The Ambani Invasion

Anthony was completing check in procedures for his intended MBA program at the University of Sydney and between check in requirements chatting with prospective students from all over the world. He’d enjoyed completing the Bachelor’s requirements and was looking forward to the next stage of his studies before deciding on his future career path.

He marvelled at the number of foreign students attending this university and their obvious academic excellence and had been so enamoured by his foreign contacts during the bachelor’s program he’d decided to take a year off to backpack abroad before settling into the next stage of his studies. It was a toss up between China and India, so he did a lot of research and finally decided to explore Indian culture. Perhaps he could check out China when he finished his MBA before commencing on a career. Visiting other cultures was not a waste of time or money as it exposed one to different viewpoints and you could always learn something useful to give a wider perspective before settling down to a career and probable family life as he got established.

His father Thomas Martin was a graduate of this university and had chosen a career as a CPA. He was a principal of one of the big five international accounting firms and had travelled widely working overseas before marrying June Brighton during one of his assignments in the UK. Finally, he was reassigned to Australia where Anthony had been born. Anthony’s brothers James and Samuel had followed in turn; James was only one year behind Anthony in age while Samuel was much younger and had been an unplanned surprise. Their mother June Brighton was a master’s graduate from the UK specializing in teaching at the upper levels and was principal of one of the upper-class colleges in Sydney. So, the family was in the social set of Sydney and had connections in the political world.

When Anthony had suggested to his father Thomas, he’d like to take a year off and backpack through India Thomas had thought this was a good idea for his son to be exposed to other cultures and had quickly agreed to finance the trip. His brother James had protested he should be allowed to accompany him and there’d been a tussle with his mother who thought James should finish his degree before venturing overseas. But eventually she’d agreed, and James joined his brother Anthony on a one-year backpacking trip through India.

They’d not prepared themselves adequately and both had succumbed to the foolishness of eating anything offered to them from street stalls as they sought to explore every aspect of the culture. James had been hospitalized in Mumbai and Anthony had to have treatment too before they learned to take precautions with what they ate. Their mother June had wanted to immediately fly over to Mumbai and bring them home, but Thomas restrained her. The boys were mature, and this was not life threatening so they had to sort this out and learn from the experience.

They’d even managed to fit in a trip to Nepal and enjoy a morning flight to view the Himalayas in all their glory from above clouds that mostly blocked views of those peaks from ground level. They came back loaded with digital pictures which they excitedly forced their parents and unsuspecting relatives to view at every chance on their return to Australia. The excitement of that trip was still present as Anthony wandered around Sydney University completing requirements for entry into classes for semester one in February.

Anthony spied someone wandering around looking confused and it was obvious he was from India where he’d spent a happy year travelling. Anthony was now sufficiently oriented to Indian culture to recognize this student was not from the south. He decided to try out the limited Hindi the national language he’d picked up in his one-year wanderings around India. It was the language most used from north to centre where the bulk of population lived. He called out to get this young man’s attention. He was obviously from a prosperous group of Indians judging by his expensive western clothes and not his traditional costume. He was wearing a jacket and expensive pants and shirt which was unusual among those students milling around the campus who were casually dressed.  

The young man spun around to look in surprise after Anthony’s second call. Anthony walked to face him and tried to recall the appropriate greeting in Hindi.

“Namaste, aapka naam kya hai?” (Greetings what is your name?)

The young man smiled at the obvious abuse of the language. Not bad for a foreigner to try he thought but his attempt needed a little more work on the greetings. He put his two hands together in the customary return greeting and Anthony recalled he’d forgotten to do that himself.

“Mera naam Jay Ambani hai.” (My name is Jay Ambani)

Jay switched to English recognizing Anthony would be better able to understand in his own language.

“I’m from Gujarat so I speak a different language to Hindi but obviously understand what you were saying. What is your good name.”

A relieved Anthony was glad Jay had switched to English as he realized his Hindi was very limited. He asked if he could be of any assistance, but it was obvious Jay was well versed in the English language and able to cope for himself. It appeared he’d arrived a month earlier and had wandered around Sydney orienting himself.  He was staying in an apartment his father bought and had a substantial allowance. The apartment was within easy access to the university. He mentioned that his father Chandrakant Ambani was a joint family property owner and wholesaler of primary products produced in India as part of the Ambani clan along with other investments. His father had just built a new mall in Ahmedabad in his home state of Gujarat.

With university formalities completed in preparation for the commencement of the semester Jay asked if Anthony would like to join him for a meal at an Indian restaurant he’d discovered not far from his apartment in recognition Anthony had spent a year in India and would probably appreciate the food now. So, the two of them left university grounds and Anthony drove Jay to the restaurant.

They spent the rest of the afternoon eating and sharing each other’s family background. The Ambani’s were well off, but the mall had been a risk venture as Ahmedabad was already well serviced with malls. Jay’s elder brother had been educated in the US and had returned to India to help his father and relatives manage the Ambani extended family empire.  Chandrakant Ambani had opted for Australia for his second son’s MBA as it was a cheaper option and he needed to reserve enough of his personal fortune for the dowries when his two daughters became of marriageable age.

Jay had two sisters Brinda would be joining him at the apartment next year to complete her own studies in Australia. She’d be studying for her degree in the hospitality academic program as her father wanted to use her in the management of the Ambani hotel chain in which Chandrakant had an interest. His youngest daughter Hetvi was doing her undergraduate work in Ahmedabad and no decision had been made about her future yet.

“So, your sister Brenda will be joining you next year. That will be nice for you but in the meantime, I’d like to stay connected with you as a friend. My parents live in the suburb of Wahroonga to the north in walking distance to the rail station. We have a large property there and have rented space down by the harbour where dad keeps his boats. Most times my brothers and I use the rail line between Sydney and Wahroonga as its well serviced and on time. Dad likes to use his car as he has secure underground parking in the tower where he manages his accounting and consulting firm. My mother also uses the car most times as she has reserved parking at the college she manages. Would you like to come see where we live?”

Jay laughed.

“My sister is called Brinda not Brenda. Brinda in our Gujarati language means Goddess so when you eventually meet her, I expect you’ll do puja to her. I’ve got nothing to do today so let’s go see where you live.”

Anthony got up to pay the bill, but Jay restrained him.

“You are my guest today but next time I expect you to feed me a ten-course meal at your expense.”

They both laughed at this demand.

As they sped away from the restaurant and headed north toward Wahroonga and Anthony’s home Anthony mulled over their conversation at the restaurant. What was this puja he had to do in connection with meeting Jay’s sister next year? He was unfamiliar with the term despite his one year in India. He’d obviously bombed out using his limited Hindi in greeting this new friend and didn’t want to make any mistakes with his sister. He turned and asked what puja he had to do to Jay’s sister and Jay roared with laughter.

“It’s a joke lar, Brinda means Goddess, so you must worship the Goddess. Puja means worship.”

Anthony gave an embarrassed chuckle at his ignorance of the language. Soon they were turning off the main road and wending their way through the side streets near the station until they entered a long driveway to the four-car garage complex. Anthony pressed a button in the car and a two-car garage door opened, then Anthony eased into his assigned space. The car next to it was the same brand Suzuki Swift but a different colour and Anthony revealed this belonged to his brother James who’d backpacked through India with him. James would be interested in meeting this new friend Jay when they got inside but his parents would not be getting home until later in the evening from their respective jobs. The younger brother Samuel was not at home, but he owned a motorcycle and parked it under cover at the back of the home next to the expansive patio and outdoor entertainment area with its pool when at home.

Jay was used to living a luxury lifestyle so appreciated what he was seeing as Anthony showed him around the home. He’d found a friend of equal social status in their respective societies. He was equally enamoured with Anthony’s brother James who was the comedian of the Martin family and had stored in his memory dozens of Sadaji jokes he’d picked up in their backpacking around India. Jay was in stitches laughing as James repeated them in rapid succession putting on his fake Indian English accent he’d quickly picked up on the trip. Jay felt quite at home with the Martins and didn’t feel so lonely in this unfamiliar country now after visiting the Martin home.

The Ambani’s as a clan were Hindu but while practicing all the rituals expected for the public eye had been heavily influenced by foreign culture in their travels around Europe and the USA on business and were privately secular when not under scrutiny of their peers. Their recent chicken curry meal at the Indian restaurant was proof of this family attitude.

As Anthony walked Jay back to the Wahroonga station close by each imputed the phone number contacts in their cell phones along with their Facebook pages and determined to keep in contact. They’d soon be attending classes together and Jay felt he had a friend in this unfamiliar culture who understood to a certain extent his own culture. That evening Jay posted several photos of their day together and a photo of his new friend Anthony beside him taken by Anthony’s brother James as the two of them stood smiling together.

Jay’s elder brother Gaurav immediately commented asking for more information about this new friend and began an online search to check on the Martin family status on LinkedIn. Brinda his sister sent Jay a message telling him to be very wary of this videshi (foreigner) who could possibly be a cannibal and make a mutton curry out of him. Hetvi his other sister messaged to say this safed bandar (white monkey) needed to get a suntan to be worthy of Jay’s friendship.

It was all in fun and he knew he could share this with Anthony confident he’d not be offended by the descriptions. Anthony did find it amusing but his brother James thought it hilarious and from that point on called his brother safed bandar.

Anthony told Jay to tell Brinda he didn’t think Jay would make a good meal but would like a picture of her to determine if she’d fit into his boiling pot. Then he told Jay to tell Hetvi he was sending her some skin whitener for her birthday if she’d share the date. The girls thought this was hilarious and immediately asked their brother to facilitate connecting with Anthony’s Facebook page so they could keep an eye on him. Jay was reluctant to do that as it would be unacceptable in their culture for his sisters to connect with a foreigner the Ambani extended family had no knowledge of.

However, the girls found his address on their brother’s Facebook friends page and without telling their brother contacted Anthony through Facebook Messenger requesting to connect with Anthony and explaining he should not post anything on their Facebook pages which the extended Ambani family monitored closely.

Anthony did accept the two sisters as friends on Messenger and immediately checked out all their pictures on their Facebook pages to see what their interests were making sure not to post anything on their pages. He wished he’d known about the Ambani family when he and his brother were touring India so he could see what kind of people they were in their environment, but he enjoyed going through Jay’s Facebook posts and checking out his friend’s pages too and found that very interesting.

Next day Jay phoned to find out what Anthony was doing for the day. They still had time to relax before the semester commenced and Anthony needed to purchase books recommended as required reading for the semester, so he agreed to meet Jay and Jay then suggested he bring James with him if he was available. So, the three of them met at Jay’s apartment and Anthony and Jay consulted together as they ordered their textbooks online through Book Topia while James scanned through Jay’s Facebook account checking out his friend’s pages. Then they headed for Darling Harbour to sample the best of foods on offer in the restaurants there at the wharf. James kept them entertained with stories from experiences he and his friends had in the undergraduate work he was completing and quizzed Jay about life in India.

Jay said that the apartment his father had bought for him was a two-bedroom unit close to the university so Anthony might consider moving in with him until his sister Brinda arrived the next year for company. Anthony said he’d consider that offer after consulting with his parents. Jay was not aware his two sisters had connected with his new friend and the girls had asked this not be shared. Anthony felt a bit guilty withholding that information but respected the girls wishes not quite understanding why this was necessary.

To be continued.

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