Stories, songs & smiles: Friends & fam celebrate Meghnad Desai

"Yeh zindagi usi ki hai jo kisi ka ho gaya…” the song from the film Anarkali, filled the hall at British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron’s residence, as friends and family of Meghnad Desai gathered to celebrate the economist, who passed away on July 29. The evening was marked not by solemn silence but by laughter, music, and anecdotes – just as he had wished. With one of his curated playlists playing in the background, tributes poured in.‘He wanted this occasion to be a joyous one’His wife Kishwar Desai’s eyes welled up as she said, “All of Meghnad’s friends are here to remember him – just the way he wanted. He wanted this occasion to be joyous. Before he passed away, he told me, ‘I have done everything I wanted to do in life... so never cry for me. Enjoy the fact that I had a wonderful life’... I do wish he was there with us for a little while longer, but he said, ‘I am ready to go’. He helped me plan this party.” “Lord Desai was quite a phenomenal man, and it is a privilege to be able to celebrate him and his life here,” said Cameron. Sharing a fond memory, she added, “He arrived pretty much first at the Election Watching Party last year, planted himself firmly in the first row and looked extremely happy as Labour won seat after seat. His comments added a special touch to the viewing experience.”‘He could spend an entire evening discussing just one song’Friends also remembered him for his deep love for music and cinema. Sharmila Tagore said, “I remember him as a happy and jolly person, who was so fond of Indian films. He was always so kind to me, and I’d like to think he was fond of me, too. This is the kind of celebration that he would have liked. I am sure he is looking at us and having a jolly good time.” Economist Nitin Desai, a friend for six decades, said, “We shared much more than a surname, we shared interests in Gujarati food, in music and cinema. He had a deep understanding of Indian films, he once described the film Andaz scene by scene.”Describing Meghnad as someone “who would just get everyone”, Prasoon Joshi shared, “I connected with him on poetry, music. The kind of depth with which he could unlayer the writing of a song always surprised me. We could spend an entire evening discussing just one song. He was a great listener; he knew a lot and always wanted to know more.” Joshi added that while there was an age difference between Meghnad and his daughter, the two would “connect” well. “My daughter will miss him a lot. She used to say, ‘uncle just gets me’. He would just get everyone,” he said.