AAMIR ALI

(1924-2018)

Aamir Ali was truly an international man who kept his Indian roots firmly entrenched. He was from an illustrious Muslim Bohra family with Salim Ali and Zafar Futehali, great Ornithologist and Naturalist as his first cousins. His father was liberal and almost “English”. “Abide with Me” and “Onwards Christian Soldiers” were played in ‘good Muslim home’.

At the age of 94, staying at a Swiss Old person facility for the last few years, he completed his last book- months before his death. There Comes a Time, which in brilliant prose recalls his life and events. (See details at the end).

Aamir was born at Kobe, Japan, where his father was staying due to business commitments. His initial schooling was at Mrs F. Walker’s school at Kobe. It was an English Mission School and Aamir, like all new entrants, received a copy of the Bible. Teaching was very English and Aamir quotes (in 2018) a poem he learnt in 1925 at the school:

At 23, he left for India and joined a Mumbai college, “to rub out Japanese in me”. Later, in 1935, he moved to the newly established Doon School, which became a major influence in his life. After completing studies, he was offered a job as a teacher at the school.

He was already introduced to trekking in hills near Mumbai by Rusi Gandhy, a family friend. Thus, he became a part of the Doon school climbing fraternity and made a trip to Ladakh with Gurdial Singh and later to climb virgin peak, Mrigthuni, with J.T.M. Gibson. He eventually left Doon School, or he was not-so-politely asked to leave, as he writes. Jobless, he was heading for his family home in Mumbai to stay for a few days at Kihim, his family bungalow near Mumbai. Almost at the last minute, his friend Hate came running to say his goodbyes. (“Hate was my friend’s name; it is pronounced Ha-tay. Mind you, don’t get it wrong”) He gave him a paper cutting for a job by the International Job Office. Aamir forgot all about it till the need to work became acute. He applied for the job and was called for an interview with the International Labour Organisation, under the UN. Waiting for the result, he worked at a magazine and finally the call came, and he was sent to ILO’s Geneva office where he stayed all his life.

He writes about his work in international theatre, very different then, and his travel to many countries to study conditions of labour. He married a Swiss lady and settled at Geneva with his children.

I met Aamir around 1980s when we corresponded for his article on Himalayan travels and views about the Alps and Himalaya. He became a frequent correspondent and contributor to the Journal. One of my favourite articles by him in the HJ was: “Ladakh 1980”.

We laughed with Aamir on this and this pseudonym started to be used for some of our talkative friends. Until today, with anyone speaking too much, it remains our code word to say “careful, he is Lama Lobsang”. (Aamir added: “wives excluded”)!

He wrote several other articles for the Himalayan Journal including a series which summarised a bunch of the past Himalayan Journal articles. He participated in many Club activities and attended celebrations.

I was impressed by his writing and we met at Mumbai often, after all he was a Bombay Boy. We discussed many subjects, but one important topic that always came up was the Siachen Glacier, with its high-altitude war raging there since 1984. I had climbed on this war-torn glacier. and agreed for the need to try and propose “A Peace Park” on the glacier to end the war and allow the region to grow. “War, garbage and death yes, but what about flora and fauna of the region that is being destroyed” said the naturalist in him.

In 1993 I went to London to lecture. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I travelled to Geneva and there he was, my host Aamir standing at the platform. He gave me a tour of the city and took me to the UN Headquarters where he worked. Opening a door to a large conference room he showed two delegations seating across the table discussing. “They are talking about points of conflict between their countries and know that nothing is going to come out of the discussions today or in near future. But the UN gives them a chance to talk, meet and bring out their points. This helps to ease the tension”. He organised a lecture by me on the Siachen Glacier at the hallowed room in the UN. After the lecture it was a tradition to invite the audience for lunch, (at their expense!) and almost half the audience joined. Lunch was always at the nearby Railway Station Canteen- only place large enough and open for lunch without prior reservations. He had invited many persons “I would love to meet”, including Trevor Braham, Andre Roch, and Raymond Lambert amongst others.

We drove to the Alps for a day trip and visited his home to meet his charming wife. All along he discussed the proposal for establishing a Peace Park on the Siachen. He wrote a formal note titled “The Siachen Peace Park”, suggested methodology based on rules of IUCN, also located at Geneva. Thus, began his major mission in the later part of his life. I was happy to collaborate and joined him in lecturing about it at many parts of the world, when invited. Soon the idea was known all around and to most officers of the Indian Army. But the decisions were to be made by politicians and secretaries.

With prior appointment I went to meet a high-ranking Government of India secretary at Delhi. He heard me out but declined to do anything, suggesting that I can approach the Supreme Court of India for stopping the environment damage. As I was about to leave, he pointedly asked me; “Why Aamir Ali and Zafar Futehali, two Muslims, are interested in sensitive issue like the Siachen, involving the Pakistan Army?” I was aghast and explained to him that Aamir was at the UN, a neutral. But despite living most of his life abroad, he had retained his Indian Passport proudly. When I wrote of this event to Aamir, he ignored the hateful comments and simply replied with a couplet by Thomas Moore from “Truth”:

Another aspect of his life was being an author. He produced a novel, a detective fiction amongst several serious articles and papers. And he was expert on works of William Shakespeare. He spoke about the Bard at colleges, gatherings and had a group which met till his death, discussing his work. He was a great speaker too, as I heard him on many subjects. A born optimist, trivial matters did not bother him. When the Siachen Peace Park idea was rejected after talks with the US State Department, he simply said: “Remember night is darkest before the dawn. Dawn will come”. And he was sage-like in his advice. When I was receiving many mountain awards, he advised me “do not become “blasé” about awards and savour the recognition. Once I was admonished when I spelt his name wrongly with single A (not Aamir), stating title of my article, “remember Lots in a Name”. We met often, when he was on his yearly holiday to Mumbai and on my other two visits to Geneva: walking around the lake, eating Fondue and meeting mountaineers. After death of his wife he moved to an old age home and we kept in contact by e-mail, which he typed slowly but always replied. In one of his last mail he wrote: “I hope we meet”. Alas, that was not to be. A letter arrived from his son, Rafi, announcing Aamir’s passing away. He wrote; “Aamir was ready to go. I hope you will remember him for his happy memories”.

His one wish was fulfilled substantially but not fully. Though a cease fire was declared on the Siachen Glacier ending the actual fighting, his idea of establishing a “Siachen Peace Park” remains unfulfilled. But optimist as Aamir was, he concludes his book with sentence:
“In our lifetime, or in that of our descendants, it will come. The roses will bloom again. (on Siachen) italics mine.
As he usually ended his letters: Salaams, Aamirbhai.

HARISH KAPADIA

Book:
THERE COMES A TIME. By Aamir Ali. Pp.117, 2018. (ETCH, Natraj Publishers, Dehra Dun, India. Rs. 399).