Priyanka’s lotus

The late Captain Krishnan Nair, founder of Hotel Leela Venture was a great host. Many politicians, businessmen and world leaders including his holiness the Dalai Lama have enjoyed his hospitality.

So when the Gandhi family took a welcome break at one of the hotel chain’s properties some years ago, Priyanka made it a point to convey her gratitude. She found out that the nonagenarian loved lotuses, proof being that Leela’s New Delhi hotel has about 1,000 gold lotuses.

She picked a crystal lotus and sent that along with a thank-you note to him. Till the end, the lotus motif occupied a place of pride in Capt. Nair’s office chamber.