For the past decade, former diplomat and author Bhaichand Patel has jokingly claimed that every birthday celebration would be his last.
But walking into his Sujan Singh Park residence on Wednesday evening, it was clear that none of his guests were taking that claim seriously.
As author and former diplomat Pavan K Varma quipped with a laugh, "For 10 years, he has been threatening that each celebration is his last, but we will celebrate a centennial as well!"
Delhi’s close-knit social circle gathered to toast the beloved host as he officially turned 90—complete with a numeric ‘90’ cake and a rousing chorus of For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow echoing through the room.
The evening unfolded as a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Designer Bina Ramani reminisced about her friendship with Patel dating back to London in the 1960s. "Even back then, his eyes were rolling to catch the girls!" she shared warmly. "Over the years, he has always felt like a brother to me."
Odissi dancer Sharon Lowen highlighted his hospitality over the decades. "He is one of the best hosts and a gentle friend. It is wonderful to see friends from over the years come together to celebrate his 90th, and we look forward to 95 and 100!" she said.
{{/usCountry}}Odissi dancer Sharon Lowen highlighted his hospitality over the decades. "He is one of the best hosts and a gentle friend. It is wonderful to see friends from over the years come together to celebrate his 90th, and we look forward to 95 and 100!" she said.
{{/usCountry}}The gathering was rife with laughter and iconic anecdotes. Kathak exponent Shovana Narayan recalled a mix-up from her husband's tenure as the Austrian ambassador in Bombay in 1990s, when a newspaper famously captioned a photograph of the group as: "The Austrian ambassador with Mr. and Mrs. Bhaichand."
Pavan K. Varma kept the spirits high, recounting old-school escapades and pointing out how rare a true friend like 'Bhai' is—even noting that Patel underwent knee replacement surgery just to ensure he could keep dancing on Valentine’s Day.
Looking around the room at his chosen family—noting that he doesn't have immediate family within 2,000 miles of the capital—the birthday boy raised a glass to his guests: "I want to have my friends around one more time, and maybe we'll meet next year. It's been a wonderful ride."