Here was a man. Prolific writer Acerbic critic Editor nonpareil Trenchant humourist Connoisseur of single malt Lover of life, words, women, and all things beautiful ‘You know that I am 99 years old.’ I replied: ‘May my years be added to yours.’ He looked up at me with the softest expression, and said: ‘No, but may you live as long as I have.’ I held his hand, the hand that had spent a lifetime writing books and inimitable articles, and kissed it. He brushed his cheek with mine. Both of us knew that it was a farewell. I left and stood on the gravel outside … – Fakir Syed Aijazuddin, Features Writer, Dawn … the Patiala Peg of publishing is no more! But we will continue to raise our glasses and thank him for liberating us from our idiotic, hypocritical, fake, humourless lives … for making us laugh at ourselves … for ridding us of quaint sexual hang-ups … for chucking old rules into the waste basket … for caring a damn! Jeena isi ka naam hai! – Shobhaa Dé, Bestselling Author
