An evening dedicated to the politics of hairstyling

A musical get-together was recently hosted to celebrate the life and works of Habib Ahmed, who is known for having been Indira Gandhi's hairstylist. The evening was dedicated to the Habib family, who've been hairstylists of famous political figures such as Lord Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru, among others. Sharing their life experiences, members of the Habib family left the guests in splits. The Nizami Bandhus entertained the guests with their qawwalis. The Sufi evening was enjoyed by the guests, who loved their renditions of 'Chhaap Tilak' and 'Bhar Do Jholi', among other songs. Habib Ahmed and Jawed Habib (BCCL/ Samik Sen)Meera Ali and Muzaffar Ali (BCCL/ Samik Sen) Filmmaker Muzzafar Ali was the chief guest at the event. Sharing his love for his hairstyle, which has been the same for as long as one can remember, he said, "I love my hair and prefer them long. I also like those who respect my hair." Talking about his life journey, Ahmed told us, "When I started my journey in this profession, it was not treated as a respectful one. Before taking it up, my life revolved around football. But after Partition, Lord Mountbatten asked me to go to England and learn this art, so that I could help my father later in life. When I came back to India after my formal training, I found it difficult in India because no woman wanted to have a haircut - they loved their joodas. But now, the time has changed and so has the respect for this profession."SM Khan (DG, RNI) and Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar (BCCL/ Samik Sen) Ahmed's legacy has been carried forward by his three sons. haring his experiences, his eldest son, Jawed Habib, said, "I was doing my Masters in French when dad asked me to take up this profession. Initially, I was reluctant to be a part of this profession kyunki mann mein yeh baat baith gayi thi ki yeh naai ka profession hai. I went to the same institute where my father had gone, to learn the art of hairstyling. I wish and hope that our next generation will carry forward the legacy the way we did."(L-R) Parvez Habib, MS Bitta and Amjad Habib --Richa.Sharma1@timesgroup.com