheriversoutside Bhopal. Moonlitfishingexpeditions oratrip totheprehistoricBhimbetkarocksshelters(this wasbeforetheybecame aworldheritage site!)were somehighlightsofthoselovelytimes. Beforethedaysofswimmingpools,Abbawouldhavehorseexercisetroughsatthestud-farm cleanedandfilledwithwater—aperfectplaceforthewholefamilytocooloffbytaking a dip during those hotandbalmy summerdays.Family vacationswouldmostly be road-trips to national parks andjunglelodges.We would bravefreezing morningsin ordertolearnhow tobequietandunobtrusivetospotanimals.Threatsofbeingleft behindasa yummy snack forhungrytigers workedlikemagicinkeeping us, the impatientandvery mischievoustrio of kids,quietandobedient.Our youthwasidyllicand vibrant, filledwithhappytimesand youthfuladventures. Abba,alongwithourmother,ensuredthattheyprovidedusasound foundationthat gaveallthreeofusthestrengthandconfidence tobelieve thatwecoulddo andachieveanythingwewanted,andthatnomatterwhat,theywouldalwayshaveourback.

From Horseback to Hospitality: A Daring Career Change

Withevolvingtimes,andtheworld slowlychanging, bigcorporate moneyinevitablyentered theracingcircuit.Itwasthenthatboth,my fatherandChacha, realisedthatthehorse- breedingbusinesswasbecomingincreasinglyunpredictable,andwouldnotsustainforasmall familyfarmlikeoursformuchlonger. Andasaresult,evenwithoutanypriorexperienceto speakofinthehospitalitybusiness,theydecided toconvert theirgrandfather'sjagiroffice buildingintoahotel.Manyfriendsquestionedthisdecision:‘Whowillevercomestayin a hotelinaone-horsetownlikeBhopal?’etc.WhentheJehanNumaPalaceopeneditsdoors toguestson17September1983,(justtwodaysbeforeIwasborn!),itwasamodest15-room hotelwithasinglerestaurant.Thoseweretheearlydaysofintenseinvolvement andhard work:everymorning,Chachawould bewaiting outsideinhisGypsytodrivewithAbbatothe farmandhotel.I’vealsoheard storiesofmymotherandauntpersonallyoverseeingthe housekeepingbefore newguests wereto check-in.As time progressedandthe hotel grewin strength,a swimmingpoolanda‘formembers’only’health-clubwereadded sometimein thelate90s,and thesequicklywentontobecomethetalkofthetown!Iremember uskids

Growing Up at the Jehan Numa: Childhood Pranks and Family Dinners

— siblings,cousinsand friends— spendingcountlessjoy-filled summer afternoonsand eveningsatthepool. We’dmostlyhaveto makedo with the shallow end ofthepool,with seriousswimmersdoinglapafterlapacrossthelengthofthepool.Wewerealwaysupto somemischief—Icanrecall,onceanirate F&Bmanagerat thehotelcalledupmy fatherto complainthatthisboisterousbunchhadorderedoveradozenportionsofgrilledchicken sandwichesandcountlesschocolatemilkshakes fromthe hotel,drivingtheservice staffup thewallwiththeirdemands.After a gentlereprimand,we promisedtobemoremindfulin the future—a reprimand that I don’t believewasheeded fortoolong!

A Legacy of Teamwork and High Standards

Thesearesomeenduringimagesandmemoriesofmychildhood.Thetwobrothers,Abbaand Chacha, goingtoandreturning fromworktogether, yearafteryear.Thoseeveningmeals, eatinghotkebabs,withasigditowarm youupinthewinters,inthegardensatUnder the MangoTree.Thelazyafternoonsandlivelyeveningsmyfatherandhis friendsspentat the poolside every day ofthe summers.

Beyond Work: Finding Joy on the Golf Course

TheJehanNumaHotelhasgrownfromstrength-to-strength, evolvingandmultiplyinginto newhospitalityspacesforeveryonefromthecitytodiscoverandexperience.Thegroup’s incrediblesuccessisatestament toboththeirdeterminedeffortsandteamwork.Boththe brotherswouldtravelaroundIndiatolookathotelsforinspirationandtoseehowtheycould improvedifferent aspectsofourbusiness.Laterinlife,AbbawouldproudlysaythatJehan Numa’sstandardswereashighasmany ofthe5-starhotelsandresortswe’dstayin.Overthe lastfourdecades,thegroup’s hotelshavecometo becomeahugesourceof pridefor notjust Bhopal, butallofMadhyaPradesh.They demonstratehow personalattention,commitment, consistencyandpushingforthehigheststandardofservice,andutilizingtheexperiencefrom everymemberateveryleveloftheteam,cancreatealegacybrandwithinthecourseofone’s lifetime.Thisworkethicandhighstandardhasbeeninstilledinthenext generation, asmy brothersand cousins continuetotakethisincrediblestory ontoitsnext chapter.

A Life in Brushstrokes: Capturing Memories Through Art and Family

Whenspeakingaboutaperson,it isthe thingstheyenjoyoutside oftheirworklifewhichare whatshape themandgivethemjoyandsatisfaction.Althoughhe stoppedriding manyyears ago,golfwasa passion myfather discoveredandreally took to, lateronin hislife. Memories fromtheboardingschoolinOotythatIwentto,ofthelongweekend holidaysandleisurely mornings spent walkingthegolfcourse,whilemyentire familywasbusynavigatingthe roughsandgreens.Infact,there wasa time whenIwasthe onlymemberofmyfamilynotat the practicerange, hittingballs. Abba wasafixtureatthe armygolfcourseinBhopal, playing thereseveraltimes a week.One year,he wasthe one tosink a 10ftplusputttoneta winfor the‘civilians’team byhalfapoint!Healso probablyholdstheunofficial recordforthemost hole-in-onesatthecourse.HisloveforthegamewassuchthatwhilebuildingtheJehanNuma Retreathotel,oneofthe firstthingsto be completedwasa‘chip andputt’practice green which heusedtoplayat whileoverseeingthe buildingofthe property.Itisnowa wonderful partofthehotellandscape,where guestscanplayandenjoypracticingtheirputtingskillsin a beautifulenvironment.

A Final Glimpse: The Quiet Moments We Hold Dear

Writingtheselines,Isensethatmywords fallshortindescribingthelongandlargeexpanse ofalifeofseventy-fouryears.Perhapswordswillalwaysfeelinadequatetocapturealife intenselylived.EvenI—ashiseldestchild—wasbutalateentrant inhislongandeventful life. He was presentquietlyinthe backgroundforeverysingle momentofmylife, until he passed.Thesearejustsomeofthe broadstrokesaboutthetimesandpeoplehelefthismark on. We,athome, wouldlovingly callhimthe lastNawab—the joke wasthatthere was no onewhohada‘kit’andchangedtheirclothesmorethanourAbba—aminimumofafive timesaday,dependingonhiseveningsocialengagements.Alwaysperfectlydressed,our evening7:30pm drinkwithroastedmakhanas(waybeforetheybecamepopular) wasadaily ritual,mandatoryforthewholefamilytoattend.Duringthistime,everyonewouldsharehow theirdaywasspent.Themischievousglintinhiseyewhenhewouldleanovertotheten- year-oldme,andtellmeasillyjokeaboutone of ourneighboursatthehotelswimmingpool. Orwhen,asanamateurartistwith noformaltraining,hewouldspendhourssettingupastill lifeinour veranda,andpaintthemostexquisitewatercolours. Helovedporingovercoffee- tablebooksofartdecofurniture(thiswasbeforethedaysofInstagramandPinterest) and replicatingtheperfect sidetableorahouseentrance gatewithhislocalcarpenter.Orreally testingthepatienceofourfamily jewellerwithconstantdesignsand ideas fornewcufflinks andringsforhimself.Catchinghimathome,insuchofquietmoments, ishowIliketo rememberhim.Thesearealljustmemories now, whosegentleglowmay perhapsprovide us succour, or sometimes,a smile.

Tribute by the Author: Aliya Rashid, Doughter of Late Mr. Nadir Rashid, Jehan Numa Place, Bhopal