Ali Parkar
It was 2005. It was a hard time for our textile industry. Star Knitwear had just started operating in its new building in Rivière-du-Rempart and I was one of the guests at the inaugural ceremony. The hostesses, in their brilliant make-up and very elegantly dressed, would lead you to your seat with very broad smiles. Later I learned that all those attractive hostesses were in fact the factory girls that Ali Parkar, owner of the Star group, had handpicked and groomed to welcome their guests. Ali had his own vision, a peculiar one, at that. He wanted to make his employees feel that they belonged to the enterprise and that the enterprise belonged to them. And he was an incurable optimist. When questioned by one journalist whether it was wise to take risks in the gloom of 2005, he answered : “Is it so bad?”
Ali was an inveterate risk taker. I wonder if he wasn’t born in a casino! He left his native Cokun to settle in Zanzibar, found the grass greener in Seychelles where he met his wife Myriam who gave him 3 lovely children, 2 sons and one daughter. He fell foul of the leftist Dalon government and was advised by SAJ and Minister Uchana to move to Mauritius where he built a Hawa Mahal of a house on Grand Bay beach. High walls and tall trees protected Ali from the noise of the traffic but very soon, a temple was built a few metres from his house. He was not bothered in the least with the loud prayers being recited. In fact he enjoyed it and was happy that the presence of the devotees of the Gods acted as an insurance against any burglary to his property.
The one game that Ali, like all Indians live for, was abandoned long ago. The great dream of Ali was to revive it. He found the requisite crowd locally and launched the cricket club of Mauritius. One mission, and a principal one at that, was accomplished. He set it on a good footing and let it prosper in the hands of cricket lovers like him.
Ali slowly passed on the reins of the business to his elder son Ahmad and he would carry on as Emeritus CEO. In late 2000 with the textile industry fighting for its survival, the Parkars decided to invest in other areas. With the installation of an investment-friendly government in the Seychelles, Ali and family expanded their businesses. Thus, Ali settled himself in our neighbour island to oversee the expansion. He had a carefree life in a place that he really loved. His bungalows, his shops and his relatives through his in-laws were happy to have jolly Ali among them to entertain them with his nomadic experiences, his ups and downs in life and his jokes.
On Wednesday 2nd October, he went to sleep as he would do. In the morning, his carer did not see him come out of his room as he usually did. He was an early bird. Feeling concerned at this unusual occurrence; the house keepers entered Ali’s room to wake him up. He had already breathed his last. All his family and close relatives had come down but got comfort as Ali passed in a way every mortal would wish to depart.
The family decided to bury him in Seychelles. The funeral prayer was led by the Imam of the main masjid in Victoria, Seychelles, in the congregation of numerous friends and relatives, and Ali was laid to rest in the Muslim cemetery of Victoria. I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences to those who have survived him, to son Ahmed and his wife Angela, to Feizal and his wife Kathleend, to Salima and husband Dirk, to Ali’s 9 grandchildren and one great grandson. May you rest in peace Ali and join the company of Myriam.
Dawood Auleear
