PARTITION: Tape 23 TAPE 23 Writer 255MODEM Mod Date & Time 255MODEM Dec 20 13:27 Side A NUSLI WADIA - grandson of Jinnah, interviewed in his office, Bombay - 20 December 1996 - chairman of Bombay Dyeing, in his early fifties, affable, one of India's top entrepreneurs, and politically extremely well connected, including close friendships with Rajiv Gandhi (in spite of one long-running row), Narasimha Rao and Sharad Pawar - and once v closely involved with R.N. Goenka and the 'Express' in its anti-Rajiv phase. Says the family has never traded on the Jinnah name. Has virtually no personal recollection of his grandfather, who died when he was three or four. He has an older sister - not sure whether she has clearer memories, says as far as he knows they have never thought to discuss it. His mother lives in New York (spending much of her time in Florida, and travelling to Bombay occasionally - and is doughtily strong-minded. Bombay Dyeing has been the Wadias' concern for 140 years or so. His father was a Parsee by race - a Christian at the time of marrying, but later a Zoroastrian. [His father did not get on with Jinnah]. Only been to Pakistan once - by mistake (story told below). Interested in going to Pakistan, and seeing Jinnah's grave, but has not had the occasion. Was educated in the UK and held a British passport until changing it for an Indian one about ten years ago following an attempt to deport him. Jinnah's old house (see also below) at 2 Mount Pleasant Road (now renamed) on Malabar Hill, near Chief Minister's residence. Anonymous apart from a sign in English hanging from thw white arch of the gatehouse reading 'Photography strictly prohibited'. Police post opposite - not clear if related to house of CM's residence. One of CM's guards told we the house was closed and no-one lived there. House is a double-storeyed mansion, still in white (glistening in the sun), colonnaded and spacious, on a slope, and secluded even tho its now sandwiched between two power blocs. Large grounds slightly gone to seed but not overgrown. Trees from grounds arch over the road - and parokeets fly around noisily. Two iron gates from the road - padlocked. Fallen or logged trees lying in the grounds. 1-46 Wildtrack at Jinnah's old house Wadia i/v 46 - 'apparently I was taken to see my g/f, and I had pulled the cap off his head, and he gave that to me, and I still have that cap ... it's like a Fez you know, it's called a Jinnah cap' 64 - 'it's prob cos of what my mother's told me, but I don't see him to be that sort of cold and austere man that history has painted him; there was a human side to him ... my g'g'mother, who knew him v well ...told