Solicitor Kanchan Pamnani and media man Zubin Tatna bond close and fight fair
Kanchan Pamnani and Zubin Tatna in her law office. Pic/Shadab Khan
Kanchan Pamnani, 57, solicitor
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Zubin Tatna, 56, media planner
A partner at Pamnani & Pamnani, advocates and solicitors, Kanchan Pamnani practises in the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court of India. Working with corporate, testamentary, property and disability law, her clients include financial institutions, private and public trusts, high-net-worth individuals and NGOs. She is a recipient of the 2009 National Award as Role Model from the President of India and Zonta Club’s Woman of the Year among several other honours.
Marshalling the experience of her disability—visual impairment, about which she insists, “Don’t hesitate to describe me as completely blind”—for advocacy, she serves on the board of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People.
Zubin Tatna is a strategic planner at the digital media agency Mindshare. Studying to be a chartered accountant, he switched tracks after obtaining his degree and joined Ogilvy to start his journey with advertising and brand building. A chorister with the Stopgaps ensemble, he is firm in his belief that though “Kanchan is impulsive, experimental, the leader and me a confirmed risk-averse follower”, each is an effective foil for the other.
• • •
Zubin Tatna: In 1982-83, my first year at HR College, at a “What’s the Good Word” quiz, I was paired with this rather quiet girl. I don’t believe we spoke other than what the contest compelled us to. We won, people clapped, we went home.
Kanchan Pamnani: In that first round we had zero points. I knew we needed to push, so we ultimately won with points far ahead of the other teams.
The friends facing each other (sitting second, left and right) with their college gang
ZT: In SYJC, we were in the same class and got better acquainted. Both of us love plays, movies and music concerts. The college had a strong calendar of activities. I was more participative than Kanchan, but she always watched and encouraged. We became a group of five, hanging out for movies, grabbing coffee, plays at the NCPA. Sometimes, only she and I landed up attending events and would talk for hours on the phone.
KP: I was a great audience. Zubin began working backstage, then acted. We started going for the Stopgap choir shows—he sang with them. He was dependable. It was pleasant and peaceful with him. I could just be myself.
Our haunts were Cafe Naaz, the Hungry Eyes van on Marine Drive. Zubin cooked omelettes at my place for our friends. He’s neat and methodical. Mom was always pleased to find a clean kitchen and an empty egg rack.
ZT: Kanchan has an elephantine memory. She remembers everything and is your go-too person for news. We chat about current affairs, work stress, political tensions, food (we love food), finance, books, films, theatre…
KP: And how to handle mothers getting older. Each of us gets on well with the other’s mother. We lost our dads in the same year.
Bad streets and inaccessible public spaces bother me. Zubin expertly navigates me through broken roads, closely laid restaurant tables and dangerous steps at concert halls. Once, at Cafe Royal, he was reading the full menu patiently to me as usual. Other diners complimented us, finding it amazing that two people can be so comfortable together.
ZT: I’m proud being the one who looks after her best and immensely respect what Kanchan does. It takes bravery and very supportive parents to achieve what she has. We’re from such diverse fields and yet are each other’s sounding board. We let off steam or share a win at work. Kanchan has been a rock giving me legal advice.
KP: Qualified as a CA, Zubin worked for a financial intermediary, while I studied law. When he shifted careers to advertising, I was a little concerned, but saw him happier in media than I ever did in finance. As a professional, he is concerned for clients and juniors, and keeps working late at night because someone else has goofed up.
He listens about my cases, calming when I want to blast someone. He makes me see reason, otherwise I’d go off the handle, losing friends and clients, not to mention sleep. His sense of equality and honesty helps me deal with things equably.
ZT: With the will and determination to have it all, despite the challenges, Kanchan is inspirational. Of course, it’s also exhausting to keep pace. Her strong drive and insatiable appetite to do everything make her successful. She is quite the social butterfly with tons of friends.
KP: I may have more friends, he has more close friends. He’s loyal to them and can be indifferent to others. I am hardly ever indifferent and wish I could ignore. Zubin has had many sad times in his life, but goes on. This pushes me on too. I like history and return from heritage walks to tell friends about various neighbourhoods. I still get my news from the print media, can’t keep up with social media.
ZT: We argue about anything and everything, not keeping track, just letting it pass. I offer plenty of advice. But does she take it? I do listen to her on matters of finance (and I’m the CA), but this lawyer is keen on investments, sorted in her thoughts and does give
sound advice.
KP: From him I learn how to create presentations, what to say in my speeches and loads of small things. I had a problem with people checking phones when with me. I can’t, as mine “speaks”, so there can be no conversation with my phone speaking to me. I’d put my mobile away and yell at anyone who didn’t. Zubin understood this immediately.
ZT: We’re both spoilt South Bombay-ites. That we live not far apart is a big factor—we lazy people haven’t to travel to stay in touch. Traffic is brutal in Bombay.
KP: Our ethics and the way we tackle issues are similar, though I’m a reactive person, while Zubin will mull. After 40 years, we disagree on many issues. That’s ok.
I work on litigation and non-litigious matters. Even after 30+ years of experience I feel that law is beneficial for everyone. I bow to the power of law.
Author-publisher Meher Marfatia writes monthly on city friendships. You can reach her at meher.marfatia@mid-day.com/www.meher marfatia.com
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