When you meet any member of the Kohli family, the first thing that strikes you about them is that they are a bunch of good-looking and smart people. Now, one would feel this is a façade and would wait sometime for the real picture to surface. But many meetings later you realise – that’s just how they are – beautiful on the outside as well as inside, simply because the upbringing and values that have been instilled in them make them so. It was an absolute honour and joy meeting and interviewing Mrs. Deepak Kohli, wife of Late Mr. Ram Kohli and proud mother of Rajeev and Rohit Kohli and Chairperson, Creative Travel – one of the leading Independent Destination Management Companies. So humble, so affectionate and a lady, whose silent support changed the destiny of the Kohli family forever. BOTT is privileged to conclude the Mother’s Day Special series featuring the journey of this iconic woman.
Priyanka Saxena Ray
The Creative Travel office is a piece of art – from the main door to the upside down orange car, the green atrium to the subtle white space and yet what touches me most every time I visit the place is the magnificently framed picture of Mr. Ram Kohli, unmistakably placed at the threshold with beautiful flowers surrounding it. As I stood there gazing at it, a young girl walked towards me informing that Mrs. Deepak Kohli would join me shortly – this is what the Kohli’s are best at – the subtle attention to detail – I hadn’t asked and the staff was well-informed about the meeting.
As the lady of the empire walks in, looking immaculate as ever, with twinkling eyes and warm smile, it’s time for our chat – starting from the start. Born in Shahjahanpur, the young Deepak saw much of India at a young age, courtesy the transferable job of her father who was in the armed forces. Brought up in a relatively free and liberal mind-set, Deepak finished her education and started teaching in Loretto Jalandhar when her grandmother, through a common friend, brought up the proposal of the Kohli family. While the families met in Delhi, the bride and groom were not even offered a picture to see. “Ram came to meet me in Jalandhar. He came by the evening 6:00 pm train and was to leave by the 9:00 pm train. When I saw him, I felt that if I don’t marry this man, I will never be able to marry someone else. We met on February 14, got married on March 7 and flew to Germany on March 23 – on Ram’s birthday. I remember I had bought a pair of cufflinks for him on the flight,” she reminisces with a smile.
A young bride of 20, travelling abroad for the first time, one would expect her to be coy and scared – but the feisty Mrs. Kohli knew to take things in her stride and set out to make the lavish 4-bedroom floor her new home. Her ‘masalas’ from India didn’t last long but that didn’t hold her back from entertaining guests ranging from friends at the Indian Embassy to other influential clients from Mr. Kohli’s business circle at TCI. She even learnt a bit of German!
“When I got pregnant, I wanted to buy all pink stuff, but Ram was sure it would be a boy and wanted to buy all things blue. In the end, we just bought a lot of white stuff and prepared ourselves for Rajeev’s arrival in our lives! He was 4 months old, when I brought him to India while Ram got transferred to the USA. This was the time I actually got to stay with my in-laws and learned the cooking skills from my mother-in-law. Rajeev meanwhile was pampered no end completely spoilt as he was the first grandchild and apple of everyone’s eye,” she adds.
As the young mother got ready to leave for her journey to the USA, with a year old Rajeev, Mr. Kohli had done all the preparations for welcoming his wife and son settling for nothing less than an apartment on the 5th Avenue in New York where the “who’s who” of the city lived. The first ever apartment that Mrs. Kohli decorated as “home”, the place became an abode for many socialising, entertaining, birthday parties, Diwali get together and Christmas eve celebrations. They stayed in the US for about 7 years and just when both kids started going to school, fate changed tables on them.
“Ram called me one day and said I have quit the company and we are going back to India. Though the earth shook beneath my feet, I acted calm and assured him that everything will be fine. We came back to India, took up an apartment in Kalindi Colony and started our struggle with forming the company as papers would not move without bribe and Ram refused to give any money. The kids got admission into DPS Mathura Road, which again was a struggle since it was mid-session time. Nevertheless, we worked on all fronts and Creative Travel was started in 1977. Though I was never involved in the day to day operations of the company, Ram would share everything with me and also take my opinion whenever I would have one,” she shares, gushing how this interview is bringing such lovely memories back to her (and we couldn’t be happier).
It was in the early 80s when Mr. Ram Kohli, after reading about a DDA auction in a newspaper (he used to read 6 newspapers every morning!), bought his first ever office in the Priya Complex in Vasant Vihar for Rs. 99,000 and there was no looking back for him after that! Meanwhile, both sons neared finishing school. Rajeev studied in Delhi University and went on to pursue his Post Graduation from USA while Rohit did his graduation from Manipal University and worked at The Maurya for a year.
“They are both every different from each other – since childhood. Both had different interests. Rajeev liked to read while Rohit, the naughtier one, was a prankster. We never pushed them to join business because we both felt that it was a choice that should be made by them and not us. But when they did decide to join the business, they both joined at the junior-most level and worked their way up in the company,” she says, a look of pride clearly written on her face, given the fact where the company stands today.
The next beautiful and natural progression in her life came with the birth of her grandchildren. Ecstatic at becoming grandparents, Mr. Ram Kohli ensured that the kids get to use the best of stuff available internationally, including diapers! From nail clippers to diaper pins, everything was imported by the doting grandparents.
Looking at the happy family pictures, one truly does wonder where the affection and love and maturity to keep it all together comes from. “The three women in the family deserve the credit for keeping it together. Deepali and Ruchi are assets to the family – they are not “like” my daughters but more than daughters to me who have given me immense happiness and such adorable grandchildren – Rohan, Rishab, Diya and Tara,” she says affectionately.
Well, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that when the lady in the senior generation is so giving, warm, open and affectionate, it naturally passes down to other members of the family. How many granny’s do you know who have a separate WhatsApp group with their grandchildren, goes on exclusive trips and holidays with them and is their confidante in many secrets?! Not many I am sure, because there is indeed no one like the gracious Mrs. Deepak Kohli, who has not just raised her sons to be stalwarts of the travel trade but is also passing her values to her grandchildren, preparing another generation of the Kohlis to take the world by storm!
