(Justice Leila Seth passed away on Friday, 5 May 2017, at the age of 86. This article was originally published on her 85th birthday – 20 October – and is being republished in her memory from The Quint’s archive.)
Heartwarming memories come rushing back as I remember an event I attended in January 2012 where I heard Leila Seth speak in Kolkata.
It is the ultimate compliment when the words of a speaker one heard almost at least a few years ago still strike a chord within.
Joined by her celebrity son, Vikram Seth, in a talk titled, ‘The Writing Gene’, organised by the Kolkata Literary Meet, the mother-son duo left an indelible imprint.
Leila Seth revealed how she had been keen to name her eldest son Amit after the hero of Tagore’s Shesher Kabita, but her husband’s family insisted on a ‘V’ for the first born.
The family had engaged in a verbal duel and eventually Amit lost and Vikram won.
The boy was named Vikram, but no one anticipated that words would be his greatest strength and millions would savour their sheer magic.
Dealing With Kids
At the event, the charming lady spoke with candour about her reaction when her son, who was studying Economics at Stanford University, decided to return home. He had put seven years of hard work into his dissertation and wanted to give it all up.
Like any mother, she was alarmed. And more so because he wanted to write poetry! How will you support yourself? What will happen when we are no more? Her husband who worked for footwear giant, Bata, was supportive, but she was distraught.
After Vikram’s much-acclaimed The Golden Gate, these memories naturally bring a smile.
Her children were different. A fact that was brought home when the family driver told one of their friends, “Sirf saheb aur memsaheb kaam kartey hai. Bacchey kuch nahin kartey. Ek khali likhta hai, beti har samay telephone par aur doosra beta bagaan mein pata nahin kya karta hai.” (Only the parents work, the children don’t do anything.)
While Vikram was busy writing and at times did not even come down for meals, his brother Shantum, who had a spiritual bent of mind, made a mud hut in the backyard and would plant seeds.
His sister Aradhana, much to the mother’s dismay, had seven boyfriends.
“You make her (Aradhana) sound like Snow White,” said Sandip Roy, the moderator.
“Not simultaneously,” corrected Vikram with a grin, about her seven boyfriends.
Leila Seth told us how she would try and persuade her daughter to say ‘Yes’ to one of the seven! Aradhana went on to make films, while Shantum is a practitioner and teacher of Buddhism.
From a Judge to an Author
Leila Seth, who was the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court and the first woman to become Chief Justice of a state high court (Himachal Pradesh), wrote her biography On Balance and was surprised to have been invited for a book festival a few years ago.
“I am not an author,” she told the organisers.
“Yes you are. You are a biographer,” they replied.
Later she did another book for children, which explained the Constitution.
“With my first book, I became a biographer, with my second I was being called a writer for children’s books, I don’t know what I will become when I do my third!”
“You will become competition,” quipped her witty son.
A gentleman in the audience wanted to know to what extent she had been impacted by Vikram’s style when she did her first book.
“Basically he wants to know if you copied Vikram,” simplified the amused moderator.
“Oh he is the writer, I just write like I speak,” she replied.
Set Them Free
She also answered questions about how she had first come to terms with Vikram being gay. A book she had read in her late teens about two lesbians helped her understand that it was a biological response and such children needed to be handled with even more love and understanding.
She shared an anecdote she came across when working on her book for children. It reinforces the need to nurture young minds with suitable values.
It shows the different reactions of children – Indian, American and European.
There is one flute. One child made it, another plays it very well and the third doesn’t have a single toy. Who should get the flute?
The American child says the guy who made it. Americans are very strong on property rights.
The European child says the one who plays it beautifully should get it as he has the skill to use it well.
The Indian child says the child who has no other toy should be given the flute.
The Indian child has a generous heart. He realises the child who made it can make another one and the child who plays it well may already possess one or at least has access to one. The child who has nothing should get the flute.
Leila tested it on her granddaughter and was truly happy with the response.
She gave parents, especially mothers, some sound advice. Hold your children like this, she said holding out her palm, just the way you would hold a tender bird. It would come, rest on your palm and fly away. Similarly with children... if you want them to keep coming back hold them on a flat palm... the minute you try and clench your fist you can be sure the bird will never return once it tastes freedom... and neither will your child.
Leila Seth exudes grace, dignity and wisdom.
(Payal Mohanka is a Kolkata-based senior journalist.)
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