You know you’re a true Hyderabadi when even after visiting metros across the country, you still believe that the city is the best place to live in — even more so when your kids return from the US and agree with you!
That’s what Ajay Gandhi, chartered accountant and founder of the Manthan Foundation, says makes Hyderabad special for him: The fact that it’s so hospitable to people from across the country. “There are many aspects to Hyderabad — but the diverse cosmopolitan nature of the city is what’s most endearing, for me. It makes life rich, meaningful and enjoyable,” he says.
After his parents moved here from Gujarat — via Mumbai — Ajay says that they never felt out of place, or unwelcomed.
“My mother stayed here until she died in 2003. My wife came here from Gujarat in 1983 after we got married and it’s been 33 years. Neither of them, nor my father learnt to speak Telugu. It’s not a very nice thing to do — you should know Telugu — but they didn’t so because it was never imperative to learn the language and you were not discriminated against,” he says.
“Society did not compel that you become a native to live here. My mother was as happy as she was in Gujarat, and my wife was perhaps significantly happier staying here. That’s what the city does to people — it’s unlike any other place in the country,” adds Ajay.
In addition to the significantly better infrastructure, Ajay also says that the city has seen a boom. Not just in the IT sector as it’s widely portrayed, but in the past decade or so in terms of culture, through theatre, dance and even activism.
“Some people rue that, saying the IT boom has taken the Hyderabadi-ness from the city, but I think it’s added a lot of richness. In their own way, they contribute to what the city is,” he says.
