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Not many people dare to call Deputy Prime Minister of India Lal Kishenchand Advani by his first name, but at a function organized by the Bharatiya Sindhu Sabha in Mumbai on September 19, most of the people present simply referred to him as Lal.

They were all his friends of many, many years. "I call him Lal because I played kho kho and kabaddi with him in Karachi before Partition," Manohar Chawla, Advani's friend, told rediff. "My association with him has been for more than 50 years. We address each other by our first name. For me, he was, is, and will always remain Lal!"

Chawla and Advani were neighbours in Karachi before both of them migrated to India following Partition in August 1947.

There were 150-odd Sindhis at the function to felicitate Advani, and Pondicherry Lieutenant Governor K R Malkani, both considered among the foremost Sindhis in India's political establishment. Those present knew Advani from his childhood days in Sind, now in Pakistan. They left Sind after Partition, and had gathered to meet India's deputy prime minister. Some were even meeting him for the first since 1947.

Recollecting their early days, Chawla said Advani had demonstrated leadership skills at an early age as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak (preacher). "I stayed next to Advani's house near Taj Mahal cinema in Karachi. I always admired his conviction and dedication. I am happy to see he has become deputy prime minister of our country today," he said.

Kishen Mansaramani, who also worked as a RSS pracharak with Advani in Karachi, said, "I never expected Lal would go this far in life. But I must admit his success in life is because of his conviction and very clear thinking."

Recalling his days in Karachi, Mansaramani said, "I remember there were bomb blasts in Karachi before Partition and it was evident we would have to leave our motherland. All of us decided there was no way we could live in Pakistan. Advani left earlier and came to Jodhpur. I did so after two days. He was then sent to Alwar as RSS pracharak and I went to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh."

Though they lived far apart, Mansaramani and Advani stayed in touch. Later Mansaramani settled down in Mumbai and whenever Advani came to the city, they met.

"Lal has not changed a bit. Look at him, how he is meeting each and every person with dignity as if nothing has changed for him since the days we moved out of Sind," said Mansaramani.

Before the speeches began, Advani mingled with the guests, inquiring about their welfare. The event had a distinct Sindhi cultural air, with Sindhi songs being played in the background. On the dais, a banner proclaimed 'Bharatiya Sindhu Sabha' in the Devnagari script and Sindhi script akin to the Urdu script. A huge painting of Jhule Lal, the patron saint of the Sindhis, was placed next to the podium.

When the speeches began all the speakers, including Advani, spoke in Sindhi.

Advani hailed the progress Sindhis had made despite the momentous upheavals caused by Partition and the loss of their homes. Staying away from politics, he praised the success of Sindhis, especially in the realm of business, not just in India but across the world, especially in Hong Kong and Spain.

Advani and Malkani left the event soon after the speeches. The guests stayed behind to partake a vegetarian Sindhi dinner.

Don't the Sindhis miss their homeland?

"Yes," said Ram Keswani, another friend of Advani, "I think of my childhood when I spent quite a lot time on the banks of the Sindhu (Indus) river. There used to be a Sadhu Bela temple that I always used to visit. It was very clean and neat. I miss seeing those things."

Added Mansaramani, "I had a dream to go to Sind after we left. But I could never go. I have purchased a house on the seafront in Mumbai so that I can see the sea and recollect my days in Karachi where one could get always get a good sea breeze."

Keswani visited Sind in 1965, just before the India-Pakistan war. "I remember Sindhi Muslims complaining to me about the dominance of Punjabi Muslims over their lives. They told me I was more free in India compared to them."

Photographs of the event: Soumik Kar

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