Lord of the hill

Died: Jamshed (Jimmy) Shiavax Lord, 73, proprietor of Lord’s Central Hotel who earned the epithet of the grand old man of Matheran, on September 4, 2001 after succumbing to brain hemorrhage. The stroke was precipitated by a mishap en route to his favorite hill station when his car skidded on a patch of oil on the Bombay-Poona Road. To treat his fractured arm they brought him to the B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital in Bombay where he suffered a massive stroke and was subsequently shifted to the Jaslok Hospital.

"The hospitality industry in western India has indeed been orphaned and the hotel fraternity of Matheran will indeed miss the fatherly figure,” noted the condolence message from Vivek Nair, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) who commended Lord for always keeping the "interest of the industry ahead of self.”

When he was president of the hill station in 1974 and Matheran was cut off from the rest of the world during a rail strike, Lord inspired the local residents to voluntarily undertake shram­dhan (hard work without seeking monetary rewards) so that the dirt track between Neral and Matheran was converted into a motorable road, mentions a family source. Whilst thus ensuring that essential supplies and medicines were not denied to the locals, Lord had the foresight to build steps at Dasturi Naka (the entry point to Matheran) such that automobiles would never disturb the tranquility of the resort.

Lord: hospitable hotelier

And yet, the environment and ecology conscious hotelier was instrumental in getting a donation through Pallonji Mistry for an ambulance for emergency use in the hill station, and even maintaining and running it there for four years when the local municipality refused to shoulder the responsibility. Medical camps for the local people and admission of the ailing into Bombay hospitals was another service for which Lord came to be relied upon. He has also been credited for soliciting a donation from Tatas to repair and resurface the three-kilometer stretch of road from the bazar to Sunset Point without any environmental repercussions.

He was first elected to the Matheran Municipal Council in 1961 and continued to serve on it for many terms. For seven years, from 1967-74, he was president of the Council. His involvement in the town planning and politics never abated and he was latterly serving as its nominated councilor. On the day of the ill-fated accident he was proceeding to Matheran to attend a Council meeting, it was reported.

"Matheran will not be the same without him,” commented K. M. Sheth, executive chairman of The Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited, remembering him for "the warmth extended whenever we came holidaying to (his) Hotel. He always was full of anecdotes and one of the most caring persons one has had the good fortune to know.”

A respected father figure for most of Matheran, affectionately addressed as "Jimmy baba,” his interest in Matheran’s preservation and progress extended to maintaining its ecological balance through active tree planting, providing free milk every morning to the poor children of the town by introducing the Matheran milk scheme, arranging for donations of computers to the Saraswati Vidya Mandir and the St Francis Xavier’s High School so that the children there could get basic training in computers, and instituting cash scholarships for top ranking students in each school. As a game warden he was sometimes called upon to hunt down maneaters and leopards terrorizing local villagers.

"Jimmy Lord’s contribution to Matheran is unparalleled in the history of the hill station,” wrote Ram Gandhi, member of the Matheran Bachao Samiti in his condolence message. "He has personally been responsible for so many good holidays and memories people have had of Matheran,” he added. As noted Meher Heroyce Moos in her obituary in the Afternoon Despatch and Courier (ADC) of September 7, 2001, "Jimmy was often the raison d’être for most visitors to his unique resort.” Having enjoyed her annual holidays at Lords since 1952, for Jeroo Irani, managing editor of Voyage magazine, "Jimmy had this unique gift — he made every guest feel like family. Despite competition from newer luxury hotels, Lords retained its Raj-style ambience, its unmatched cuisine and impeccable hospitality.”

Although he never wanted to be a hotelier, his father’s illness immediately after he graduated in 1948 compelled him to involve himself in the running of the Hotel. And when his father died four years later, he took up the challenge. He did his postgraduation in hospitality management from Blackpool, England. His earlier education was at Bahadurji School in Lonavla, followed by Masters Tutorial School in Bombay from where he passed his SSC before proceeding to Sydenham College whence he graduated in commerce. Whilst constantly striving to upgrade the facilities and amenities at his resort, he ensured that they were eco-friendly. The garbage at Lords was recycled such that manure was created for the gardens he so dearly loved and a successful vermiculture system was operational. The solar panels at Lords were specially installed to supply hot water to the Hotel and to cook staff meals.

A respected mentor to those in the travel trade and the hotel and hospitality industry, Lord took an active interest in the Catering College in Bombay in its nascent stage and was for many years a paper setter and examiner at that institution.

His remarkable persistence and application made his friend Rumi Framjee comment, "I knew him as a person who would never accept defeat and if he wanted to have something to happen for the good of anyone, he would work on it till he was victorious.” Fond of traveling and making new acquaintances Lord’s stories could keep friends entertained for hours on end. ADC reader Huzan Engineer referred to Lord’s "charismatic presence and his ever ready wit. A scintillating conversationalist, his knowledge on every subject under the sun was formidable.”

As trustee of the Parsi aramgah Lord was substantially involved in raising funds for its renovation on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. But since he died in Bombay his mortal remains were taken to the Chandanwadi crematorium as per his wish. In the words of Sheth, "I am sure that wherever he is, Jimmy’s heart would always be in the red soil of Matheran.”

The affable hotelier is survived by his wife Zenobia, daughter Yasmeen Daruwalla, sons Yazed, Shiavax and Zal, and brothers Homi and Fali.

P. M. G.