Book Launch of "MY SILK ROAD: The Adventures and Struggles of a British Asian Refugee" by Ram Gidoomal was held on 26 August 2022

on Aug 29, 2022

My Silk Road: The Adventures and Struggles of a British Asian Refugee by Ram Gidoomal was launched in Delhi on 26 August 2022 by entrepreneur and socialite Ramola Bachchan at a ceremony at India Habitat Centre. This memoir is published by Pippa Rann Books and Media, the U.K. and is being distributed in India by Penguin Random House India. The event was attended by retired Ambassador K P Fabian and Madhav Bellamkonda, CEO, of World Vision India.

Introducing Ram Gidoomal on the occasion, Geetanjali Solanki, Country Manager CottonConnect said ‘Ram Gidoomal was born into an Indian immigrant family of silk traders in Kenya and enjoyed his childhood in Mombasa. When he turned 17, his family endured devastating second deportation to London. Starting from scratch Ram built a successful career in business and was firmly on the road to success, prosperity, and fortune when a life-changing journey led him to instead dedicate his business skills to profit to those who need them the most. His contributions to the community were recognized by Her Majesty, The Queen, who in 1998 appointed him Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) which is the highest ranking order of the British Empire excluding Knighthood.

Speaking about Ramola Bachchan, Geetanjali Solanki said ‘Ramola Bachchan took the decision in the year 2005 to relocate from the UK to India after two decades. Life in London meant taking care of a growing family and heading a PR firm, as well as being active in the social and fundraising scene. This was an unexpected move after the children had flown the nest. Describing herself as something of a serial entrepreneur, on her return, Ramola found that new opportunities kept presenting themselves. Her first venture was to open ‘Manré’, the award-winning fine dining modern European restaurant in Delhi. She moved on to promoting fashion through fashion & lifestyle exhibitions and interiors ‘Runway Rising’ and ‘Runway Bride’, started her own fashion range ‘First Resort’, and a food brand called ‘The Accidental Chef’. At the end of the day what makes Ramola the happiest, she says, is interacting with people and being part of their life’s journey wherever possible.’

The event was moderated by Kinner Lakhani, Global Commercial Director, CottonConnect. Upon releasing the memoir, Ramola Bachchan said ‘Ram and I have known each other for 20-25 years and have had the pleasure of watching Ram grow in a professional capacity and achieving all sorts of amazing achievements that one couldn’t have imagined. I also have the good fortune to know him personally and find him as one of the kindest and most caring human beings one comes across. So it’s been a pleasure for me to be associated with him all these years and watch him grow from strength to strength and am delighted to endorse and launch his memoir. I wish him all the very best and hope his readers will appreciate all the hard work he’s done over the years.’

Along with sharing some memorable moments of childhood, Ram Gidoomal, author of ‘My Silk Road’ read excerpts from the book. He went on to explain how a wonderful gesture by his children, of creating a video of family, friends, and his professional contacts wishing him on his 70th birthday, during a COVID lockdown, went on to conceptualizing this memoir. The name of ‘The Silk Road’ was taken from his family business of silk trading. He elucidated that his grandfather with two younger brothers had set up a business between Japan, East Africa, and South Africa of silk sarees and they were hugely successful. Though due to India's partition all of their health was lost. It’s this silk trade that gave him the inspiration of naming this book. He believes that every one of us can have our own silk road which is the main message of this book.

The launch ended with a networking session over food and drinks.